TEARS

 Tears flow freely from my eyes.  This time they are NOT tears of joy!  NO, I have just found out that DuPe is using opium again!  My heart is broken!Now let me refresh your memory about DuPe.  He has a wife and 6 children.  Two years ago he shot himself in the right ear, wishing to die. He had been using opium excessively for years.  That day the Lord had providentially held us back from our previous appointment so that we would be available to help him.  We rushed him to the hospital.  The bullets were successfully removed from his head in Chiang Mai.  The doctor told him it would take one year before he would be able to do any work at all.  However, after just 6 months he began working in his gardens and is very strong and healthy.  His promise to God after recovering from this horrible self inflicted wound was that he would never use opium again.  He has been true to his promise until now.  His life is a miracle and he has brought us the most joy of anyone since we have been working in BYT!Every Monday night we go to his house and have worship with his family and friends.  They are hearing all the Bible stories for the very first time, and are so happy to welcome us every week.Oh how dreadful are the chains of the devil, how overwhelmingly strong and overpowering.*    *     *    *   *     *The next thing that happened to make my tears flow some more, was that the last time we went to LaGlah village to see ChaDree and his family, BletJaw saw him smoking opium also!!  He had not been using it for over 4 years.Thinking about it later, we can see that ChaDree is sick.  He had cancer removed in Chiang Mai one year ago and underwent 2 surgeries.  The last time I took him to Chiang Mai it was for surgery on a metastasis to the left lung.  However, he refused surgery that day and now he only has to wait and see what will happen to him.  We know he is having a hard time.I ask for you to please do us a huge favor and pray like mad for these two dear men, that they can find God personally and gain the strength outside themselves to overcome.  God is not finished with them yet.  The story is not over.  Pray for a miracle of healing for ChaDree also if it is God’s will.  It would be very encouraging to these people if they know our friends all the way around the world in America are praying for them.Each day we feel more urgency in doing God’s work here. We press on with more determination than ever to show Jesus to this opium saturated part of the globe.