On this day 25 years ago, Annie and I started our journey as missionaries to Thailand and Southeast Asia. It has been quite a journey through out all these years and I can’t say it has always been fun but I would not change a thing because we have done all that God wanted us to do. Amen?
On December 23, 1973 we left Thailand as newly married couple with our daughter Ruby and our luggage back to America. Our luggage was all that is all we had to our name. After 23 years in America and coming to Jesus we accepted the call of ministry to Thailand and we came back on October 15, 1996 with only our luggage. The difference was that when we left Thailand we didn’t have Jesus and when we came back we did. Amen?
We had served as pastors at COTR Palestine , when we took a missions trip to Thailand and Vietnam. God spoke to us while we were there and 8 months later we had sold everything we owned said good bye to our family we loved and we moved to Khon kaen, Thailand. God had given us a vision to come to be a spiritual father and mother to young pastors who’d had no one like that in their life at the time. We only knew one person who was a director at a Bible school where we had agreed to help out. Within the first year we had moved out and visited many churches all over northeast Thailand. For the next 20 years we did about everything you can think of, including revival services, youth camps, children camps, and helping churches to grow in the spirit and in size. We saw God use us and had many victory’s and failures. We worked with the faithful and the not so faithful but we bore much fruit and most of that fruit still remains today. Praise God!
About 5 years ago we decided to move to Khon Kaen, the city where we started at 20 years before. We were still helping 3 churches at the time and one of those was a small church in Buriram that was not associated with any organizations. Our main focus became the small church in Buriram where we saw the most fruit and potential. About 3 years ago we ordained the pastor and accepted the church into the Church on the Rock organization and the name of the church was changed to COTR Buriram. Praise God! Then about 2 years ago, we were able to start a foundation ( Saints on the Rock Foundation) through this church and pastor to reach out to the community, provide community services to their area and eventually to have a Christian school. When COVID came last year, it looked like it would be a hinderance to our ministry and also to the churches here, because everything is being done by online services only. But thank God, during this time COTR Buriram has been able to use this time to build their first building project. A temporary sanctuary and kitchen and kids room is almost finished as I write this. When the main church building is built, this building will then become the offices for the church and Saints on the Rock Foundation. So, that is where we are today as we wait for the COVID situation to clear up and then we are looking forward to dedicate the new buildings and continue with the churches and discipleship. Amen?
Annie and I thank God for all of the Lord has done in this last 25 years and looking forward to doing His will for the next 25 years, whatever that might be. We are starting to get old, but we still believe God has a few things left for us to do here in Thailand. So here we are Lord, Thy will be done!
As far as Thailand , the COVID-19 situation is still about the same. The government is saying that they will open up Thailand on November 1, but we will see. As far as ministry today, we are still teaching online. We are praying and still hoping that we will be able to start visiting the churches soon. Amen?
As I mentioned in our 25 year update, COTR Buriram has almost finished their first project of building the temporary church, children’s room and kitchen. It will most likely be complete this coming within a week. We praise God for what He has done, because it is truly a miracle, all done I faith and God has provided each step of the way! Especially during this time of the Covid-19 situation here in Thailand and everything else going on. We give all glory to God for everything. As Thailand opens back up, the church has a new sanctuary built on their own land where they can have live services! Praise God in the highest! We pray God will bless everyone who helped make this possible!
Okay, guess that’s enough for this months update. Haha. We than everyone for you support and prayers. Please continue to pray for us in every area as we pray for all of you!
We love y’all!
Ralph and Annie
PS
If anyone would like to give a one time offering or support us on a monthly basis on line, click on the Donate Button at www.ralphdryden.com , or give via PayPal directly to us at PayPal.Me/RalphDDryden or give via mail:
Contributions by check can be sent to:
Church on the Rock
P O iBox 1228
Nederland, TX 77627
