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8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
1/8
CH I A N G M A
Dear Co-Worker s,
. . -9
984
iBento^s Soj ournlnaA
in Tjkailand
By faith they sojournecJ in the land....
looking
forward to a
city
which
has foundations,
whose
bui lder and make r is God.
HEB.
11:8-10
Forwarding
Agent:
Alan
an d Janet Bemo
Linda Goerke
Box
180
R.R. 1,
Chiangmai. Thailand King
City
Missouri 6
April
1984
I am starting to write this letter to you from an open hallway In our house in Piang Luang. It is 6:00
a .m. and
the sun is just getting ready to come up. Chickens are pecking around and a little fire is going in the back yard. In
front of
our
house
the
village of Chinese
and
Shan
spreads
out among
tall clumps of bamboo
and
towards the back of
the house we look out across paddy fields to the mountains which mark the Burmese border. We moved in here about
a week before Resurrection Sunday and on that day we had our first Sunday service in our house. Also, to celebrate
Easter and our moving into a new house we put on a Chinese feast and invited all the Church members, some village
dignitaries, and some Karen tribal Christians to attend. We had around 130 people who attended this meal.
We have
spent
almost
6,000
on this house. We praise God for the way He has provided. Right now it has
a dirt floor. We are content with that, but the Lord has
seen
fit to
provide
us with better.
The
Christians here in the
village decided they were going to put a cement floor in for us. They bought the sand, rocks, and cement. They also
arranged for a mason to come and do the work but found that they didn't have enought money to do the whole job
after all. But it so happended that the preacher of a Church in Autralia had visited us back during the first of January.
He didn't even get to come to Piang Luang but he heard us talking about our house. When he came back through
on another trip he brought an offering of $200 - almost exactly making up what was lacking.
So
we are going to have
a nice floor Thank you Lord Work is to begin this week.
Of the different places we worked here in Northern Thailand while we were on our
first
term, we felt that Piang
Luang was the most needy, but also the hardest. We felt we should move here but dreaded it in a way. Now that
we a re here we
see
that
God
certainly has kept His promises to us: My Word will not be ineffective.
God
has
pro
vided us with a lot of good co-workers. We have one Chinese intern who has come to work with us for a year -
Hsiong Fu Man. He Is a graduate of a Baptist Bible College in Bangkok. Another intern, Ti Ni, who is a Karen,
and a graduate from Chiangmai Bible Institute, is having good response in three Karen villages near here. Also, here
for semester break are three other students from that school. Two of them are former Timothys from this village from
when we lived here before. All together we have 13 meetings a week. Janet teaches three of these which are Bible
literacy classes for
women.
Five are Children's meetings
and
four are adult Bible studies. We have teenage meetings
on Saturday nights. On May 6th there were 16 baptisms. We were able to have three hours of special instruction for
these before they were baptised. Three families have come to us saying, We want to become Christians, in the last
two weeks. Our living room is approximately 18 by 30 feet. Meetings in this room have been packed - we haven't
had enough chairs. I would say that yesterday ( May 13) that there were at least 40 adults attending service and pro
bably 30 children at the
Bible
study time. Those who have said they want to be Christians do not necessarily believe
that Jesus is the Resurrected Savior and Lord. They need to be taught and baptised yet. So we are praising God for
all He is doing and the ministry He has given us here
We have made several trips to Mipo lately to help the people marke t their peaches . I have not kept records
but I believe there
have been about 500
worth of fruit come
out
of Mipo this year
and
this has mostly been from two
families. This is a big part of their income now. We are now making plans to move over there for a few months the
beginning of next year to set up a much needed processing plant for the fruits and vegetables which are becoming
plentiful there. This plan has a great big if the Lord wills Attached to it.
Severa l sick people have been cared for lately. A girl, A Ying, has
had
her foot
operated
on to correct a de
formity caused by steppong in a fire when she was two. A Sz Pha had correct ive surgery for serious club feet. We
took Lwo Hsiau Fu to the hospital with a ruptured appendix. Just before he went into the operating room he said,
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
2/8
We
have had
visitors lately. Scott
and
Debbie Marcum;
Ted and
Beverly Skiles
and
their
son.
