A Certificate and a Church

Philip's July & August 2026 newsletter covers two months in which, as he writes, the Lord's faithfulness ran like a golden thread through every day — work permits, visas, milestones for the church, and even a batch of buttermilk rusks baked between the forms and the tests.

The biggest personal news belongs to Wud. He travelled back to Surat Thani to write the water-operator exam a second time — and passed, receiving his operator certificate for the water-and-ice factory. "Al die lof en dank aan ons Koning" — all the praise and thanks to our King, writes Philip, thanking everyone whose prayers "wrote that exam with him."

The church reached a milestone of its own: the Moken church is being officially registered as a church in Thailand. Philip has also been asked by Ajaan Siean to help preach in the Ranong congregation in the months with five Sundays, and the photo of the 16 August gathering shows the whole congregation together.

On Koh Chang, Philip met with the Moken community about their children who are not attending school. The community came up with a good solution themselves — now they need help putting the plan into action, and Philip asks for prayer that every child on that island finds a place in a classroom.

In August, old friends came to visit: oom Paul and tannie Engela from Global in Jeffreys Bay spent time on the island — a wonderful time of eating together, talking together and giving thanks for everything the Lord is doing here. Philip also travelled to Bangkok for his yearly visa extension; everything went well, his passport is back, and he reports to immigration again on 11 September while the visa is under final consideration.

The Guardians program keeps growing: two of the five boys have Guardians; three are waiting — five boys, five opportunities, one prayer. You can become a Guardian on the support page.