How many times have we prayed for God to help us find ways to reach adults? Our church is very young, and most attendees are children and youth. Grandparents and parents are happy to leave their children “under good care in a safe place.” They do see positive improvements in their children’s lives and are glad that they can learn. But what about their parents and grandparents? They are very strong in their beliefs and don’t see any reason why they need to change. This is where the student project “5 Loaves 2 Fish Bakery” began.
Older children need to provide for themselves to cover their personal needs, as well as help cover church expenses. A woman who attends our church was kicked out of her tribal community because she became a Christian. What could we do? We asked God and realized that we could use our limited skills in the bakery. We began baking and selling cookies, with children selling them to their classmates at school. Soon, we realized that we needed more people because orders exceeded what one person could handle.
Another woman, a single mother, joined our team, and a few days later, another mother with health issues who could no longer work in the fields became a part of our team. Those who were previously not open to hearing about Jesus now come for prayer and Bible reading every morning before baking. God opened opportunities to share the Gospel and improve their quality of life.
“I am so grateful that I can work in the morning and take care of my family in the evening!” said Mae Chong. “I am also grateful that I can work here and don’t need to go to another country or city to find a job to provide for my family.”
We had the opportunity to share the meaning behind our bakery’s name, “5 Loaves and 2 Fish,” and tell the story of Jesus’ miracle when He took something small and multiplied it. We believe that our God cares, unlike spirits that only want to harm and need to be appeased.
Our prayer and vision are to build a small bakery building where we can continue baking, as we are currently using our church’s kitchen, which serves many other purposes. A one-room building costs about $6,000. Yes, it sounds like a big number, but we believe our God cares! This ministry helps us reach adults and parents of our children, support widows, provide for our church, and help young people with their needs, as some grow up without parents.
If you would like to participate in any way, whether by praying, donating, or coming to share your baking skills and experience with our ladies while sharing the Gospel through this, we welcome you. For those who want to donate, please send your donation through New Fields Ministries, San and Anita, with the note “5 Loaves.” For those who want to pray, please pray for God to send the right person to teach us baking skills and for our ladies to get to know God and grow in Him.
May God richly bless each one of you!
Ministry in Thailand (Avoda) – San and Anita