Greg
came
for
a 10
day
visit from Taiwan . We
have been
hoping some of
our
beloved missionary friends from Taiwan, where we
used to work , cou ld
come
over and visit us. It was a blessing But on just
the second day
they were here.
Ted
was
on
a trip with
Robert Morse
when
t hey were involved
in a
serious
car
accident. Ted
was
injured worst
of all.
barely
escaping
death.
He suffered a fractured skull and at last word is still suffering from a loss of hearing and balance.
His spiritual life is stronger than
ever
though. Let's pray that
God
will
completely heal his body that he may have
many
years of faithful service to
our
Lord.
By the time you get this letter
our
daughters. Beth Becky, in high school in Taiwan, should have arrived
back
home here. They are due
to arrive on May
27th.
It
has been hard
for the kids to be so far
away
- especially
when they have
problems of various sorts.
Though
not a
problem
it would be nice to be
around when
they s ta rt to
date. Jon ni e
is planning on
going
to a
boarding school
in Dalat. Malaysia.
So . next August
it looks like three of
ou r
six children will be far
away
to schoo l. P lease
pray
for
these hard
times of
separation
for all of us.
An inspirational
thought
to us lately is
that
members
of
three
families
have recently
confessed
Christ
no t
be
cause
of
sermons,
calls, or tracts , but because
ou r
children
made
friends and
played
with their children.
They
often
go to their houses and sometimes eat with
them.
Their kids come over here all the time. Our children love it
here,
and
love their friends
here.
This
proves
to us again that
the
main avenue of service for a missionary is to
appreciate
and
love
the people
of
another cul tu re . Love them
into
the Kingdom
We attr ibute all
successes
to
the
Lord
God
of Israel. We are
sure t ha t your prayers have channeled
much
of
that
blessing to us. Please
keep
praying
and thanking God
for
what
He is
doing.
Yours
in Jesus,
The
Lord
adds to this
church
almost weeklif
First Sunday worship rif
Bemo s
new house
Formosa Ch r i s t i a n Miss i on
Sarah
babysitting Rachel
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
3/8
CH I NCM I
OCT 11 98
^
T lte
^emo^d SoJ^ournin^d In
Tjhailand
By faith they sojourned In
th e
land
looking
forward to a city
which has foundations
whose
builder and
maker
is God.
HEB.
Forwarding Agent:
Alan
an d Janet
Bemo
L inda Goe rke
Box 18 0
R.R.
1.
Chiangmai. Thailand King City, Missouri 644
June July
August
1984
Dear
Co-Workers
Our
family has shrunk from eight to five in the last few days. Beth and Becky were here for the summer break but jus t
left a few days ago to go back to school in Taiwan. Before they left we all made a train/bus trip down to Penang, Malaysia
to see the school where Jonathan will be going to high school. It is a real nice campus r ight on the beach and the staff
are all ded icated Chr is tians who love the Lord and the students very much. Even though the kids are in good schools
we still feel an empty place in our lives without them. All three of them were a big help in the mission work this summer
too. We appreciate you remembering them in your prayers. Their addresses: Beth Becky Bemo,
^Morrison
Academy,
Box 27-24, Taichung 400, Taiwan, ROC. Jonathan Bemo,
^Dalat
School, Sandy
Croft Tanjong
Bungah,
Penang
Malaysia.
Our
house in Piang Luang is finished now. Well, is a house ever finished? But it is mostly done. It has a cement floor
now and flowers growing all around. It is comfortable
and
always a place good to get back too .
Our
work used to be
centered around Chiangmai
but
now Piang Luang. A weekly schedule is something like this: Sunday - morning SS classes
and adult services and evening children and adult teaching at the nearby village
of
Hwei Hai. Monday - I teach two hours
of Bible to five Timothys (actually 4 Timothys and 1 Timothiess). This is done 6 days a week. Janet teaches an English
class in the village school (4 days a week). Tuesday - same and a Bible class at
New
Village. Janet teaches a Bible
literacy t he re too . Wednesday - Bible class at Tang Village, Karen Village, and Lisu Village (we divide up for this night).
