"I know Harry! ... But I don't know YOU!"

“The thief has come to steal, kill, and destroy … But, I have come that they may have Life, and have Life abundantly.”  This verse in John has been  almost like a mantra for our ministry and family, ever since we came to Thailand 8 years ago … BUT, this past month, has demonstrated time and time again, that we are in fact in a spiritual battle, and the “thief” does not want us here.  In this past month, we have seen our barn and staff housing heavily damaged in storms, we have seen our milk sales fall drastically as a schools and universities close for an extended term, we have lost workers and productivity during a one week shut down during Thai new year, we have experience illness and family challenges, car break downs, and most recently our community has been rocked to the core by earthquakes as strong as 6.5.

In this midst of these events, we continue to see God’s continued blessing,

The same day the earthquakes hit Chiang Rai last week … Our farm experienced an unprecedented “Quake” of another kind.

Making Coffee at Scout Camp

We had gone to a Boy Scout Camp-out for the weekend.  When I returned, I was greeted by a phone call from our farm manager, informing me that a group of investors had come by the farm repeatedly over the weekend.  They had with them development plans, surveys, and purchase documents for our land.  They said that they had just purchased and paid “in-full" for our land, and that they wanted to know why the “Foreigner” had not removed his goats from the land.  They went on to say that in the coming days a tractor would arrive to begin preliminary clearing of land and cutting of roads and boundaries in the land, including removal of our barns!

Lil Harry at Camp with Friends

My response to Phi Nat was that we had heard and dealt with rumors of sales in the past and this would be no different.  I was confident in our purchase agreement and I told Phi Nat not to worry.  I casually contacted my attorney via email, thinking that this too would simply blow by.

It was Phi Nat’s day off, Phi Cluii had left to go cut grass, and I left the farm unattended to go and pick up feed from the local village.  As I drove away, I took notice, but did not think much about the cars and the tractor parked at the farm across the road.

The cars were lining up on both sides of the road

I was gone about twenty minutes.  When I crested the hill to come back, I was shocked to see cars parked in my drive way at the barn, and a line of trucks in front of the farm.  The biggest “QUAKE” of all, was the TRACTOR preparing to drive through our fence to begin clearing our land.

I quickly headed off the tractor.  I told this hired worker that if he entered our farm, I would have the police come and arrest him and the owner of the tractor for trespassing.  The people in the other vehicles began to rally, and it did not take long to figure out that this was the group of investors and they were there to take over our farm and land.  I raced up the side road to the barn.  I skidded side-ways across the road to block the other car that was trying to leave.  I ran to his window to get the whole story.  He very aggressively explained that he and a group of 6 others just finalized the purchase of this land from a Mr. Att, and that they had each paid 1.2 million Thai Baht each for their shares (More than double what we paid).  He was there to evict us and take over the land that he had purchased.

At the farm alone, I secured the fences and would not allow them in.  I began to contact out team, including our attorney, the land owner, the village head man, and our farm manager.  Within 15 minutes, they had begun to arrive.  Tensions were HIGH as everyone was jockeying for position to tell their side of the story.

The Village Head Man stepped in immediately to take control of the situation.

The Show Down.in the Road in front of the Farm.

He clasped his arm around my shoulder.  Pulling me close, and said, “I know Harry!  This is His land!  I don’t know YOU!”  He went on to explain that no land transaction takes place in his village without him knowing about it.  After further clarification from the owners with whom we are contracted, it became clear that “MR. ATT”, a high ranking official and respected man in the community had run a multi-million baht skam on these investors.  He in fact had no right to the land, nor had he every even been in contact with our owners and friends who are standing strong to honor our purchase contract.  After this short but spirited discussion, these “investors” ducked their heads, apologized, and ran.  Over the course of this past month, Mr. Att has been bringing them to see the land at times when I was not there.  They have been so bold as to trespass to take measurements and some of them have even "befriended" us over the past 6 weeks to gather information about our farm, our contract, and our purchase agreement.  We have certainly felt as if we have been violated.

No doubt, the Enemy has used this and all the activities of the past month to discourage and distract us from the plan and call that he has placed on our lives here in North Thailand.  In the midst of the kinds of situations we have faced during this past month, we have asked many times, “Are we doing the right thing, God?”

Farm Tour Chiang Rai International Christian School

The answer, as has always been, is “Yes, THIS is where I want you, and THIS is what I want you to do!”

An interesting thing happened in this recent land “quake”.  Our farm, our family, and our Friends, where recognized by the Village Head Man as a MEMBER of the community.  Whether it was our response to the hail and wind, milk distribution to those in need, help in the quakes, or God providing land for us to purchase in Chiang Rai, the Village Head Man STOOD BY ME!  And said,  “I Know Harry!  I don’t know you.”

Our Primary Goal in Business as mission is to create relationships and inroads to the community through business, so that we can share the love and life of Jesus with a people who so desperately need him.  Narrow Gate Asia is doing that.  It does not always look like we think it should, or how we plan, but God’s plan is effective for bringing people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Sharing at the Farm about Narrow Gate

While I was in the US in March, I had an opportunity to share with you about the vision that God has given us at our farm in North Thailand.  I also described our purchase arrangement where we are scheduled to make periodic payments over the course of the next two years to pay for the balance of the principle. 

We need your help to make this possible, and to complete this payment schedule and to build the necessary facilities to fulfill the call that God has given us to reach this region and to prepare pastors for the ministry field.

We need to raise quickly:

• $80,000 usd for the remaining land principle.
• $50,000 usd for staff housing and facilities of Narrow Gate Asia
• We also need to continue to raise support for the following:
• Personal Monthly Missionary Support
• Education Tuition and Expenses - $4,000 usd.

Any one of these amounts, could be raised by a single supporter,  a Sunday School Class, or an entire Church Body with one of our partners. 

I do not usually do this, BUT I want to ask, and challenge our partners, friends, families, and churches, to pray about how God will use YOU to fulfill this need, and fulfill the vision that God has given to Narrow Gate Asia and the Brittan Family.  Think about it, Pray about it, talk about it with you churches and groups, and lets plan together about how these ministry needs can be provided.

The Brittan Family at HS Prom 2014

We are your missionaries, and we are blessed to stand along with you, in the Narrow Gate that leads to LIFE and LIFE abundantly.

I hope to hear from you soon.  All contributions to Narrow Gate Asia are tax deductible, and can be sent via check to our PO Box or Online via Paypal.  For assistance with special contributions through trusts, savings plans, foundations, real estate, like kind donations, etc, please contact me at hbrittan@narrowgateasia.org  and we can help to facilitate these transactions .

God Bless, and Thank you from the Brittan Family

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