Good tidings of great joy, indeed,
ALL PEOPLE can afford,
Each nation, tongue, and race and creed,
To know Him, Christ the Lord.

This message is of one who came,
He left His Father's throne,
Born in the town of Bethlehem,
He came unto His own.

But He would be rejected by
The ones He came to save,
Lifted up 'tween earth and sky,
For all, His life He gave.

But He could not be held by death,
He rose, and reigns on high,
He'll come again, and not by stealth,
And now, the time is nigh.

But many still have not yet heard,
This message of good news,
Please pray that God will bless His word
To Gentiles and to Jews.

It seems unbelievable that it is Christmas time again so soon.  This year was intended to be a year of consolidation for us: Russ was going to hone his Thai language skills, and Ruth was to start on Thai, as well as settle in domestically.  It turned out to be a very busy year.
We had a three day marriage seminar in Bangkok, a week long "Food for the Hungry" conference up country in Khon Kaen, followed by a weekend visit to a small church near the Laotian border.  We also had a church camp for two days at a Southern port town called Sattaheep.
Russ started taking his turn teaching at the mid-week prayer meeting before mid-year, and then recently took over the leadership and teaching responsibility for one of the cell groups.
Ruth has been kept busy with many visitors, including two Thai young people who come weekly for an over-

night stay with us - one every Saturday night, and the other either Sunday or Monday nights.
We had a trip back to Australia for a month in October (timed with a family wedding), as a ministry trip on behalf of Compassion Australia.
Then in November, we had nine Australian visitors in three groups, who were travelling back from a conference and training session in the USA, related to GLO's C-BTE program.  The third group of four included our long-time friends, Brian and June Wilson and their son Daniel.  It was great to have fellowship with them over the three days.
After Christmas, we fly to Australia (on 27th) for the arrival of our first grandchild, returning to Thailand on 30th January.  That will be a very exciting time for us.
We give thanks and praise to our Lord that He has continued to bless us with a satisfying ministry, and with good health.

Last December, we had the privilege of being involved in the annual Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) camp.  There were about 700 at the camp, mostly university students who had accepted the Lord through the witness of CCC.
Although predominantly a Buddhist country, CCC have full time workers in many of the universities of Thailand and have been greatly blessed in their ministry.  Literally thousands of university students have become Christians and

been discipled in a thorough follow-up ministry.
Each of the CCC workers must be university graduates themselves, and then complete a nine month full time Bible study and training program in preparation for their ministry.  They are also responsible to raise their own support - they live by faith.
Russ was asked to take a seminar of about 70 of the students at the camp.  He asked for a show of hands of

all who had come from Christian families.  Only three raised their hands!!
This Christmas, CCC are sponsoring the broadcast of the "Jesus" film over national TV as well as a sound track version over many radio stations.  Please pray for the work and workers of CCC.

What a joy it was earlier this year to share with a church in Sriwilai, a small Northeastern farming community near the Laotian border.
We were invited by a couple who spent some time in Bangkok at the beginning of the year, and with whom we shared fellowship.  We left a conference at Khon Kaen on the Friday afternoon, to drive on to Sriwilai, expecting to take about two hours.  Night fell, and we found ourselves on dark, sometimes narrow roads, in patchy rain.  We finally arrived after about 4½ hours.
Although it was 9 o'clock at night, we were told that the cell group meeting were hoping we would join them, another 15 minutes driv-

ing into the country-side.  It was a sheer delight to share with them.  They were so keen to study the Word of God.

On the Saturday, quite a large group of the fellowship joined us for breakfast, took us out for some sight-seeing and then had lunch with us at a satellite church in the country.  We returned to the town for a rest in the afternoon before meeting again for dinner and a time of fellowship, at one of the homes.  Russ was asked to share again.
After the service on the Sunday morning, at which Russ was invited to share a word of testimony, we left for Bangkok.  The love and welcome that we experienced was truly remarkable.
We have had to decline a recent invitation to come up for their special Christmas program, but have promised in God's will, to come up again next year.

Apart from two or three members, the cell group that Russ now leads and teaches consists of families from Sriwilai, and who now live in Bangkok.
Presently the group meets for lunch on Thursdays, followed by the Bible study and prayer time.  This does mean that the young men that have work do not have the opportunity to join in.
Please pray for this group.  Work is almost non-existant in country areas, apart from farming, so many country young people come to Bangkok looking for work.  Other attractions are also to be found here that can trap young Christians and render them ineffective for their Lord.
Please also pray for both of us as we continue to study the Thai language, as well as keep up our ministry in

all other areas.  Russ still spends much of his time studying and memorising the Thai  Bible, and Ruth aims to study the language on a daily routine basis.

Maliwan, from the Karen Tribe in the Northwestern part of Thailand, was only five years old when Lionel and Marjorie Fawssett started supporting her through Compassion Australia.
Because of the love shown to her through their letters, Maliwan accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour, and came to Bangkok to study at Bible College.  She graduated, and now serves the Lord full time in a church in Bangkok.
For many years, she prayed that she would have the opportunity to meet her "sponsor parents".  Her prayer was answered in 1996 when Lionel and Marj had the opportunity to come to Thailand and stay with us.
Last year, the Fawssett families and ourselves decided that we would jointly sponsor her to Australia for a short visit.  Lionel contacted Compassion Australia and they decided to seize the opportunity to share her amazing

testimony with the Christian community.
Russ, Ruth and Maliwan travelled to Australia for the month of October and shared Maliwan's story with 11 churches, 2 Christian schools, at the Pialba Missionary Conference, and Christian radio.  It was an exhausting and somewhat emotional time, but a very valuable testimony to the grace and love of God, and the opportunities that are available to Christians prepared to sacrifice their time, prayer and financial support to help

needy children in distant lands.

celebrate their 3rd anniversary on 10th January.  We celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on 23rd Jan.  How time flies!!

Without doubt, the most exciting news this year is the arrival of Ben and Joy's first baby, expected at the end of December.  So far, Joy has kept very well.  No, they don't know whether it is a boy or a girl.  It will be Mum Keanalley's third great grandchild.
Simon and Melody's exciting news is that they have just received working visas for six to nine months in England, probably leaving in March next year.  They both have leave approval from their present jobs.
We went to two family weddings during the year - Russ's niece, Christine Keanalley, was married on the Gold Coast, and Ruth's nephew, Scott Phillis, was married in Bundaberg.
Ben and Joy celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary on the 5th December, and Simon and Melody will