Thursday - Bible class
at Ju
village. Friday - family night . Saturday - calling
and youth
meeting.
There
is always a lo t
to do besides these scheduled events. People come for advice, prayer, or help of some kind or other. People have been
coming every week want ing to become Chr is tians. We have been going to Karen villages because we have a co-worker
who
is a
Karen and there a re two
villages
of
this
t ribe which
have never
hea rd the
gospel
befo re. The re
is
also
a
Lisu
village close to us where there are Christians bu t no preacher. Once a Lisu
came
asking for us to go to another village
where people were wanting someone to come to baptise them. I went and 9 were baptised. Each time we have had occasion
to go to Lisu vil lage we keep in
touch
with Eugene Morse because he is mainly doing Lisu
work
and these villages have
all been evangelised by him and his co-workers. Our main
work
is
among
the Chinese
bu t
once in a while we feel the call
to go to others also. Lately we have been doing less agricultural work but are now starting to help another family in Piangluang
who
has
decided to stop growing
opium.
The most wonderful experience is being able to disciple these five people every day. Three of them are
Piang
Luang
Christians
an d
two of these are recent converts . Two are
working
with us
fo r
one year on an
internship. They
have
studied the Bible fo r two and three years in a Bible College so already know a lo t about the Bible bu t I am teaching
them
how to disciple others. We have just recently divided the S.S. classes
into
three
groups and
are teaching
four
local young
adul t Chr is t ians to t e ach t he s e classes.
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
4/8
In June the first
and
so far only Christ ian among the Northern Thais died. Some of you may remember Ph o Noi Dok.
He
is the man who ha d been waiting for years
for
someone to come to tell him about the Lord. So we
had
the first
Christian funeral in his village People
really
turned out for this event and if afforded us the best opportunity ever to
preach in that village. This reminds me - Paul Cathi Lang an d their little d au gh ter A nn a are planning on moving up
to
t ha t a re a
to
work with t he T h ai s
at
th e
en d
of
t hi s y ea r.
One of our biggest joys lately has been seeingthree children get helped. Sheng Mei is back home after her second operation
on her cleft lip
an d
pallet. A Ying is back home after corrective surgery on her
burned
foot.
An d
now we
j us t g ot
A Sz
ou t of the hospital today and are taking him home tonight. He has been in the hospital for six months getting surgery
an d t h er a py f or his s ev er e c lu b f ee t.
All of us
have
been well . . . except
t h at S a ra h
fell
of f
a swing
last month
an d
broke he r arm. Sh e
ha d it in a
cast
fo r a
m on th a nd
is
no w
in a
splint fo r
a
couple of
weeks
more.
It
ha s
healed nicely.
We have some prayer requests . Please pray for
ou r
safety. There has been some fighting around
ou r
village. Also, please
pray fo r
th e
new
C hr is ti an s. T he y a re
so weak.
On e
ma n is a
hard
opium
addict an d
needs th e
power
of
Go d to get
off.
Pray
fo r ou r Children
and
us as t he y a re
fa r
f ro m h om e.
Pray
faithfully
fo r J an et
as sh e takes on th e responsibility o f
teaching
N atha n and S arah. N ath an
is in 5t h
grade a nd S ara h
is in second.
Daily
lets praise
God for the
wonderful
things He is
doing
here.
Burial of
P ho
N oi D o k
Ch r i s t i a n Miss i on
Mr s L i n d a
G o e r k e
1
Box
1 1 5
C i t y Mo,
6d463
DRESS CORRSGTION REQUESTED
Yours
In
Jesus
T he Bemo
Family
f l lSSION S ER VIC ES H S3H M
2 4 2 7
KHO:^ -;VILLE TW 3751131
Non P ro f it O rg ani z at io
U . S . POSTAGF
P A I D
King
City
o
64463
PERMIT
No .
4
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
5/8
SEP 1^
CH I A NGMA I
1984
fie
^emo^A Soj ourning.d
in T ltailand
August 10 , 1984
B y faith
they
sojourned in th e land
looking forward
to a
city which
has
foundations,
whos e b uil de r and
make r
is God.
