November Update 2021

 

 

Greetings Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here and only a few weeks before Christmas. We pray everyone will have a great holiday season this year.  May God bless you all and protect you all!  

The first miracle is complete at Church On The Rock Buriram. It is truly a miracle because the temporary sanctuary, kitchen and children’s room was built during a time when finances are at a low for everyone.  The timing was right because they were not allowed to have live services, so Pastor Bob by faith started the building project. The old temporary building was torn down and the materials were used for the new building which helped keep the costs down. The finances came in step by step and was just enough all the way to the finish. Praise God because just as the province opened up, the building was complete and ready! God is good!

The province of Buriram has opened up since the population is almost 100% vaccinated. And now live services are allowed again.  Praise God, because Annie and I were able to visit this last weekend and actually minister on Sunday morning in the new church building. What a blessing, it was the first time in 9 months that we were able to teach and preach in a live service.  Wow, it was such a blessing and we enjoyed ourselves so much.  God was with us and we have a great service.  

We also were able to spend a couple of days visiting and site seeing around the town. We have had so many milestones this year that we have not been able to celebrate but looks like now we can begin. Yeah!  I think we will make up for lost time and will celebrate the rest of this year and will continue next year when we have a big celebration coming with our 50 year anniversary in January.

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

Celebrating 25 years in Thailand and October update 2021

 

                        CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF MINISTRY TO THAILAND

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

September Update 2021

 

                  Greetings everyone in the Name of Jesus!

We pray all is well with you and God is protecting you during this critical time all over the world. Thailand is still about the same as last month, and seems to be getting a little bit better. We are still in semi-lockdown as before, so not getting around much except for necessities and doctor visits. The churches here are still mostly online every week as well. We are still doing discipleship and teaching online every week. We keep praying that this will pass soon and we can get back to visiting the churches soon.  We miss everyone here and are ready to get back to normal ministry.  So pray with us that it will pass soon and God will continue to protect Annie and I!  Amen?

Praise God for a good report with our tri-monthly blood check up.  Annie had a great report, her sugar levels went down and everything else is good as well. Afterwards we had Annie’s yearly mammogram, ultrasound and Xray done.  We don’t get the official reading until the 21st of this month but as far as I can tell it looks like a good report and nothing abnormal.  Amen?  Pray with us this week as we believe for complete healing in her body, amen?

Praise God for Church on the Rock Buriram and Saints on the Rock Foundation has continued faithfully in faith with their first project at building their first building on their new property.  Praise God, the first project has been completed and they now have a temporary sanctuary to have Sunday worship for the time being. After the main church building is finished this building will be used for an office for Saints on the Rock Foundation.  Thank God for all those who gave and made this possible, may God bless you with a hundredfold return.

Now on to project number 2 in the building project and that is to build a children’s room and a kitchen. The building begins as of today on faith again and praying for God to provide!  Amen? Please keep us in prayer for God’s provision for the vision. I will keep everyone updated as we progress through this second step, and if anyone would like to be a part or feel led to give towards this project, just let me know!  Amen?  

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and support and may God bless you and protect you all!  Continue to pray for our health and protection during this time as well.

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 Box 1228
Nederland, TX 77627

August Update 2021

 

 

Greetings everyone in the name of Jesus!

We pray all is well with our family and friends in America and you are all staying safe. Here in Thailand, everything here is about the same.  We are all still in a semi-lockdown and new infections are over 20,000 a day, over 800,000 have been infected, and 210,000 still being cared for. All the hospitals and field hospitals are full at the present time. This is a lot for this small country.  Even in our province there has been as many as 300 in one day.  So for the most part and we are staying in as much as possible.  Only going out for necessary business.  Please keep us in prayer for our protection and that things will get better soon.

All of the churches we minister in are still running online. We truly miss seeing our spiritual families and being able to fellowship together. Hopefully this gets over with and we can get back to ministering in person. Amen?

I thank God for the internet because we can at least continue our discipleship training and teaching. At least once a week, teaching the word of God and encouraging our disciples.  

Church on the Rock Buriram is not being idle and using this time to build a building on the new land so that when the lockdown is over they will have a new place to worship. The first building is going up by Faith! This is an ongoing project until the completion of the new facilities.  Please keep this little church in your prayers that God will give provision for the vision. And of course if anyone feels led to give some help with this project just let me know.  The more provision that comes in the more they can do.

Keep Annie in prayer next month.  We have several doctor appointments during the month of September.  On the 7th, we have our normal blood work checkup, then around the 16th a mammogram, ex-ray and ultrasound, then on the 21st we see the radiation doctor for the results. We are believing for a great report and no problems whatsoever. Once free always free! Amen?

Okay, well this update is short for now because we are in lockdown. So, keep praying and we continually pray for all of you as well. Thank you for all your prayers and support which helps us so much during this time.

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 Box 1228
Nederland, TX 77627