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| New Farm in Chiang Rai with Team from Tennessee |
This verse has come to me over and over again for the past three months. At times, it has been a friend reading it to me, or a pastor preaching it to me, a friend emailing it to me, or in a book or devotion that I was reading. It is been a long time since my last email update, and that partly, is because we have been totally consumed by all the NEW THINGS that God is doing in and around us. We see it in the smallest of things, and in the HUGE THINGS! We see it in own lives, we see it in our farm, our ministry, and in our family. And, while we do remember and learn from our past, we are excited beyond measure for the future of the Brittan Family and our ministry in North Thailand through Narrow Gate Asia.
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| Morning Team Devotionals at the Farm with Volunteers |
Since we last wrote, so many things have taken place.
- December 18 – Moved the farm and ministry to Chiang Rai from Mae Sai
- December 19 – My parents came to visit from Tennessee for Christmas and to help with the move and farm transition.
- Celebrated Christmas and New Years – Of course we still had to milk and feed the goats! They don’t take a day off.
- December 27 – Celebrated Christmas with Pastor Ahmeh in PhaMii Village.
- December 30 – Feed Chopper stopped working and because of the New Year no parts were available, leaving us with out food for the animals.
- January 6 – Volunteer Team came from Thompsons Station Church in Tennessee.
- Team activities included: Orientation, visiting temples, Renovation of the small house on the site for use as a farm/ministry office and Managers home, Pastor Visits, Village Visits, and ministry to our family.
- January 8 – Water system shut down leaving no water for the farm, construction, or animals.
- January 11-13 – Women’s Retreat hosted by volunteers from the US.
- January 15 – Phii Natinii Moved in to her new home at the farm after completion of renovations.
- January 15- The owner of the land we rent told us he might sell it to someone else.
- January 16 – The owner told is it was sold and we had to move out of the farm we just moved into.
- January 16 – God provided the funds for the entire down payment within TWO HOURS, and … we renegotiated our lease purchase terms.
- January 18 – Volunteers returned to the US.
- January 18 – Met with Attorney to write new purchase Contract.
- January 31 – Signed Final Purchase Contract, securing the property for Narrow Gate Asia and its ministries.
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| Somgiat and SanChat came to help Move. |
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| Granny Feeding the Elephants walking down the road near our house |
Whew! What a month. That said … It has been amazing to see that God is not letting us do this alone, and HE is confirming time and time again, that this move was all about His Plan, His Timing, and His Purposes. I wish that I could put this past month into words, and maybe someday I can, but in both the darkest valleys and the highest mountains of this past month, our Father God has been there and cared for us in ways that we would have never imagined and still cannot comprehend.
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| Moving Truck - Dec 18 - 65 Goats, 3 Sheep, and a Motorcycle. |
I do want to share with you, that the Move to Chiang Rai has been a great experience. We worked for nearly three months, in two locations, to run the farm in Mae Sai, and build the farm here. Before move day, we moved lots of materials and equipment that were not essential daily use items. On Wednesday, December 18, we rented a 30 foot, 3 level, livestock truck with a lift on the back and beginning immediately following the regular morning milking session we loaded the animals and what was left of the tools, refrigerators and equipment. 65 goats and 3 sheep filled the two lower levels of the truck, and the top level and my pick up were loaded with the equipment. We drove to Chiang Rai where friends and family were there to help us unload and get ready for business at the new farm. By 3:30PM, were set up and ready for our first milking session in our new facility.
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| Helping Milk the Goats |
In the midst of this crazy move day, we even had neighbors and people from the village come and visit. One Muslim family followed the truck full of milk goats from the main highway because they wanted to know what was going on. They have subsequently returned to buy milk and are very interested in the meaning of “The Narrow Gate that leads to LIFE!” Our Goats, Our Milk, and Our Farm, bring people to Our Message of “Good News” about how they can know Jesus as their Lord and savior. I am so blessed, to have the farm moved, but more than that, we continue to see God doing something New and something Special through our farm project at Narrow Gate Farm and Dairy!