Alan
and
Janet Bemo
Bo x
180
Chiangmai.
Thailand
HEB.
11 :8 10
Forwarding
Agent:
L in da Go er ke
R.R.
1.
King City. Missouri
644
Dear
Co Workers .
Recently we have
been warned
that
our
lives may be
endangered
in
t he nea r future
because of the places we work.
This Chinese Christian informer asked to be
kept
anonymous but ended his two hour warning with, Don t forget my
warning. It could
happen
next week, next
month,
or
six
months from now. I am writing this special letter so that
you
can understand what is going on here.
Our informant
told
us that
Robert
Morse, Daniel Kalnin, Tom Love and myself were
known
to be D.E.A. (Drug
Enforcement
Agency agents.
This
U.S. agency is
putting
a
lo t
of pressure
on the
Thai
government
to
c lamp down on
opium
and
heroine
production
in thi s
area.
It
is interesting
that
people
who
deal
in
drugs
know
this
since
we
of
course
aren t
agents.
This
is
no t
a
recent misconception at
all. Si nce
any of
us
made our
first
trip i nto the areas
along
the border
and
Chinese,
Lahu,
Lisu, or
some other
area language
came
out o f
our mouths
people were sure we were spies .
We
have
probably
been watched
and
checked
up
on
by
at
least
four government
agencies. All
of
us
have heard rumors
like
this from the first. It is an occupational hazard . Though rumors
cannot
always be believed we believe there is
an
increase
of danger now.
Talking
specifically
about the P iang Luang a re a where
we live,
there have been four
things
happen
lately
which
have caused unrest: 1 Heroine factories
and opium
fields were
bombed
in
February of
1984, 2 in July a raid was
made
on
one part of ou r
village in which 7
men
were
arrested,
2 Kilos
of unrefined heroine
was
captured and
several
guns
were
confiscated,
3 several
hundred
Kilos
of heroine
were
handed
over and
burned near
ou r
village,
and
4
there
is fighting between big
drug
controlling factions
just
a few
hours
walk
from ou r
village.
The raid
was led by an
American
DEA agent.
The
other
things
probably happened because of DEA pressure
too.
Some
people
think
we
are DEA
spies living in
the
village keeping an eye
on drug
activities.
What people? Local
drug businessmen.
We
are
in
no
danger from th e
Thai governement,
Burmeese
government
or even th e local Chinese
leadership. As
the Chinese
commander said
when someone
suggested that we
might
be spies, He is
not
a spy. No spy
would move
here, build a
house, bring hi s
wife
and babies here an d
plant
flowers.
Our
only danger would
be
from
a
big dea le r wanting to get even or get back.
What
danger?
We have heard from
reliable
sources that there
is
going
to
be more activity in the Piang Luang area.
If
a big
shipment
were
captured or
if a
kingpin
were kil led we
could get
killed
fo r
revenge.
If
a big
man were
captured
we could get
kidnapped for t rading
purposes.
This
has been
done
successfully by an opium
warlord
since we have been
i n Tha il and .
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
6/8
It has been over a month since we received this warning and we have been living in Piang Luang
most
of this time.
It has been very peaceful, and we feel very safe. We have seen people continue to come to the Lord. Just last week two
families expressed a desire to become Christians, a girl, a young man, and an opium addict made decisions, and a man
was baptised last Sunday. We believe that
God
has His
most
fertile ground where there is conflict
and
the devil causes
conf li ct where he
is
most threatened.
Our attitude toward
these things: We believe
that much
of
what
we have
heard
is
just
talk. However we believe
there is a possibility
of
danger. Even so we are not afraid. We plan on continuing to work in Piang Luang. Just in case,
we are making certain precautions: (1) The children must tell us at all times where they are going, (2) We all will return
home immediately at the sound of any gunfire or the presence of many soldiers so we can be together. (3) No one goes
out at night unless in a group, (4) Our vehicle is kept in readiness at all times, (5) I do not go to Chiangmai for business
and leave the family in the village, and (6) We will leave the village if it looks like life might be indeed endangered.
