"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
                Ephesians 6:12

Dear Pastor and Church,                                                                              May-July 2004

    There I was with 35 burlap sacks of corn on the back of the truck,  Ahjew sitting next to me, and two guys sitting on the top of the corn. We were going up a 50 and sometimes 65-degree incline with the road slanting 5 degrees toward the driver's side. I was taking quick glances out the side window with two thoughts permeating my mind: how pretty the little valley was and how many times the truck would roll if we began sliding sideways. I had been on the road before but not after all this rain. "It would be a lot safer if there was a rut for the tires with the way this road slops" I said loud enough for Ahjew to hear me but mainly speaking to myself.  "Yeah, two vehicles have rolled down this area here" he answered in a monotone voice. I like someone who knows when and how to give encouragement, don't you?
    This year's rainy season has brought more rain than normal but the worst part is that we usually have two to three days of sun about every two weeks so the villagers can rent a vehicle to bring out their corn. This year we have not had that. The place you cross the stream has washed out a couple times. We have taken 5 loads of rocks (baseball to bowling ball size) and a load of sand bags so vehicles can cross the stream. The men in the village have spent days filling in the rots in the road (some as deep as three feet) that winds up and around the mountains where their fields are. Two days later most of that was washed out. Most of the villagers you have land in that area were out of rice and out of money. No one was willing to cross the stream and go into the hills. We are the only ones in the village with a 4-wheel drive. I am not sure how many trips we made but we tried to get at least one load for each family so they could buy rice. There were times we crossed the swollen stream, brought a load down, unloaded it at the stream, and as some of the people carried the corn across the stream we went for another load. There have been days of teaching from 8:30 till noon, eat lunch, put on the mud chains to go get the corn, and finally studying late that night for classes tomorrow.
    It is a time to forge better relationships with those that are growing in the Lord by working together in their element for their benefit, encourage those who have backslidden to return, and an opportunity to witness by our words and good deeds to those who still have not accepted Jesus as the propitiation for their sins.        
    Please pray for Je-yo, Nai-thong, Je-laa, Po-mai, and Nai-thee. All five of these men are alcoholics and have not yet accepted Christ. Although they are not consistent they (except Nai-thee ) do attend some Sunday services.
 

Thomas and Kannika Tucker 

Sent By:                                                                         Sent Through:                                         Field Address:
Bethel Baptist Church                                      World Baptist Fellowship                                    P.O. Box 45
P.O. Box 249                                                               P.O. Box 13459                                      Ampur Cheing Khong
Arlington, Texas 76004                                    Arlington, Texas 76094-0459                       Cheing Rai 57140
817-274-8141                                               817-274-7161                                    Thailand