“And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.” Micah 5: 4.
In this verse, the prophet Micah is talking about the coming of the “Good Shepherd” Jesus Christ, but being a shepherd myself, I can’t help but see similarities to my own life and situation. No matter the task … I, living in the power of the Holy Spirit, can tend my “flock in the strength of the Lord.” For me, my flock includes my wife Pattie, my family, my farm, my ministry, my workers and interns, and the people that God brings in to my life on a daily basis. I can be encouraged, knowing that I don’t have to do it on my own. I can be encouraged, that I have a helper. And I can be encouraged that this helper was sent to me by the “Good Shepherd”, Jesus Christ. God has called our family here to live and serve and this passage reassures me that at Narrow Gate Asia and Narrow Gate Farm and Dairy we can stand firm, knowing that we will remain, no matter the circumstances or challenges that we face.
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| Brittan Family at Hattie's High School Prom - CRICS 2013 |
It has been a while since we wrote, and a lot has happened since then. Hattie and I returned from a terrific trip to the states. We want to thank everyone in the US for making it such a success. While we were in the US, we traveled 4630 miles from Texas to Tennessee. We visited 9 cities, Two States, 4 churches, and we had the chance to visit with lots of friends and family in the 3 weeks that we were there. We returned to find Pattie and the kids doing well and also want to thank our friends in Chiang Rai for helping take care of them while we were away.
I can’t tell you how eager I was to return to the Farm. Nathanii Loang, our Farm Mgr./Service Intern did a great job taking care of business. That said, when I got there, I found that our Buck Barn was knocked down in a storm, our Buck was down with Pneumonia, we had a doe with swollen and infected hind legs due to a fungal/bacteria infection, another with Mastitis, and the landlord wants to raise the rent. In addition, on that first day back, we also received some more challenging news. The family that has been working in the farm had to leave due to health reasons. They worked through the end of April, and we hired a part-time worker to help keep up the pace. Just this past week, we hired a full-time family to live and work in the farm. They started on Monday this week. So, that is why you have not heard from me since I got back. Please be in prayer for us as we begin to train, grow, and adjust in our new roles and responsibilities with our team.
If that was not enough to complicate things, Nathanii also announced her plans for her wedding. This is great news, and we have known it was coming for some time. What that means for us, is that after the end of the year, she will leave Narrow Gate and go to serve in the Church in Mae Suay. I am excited for her new family and for what she and her husband Phii Thaay will do for the Kingdom, because that is what we are preparing her for. At the same time, I am kind of like a proud father who does not want to let go of his little girl.
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| Time for a Change - That old hat could tell some stories. |
What all this means for our team, is that it is time to grow and change. Just like the new Hat I bought in the States to replace my old worn out, floppy one. We are not really sure yet what that means, but each time that we add new Interns and Staff we adjust the face and culture of our project. We serve an amazing God, and we looking forward to see how the Lord shapes our team for the future. Isn’t it wonderful that we have a “Good Shepherd” that knows what His flock needs even before we do? It is a bit hard really to describe the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual stress that we have experienced over the past several weeks since my return. But this morning, I am encouraged to know that we can work in the “Strength of the Lord” and that we can remain steadfast in Him, “The Good Shepherd.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Pray for our team as we grow and change.
- Pray for Pattie and the kids as they finish the school year.
- Pray for our Intern Nathanii and that God will lead her in her future plans.
- Pray for our Farm – Animal Health, Production, and Logistics.
- Pray for Selection of our newest Interns
- Pray for Gary Bowman from Thompson’s Station Church in TN, who will be visiting May 29 through June 3.
- Pray for Daniel Deason who is preparing for his trip to Thailand in July.
- Pray that God’ Kingdom will come and Will be done through Narrow Gate Asia.
- Pray for how you can be a part of our work here in Thailand through prayer, service, and financial support.
Thank you, and God Bless.
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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