We are
no t
afraid in the least
and
will
no t
let fear rule our lives. We came to the mission field to give our lives
for Jesus Christ and it is up to Him whether that is to be used in life or death. Jesus said, Do not be afraid
of
the one
who can destroy both soul
and
body in hell. So the most dangerous place to be in the world is out of God's will because
of
the fear
of
mere man. The safest place to be is in the center of God s will, no matter what man would do to us.
We do appreciate your prayers. We are not wanting to unduly cause alarm. We are not alarmed. But we do
believe in the power of God and believe that if there is a serious danger that He can put a protective spiritual force
around
us.
C h r i s t i a n Miss ion
Mrs . Linda Goerke
1 Box
115
City,
Mo.
6^63
CORRECTION REQUESTED
Yours
In Jesus,
The Bemo Family
Alan
& Jane t
Bemo
l''1l0b'IQN SERVICES RSSMm i'l
BOX 2 4 2 ?
KHOXVILLE TH 373BI
Non-prof i t Organizatio
U S POSTAGE
PAID
King
City,
Mo
64463
PERMIT
No .
4
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
7/8
CHIANGMAI
M 14 m
ZJke ^emo^3
SoiournLng d in ZJttailand
By faith
they sojourned In
the l and . . . .
looking forward to
a
city which has
foundations,
wh o s e b u il de r
a n d
mak e r
Is God .
HEB.
11:8-10
Alan and
J a n e t
Bemo
Box 1 80
Chiangmal, Thailand
Forwarding Agent:
L in d a Go e rk e
R.R. 1,
King City, Missouri
64463
September - December 1984
Dear
Co-Workers,
Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year from Piang Luang, Thailand.
Our
Chirstmas looks like it will be a little more
hectic
than
usual with
many
friends
and
relatives coming right
at Christmas
time.
Janet
will be s taying in Chiangma
while I will be in Piang Luang and another village having Christmas Conventions. Jonathan is due to arrive on the 19th
Beth and Becky on the 22nd, and Mrs. Dit temore on the 24th. Also some new missionaries, the Sandy Sandells , will be
arriving before Christmas.
Our
family will probably open gifts on the 27th.
Our
hearts are filled with joy, as I am sure yours
are, knowing that Jesus came to save us and it is
Him
that we are remembering.
We
haven t
written for several months, as usual . Things have been qui te busy dur ing this time. A skimpy diary of some
events follows: Sept. 14 I was asked to drive to the front lines to pick up 4 land-mine victims. I did
but
only one was
alive when we got there.
That
one died before we got back to Piang Luang. He was jus t taken out of the Land Rover when
a Christian lady came up crying, saying that her sister was in a coma. Would I rush her to the hospital. We left soon but
she died 30 minutes
from
Chiangmai. Sept. 19 A Christian couple were marri ed. Sept. 25 An elderly
brother
Chen
jumped
from
our
pickup to retrieve his blown
of f
cap only to fall and receive a concusion. He was in
the
hospital five days
Oct. 3 A new member of the Church he just arrived looking for a
job
from another area. Oct. 4
Our
teaching in one
village is
hampered
because of fighting and
guards
on
the
road. We
had
to
stop
going for
about
a month.
Oct.
8
Docto
day. I went to the
doctor
to check on some lower back
pain
I d been having and
Janet
had a checkup because
of
a growth
on t he back
of her
head.
It
turned out to
be
nothing
important.
While
Janet was
at the doctor , Nathan
fell
ou t
of a tree
and broke
his arm. Oct. 11
Paul and
Cathi Lang, new missionaries to
Thais
in
ou r
area, came
up
again to show a Chr is
tian
film. Oct. 17 Janet and
the
kids went to town with the Langs and came
back
on a hired truck. The truck
go t
stuck
because of terrible
r oa ds s o
Jan et h ad to walk out fo r
about
five miles wit h Rache l on h er b ac k. O ct. 28
One
man
and
six
women
were
baptised into Chris t.
525
Baht
was stolen of f my desk.