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| Granny and Papa come for a Visit |
The day after the move, I received what might be the greatest Christmas present ever! My parents arrived in Thailand. I warned them before they arrived, that this would not be a vacation, and that they were coming during our big move. That meant that they got to spend lots of time at the Farm! I think that might be what made the visit so special for me. A son, even a grown one, needs the support and encouragement of his father. Having the opportunity for my Dad to see, experience, and KNOW what I am doing first hand, makes me confident that my father understands and is proud of what I am doing. Thank you Dad for giving me the affirmation that I need as a man!
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| Women's Retreat |
On January 6, we had the blessing of receiving a group from our newest Partner Church, Thompson Station Church of Tennessee. Men and Women from my parents Sunday School class came to serve at the farm, in villages, experience Thai Culture, and to catch a vision or the NEW WORK that God is and will be doing through partnerships like ours. They set two goals for the trip. Intimately Understand our ministry, and Bless the Brittan Family and Work. Those goals were met by having the opportunity to see and experience the day to day operations of our farm, family, outreach to the community though Business as Mission. They renovated the small house that is being used as our managers home, which lead to the greater goal of moving me back home to be with Pattie and the kids. The ladies lead a Women’s retreat for missionary ladies in the Chiang Rai community where they had a chance to minister to, fellowship with, and bless my wife and her friends with worship, God’s word, and fellowship.
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| Women's Retreat in Chiang Rai |
During their stay, we received the disturbing announcement that our farm land had been sold, and we were going to have to move within 6 MONTHS. Through the prayers, middle of the night phone calls and emails, and contact with friends and family, this team from Thompson’s Station Church raised the funds for the complete down payment on our property. This sounds quite simple as I write it here, but the agony that we experienced and the potential impact it might have had on our family and ministry was enormous. Watching God use this team of volunteers to mobilize our partners in this way, so blesses and encourages us that I find it hard to put into words. This is an indescribable gift, as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians. It is not a gift of money or land, but rather it is a gift to the people that we minister to in North Thailand that will provide for them an opportunity to hear the “Good News” of Jesus Christ at Narrow Gate Farm and Dairy. Thanks be to God, for using this team to provide for this indescribable gift.
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| Contract Signing at the new ministry site. |
A volunteer once told me that “at the Brittan Farm, things never stop. You never stop being a Father, you never stop being a Farmer, you never stop being a Friend to the people around you that don’t yet know Jesus!” It was never God’s plan for us to separate one aspect of our life from another, and as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we have to insure that we integrate Jesus in to every aspect of our life. When we do this, and focus it on His goals and plans, we will see people “Enter the Narrow Gate that Leads to LIFE!”
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| Sharing about God's Greatest Gift at the Farm. |
We will write more soon, and in addition, I hope to have a chance to visit with you personally when I come to Texas and Tennessee from March 1 through March 16. I will be visiting Churches, Friends, and Family in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and in Thompson’s Station TN. I look forward to seeing you there. Call or write to let me know when I can come see you too, and in the next few days, we will be finalizing a schedule for when I will be in a place near you!
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| Family from Thompson's Station, TN. |
We want to say thank you to each and every one of you. We are blessed by your prayers, by your encouragement, and by your financial support of our ministry and family in North Thailand.
Specific Prayer Requests:
- Praise God for provision of the Down Payment and for securing the puchase of our ministry site. Please pray for God's provision of the entire financial need for this project.
- Praise God for our Farm / Ministry Team
- Pray for monthly ministry partners.
- Pray that doors will be opened to invite our neighbors into the Narrow Gate that Leads to Life at our new farm.
- Pray for Harry's trip to TEXAS and TENNESSEE from February 28 - March 16, and that it will be fruiful for development of our ministry, board, and projects.
In His Grip
Harry, Pattie, Hattie, Emma, Harry V, and Nellie.
Send Letters and Tax Deductible Contributions to:
Narrow Gate Asia
P.O. Box 260275
Plano, TX 75026-0275 USA
Please use this link to go direct to PayPal:
Contact us on Facebook, or at hbrittan@narrowgateasia.org
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