This
adds
to the
list of stolen articles,
blankets
radio, saw, a gold chain, etc. A Mrs. Lee confesses her faith
and
hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nov. 5 Three pick-ups got
caught
with drugs for processing heroin. All vehicles
and
people are really checked thoroughly now. Nov. 9 Wal te r
and
Jeanette
Ridgley came to visit and look over
the
Thai villages where they plan to work with
the
Langs in this new field
Nov . 17 An a irplane
dropped
leaflets over
Piang Luang
warning people
not
to
plant opium and tha t
the military would
be destroying
opium
fields. We discovered a 60-year-old
Shan
Christian lady Nov. 18 Brother Lee marries a non-Chris
tian girl
but
becoming a
Christian
was
part
of the
package deal.
She confessed
Christ during
the wedding vows. Nov. 19
I drove to the front lines aga in to pick up some Chinese commanders. Nov. 25 Just after a trip to a Lisu village fo
services
and
going
through
4 check point s, Sarah
found
a live grenade launcher
round
rolling around in the back of the
Land Rover. It
must
have been hidden under the seat by someone days earlier while going through a checkpoint to escape
detection. It would have been big trouble for us if
found,
especially since only our family was in
the
vehicle that day.
Before we go
any further
I would like to say
that
I hope no-one gets the idea
that
we
are
burdened
or
in turmoil
Though we have been warned of
possible
danger, have had a few hardships, and do shed a few tears we are happy where
we are. In t rying to tell the highlights
and
excitements of
ou r
lives I am
afraid
some might get the idea
tha t our
life is
jus
one
big headache. Forgive me for this. Most of ou r lives
are
tranquil
and
even uneventful. Even when we have a few
bad
things happen we say with the Apostle Paul, Hard-pressed on every side, we are never hemmed in; bewildered, we are never
at our
wits
end;
(2
Cor.
4:8). I am
not
happy
about broken
arms
and
people dying
but
frankly I am glad to be in a place
where
a
grenade
can
be
left
in
the truck
or
roads
cause breakdowns
because
we
are
here
in
the
Lord s
service.
8/9/2019 Bemo Alan Janet 1984 Thailand
8/8
One of our greatest concerns right now are the Christian women whose husbands are not Christians. Four of thes
ladies
husbands are opium
addicts.
They are
left
with
the job of providing
for
their
families and
terribly mistreated if
they
don't
provide for
their husband s habit or complain about
it.
One
lady
came to us asking if
we could
loan her
the
money
to do some
business.
She said that
sometimes
she was so desperate she thought she would be better off dead. One non
Christian woman killed herself and another tried in Piang Luang this year). We told her we couldn't but would like to talk
to her husband about it. We explained that the best answer for their situation would be for her husband to be converted
and follow the teachings of Jesus. With tears she said there would be nothing she would like better. She confessed tha
her husband put her up to
asking
to borrow
money
from us and that
actually
she had
money
that her husband did not know
about. If he did he
would have
it
smoked
up in a
few
days.
Just
today
we
took a
girl
to
prison
in
Chiangmai
to
visit
he
father and brother caught
with
opium. She is glad they are there for short
terms
because they have been
forced
to get of
drugs while
there.
Some of these women would bemuch better off with no husbands. Lets pray for them that God will, be
cause of
his
greatmercy,
convert
these men. If they are too hard-hearted to listen to the gospel that He
will
solve the prob
lem in
other
ways.
Also, please
pray for four new villages we have heard about to the Southwest of
Piang
Luang. We are planning on
going up there with a little evangelistic team from Piang Luang to scout out and witness. This week just back from a
precious Thanksgiving Convention at Mipo. The Christians there are doing fine. Praise God
We are anticipating, with God's
blessings,
a happy Christmas time and a good
beginning
of another
year.
We pray
the same for you and are looking forward to celebrating with all of you together in God's newHeavenand Earth.
Yours preparing for That day
Alan Bemo
and
family
Formosa
Christian Mission
o Mrs.
Linda
Goerke
R.R. 1, Bo x 115
King City
MO
64463
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
JlslOH^SEKVlCES HS N
S>tuE 379
Non Profit
Organization
U.S.
POSTAGE
PA iD
King
City MO 64463
PERMiT NO .
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