JAPAN 2011 - IRIS Relief Gearing Up for Japan

Boxes of relief supplies and food being sent to Japan with 1st Response Team

A sign I saw at Starbucks on Main Street in Vancouver, Washington

Iris Relief t-shirts that have been made for our Iris Relief teams

JAPAN 2011 - IRIS Relief Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Tuesday, March 24, 2011

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IRIS Relief Japan

Hey guys! I just got back from a very productive journey to Thailand with IRIS Ministries (Heidi Baker) where our team began the process of starting a base that will focus on rescuing girls from prostitution and the sex slave trade. It was while we were in Thailand that the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. I was heartbroken over the news of this. The leader of our IRIS Thailand team happens to be the leader of IRIS Relief as well and has invited me to co-lead a small group IRIS missionaries in Japan that will travel to the areas of devastation, bringing food and supplies, as well as carrying the love and glory of God to the heartbroken and hurting people there. My specific giftings (healing, word of knowledge, prophecy, etc.) and training (U.S. Marine Corps, third world experience, etc.) are needed on this team as you can imagine the physical, spiritual and emotional hopelessness that the people of Japan are going through at this moment. There isn't a more opportune time to be able to respond both practically and spiritually to the needs of Japan than there is now. After much prayer with my family, I have decided to respond to the call.

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As far as raising support as missionaries, in the past we have simply shared with people what God has called us to do and given opportunity for people to partner with Him in bringing His love to the nations through us. We don't ever really ask for money. It's not our thing. So would you consider this one of those times when we are getting the word out of what God has placed on our hearts, and just see if He stirs your heart to help the people of Japan in this very practical and personal way?

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My round trip tickets to Tokyo and back are only $840.00. I will also need approximately $500.00 to pay for fuel, food and lodging while I am there for the three weeks. I would leave on April 11th and return on May 2nd. IRIS relief has already raised a lot of money for the actual aid and supplies that we will be bringing to the areas of devastation, but any money that comes in over and above the amount needed for my personal expenses can be allocated to more of those supplies. As of this moment, I don't have any of the money needed to make this trip, yet my faith is strong. The best way to give would be via PayPal using the "donate now" button on the right side bar of our blog:

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http://jungworldmissions.blogspot.com/

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You will receive a tax-deductible receipt at the end of the fiscal year for your contributions if God does lead you to give. I just wanted to thank you in advance for helping us be the hands and feet of Jesus as the world around us continues to rage seemingly out of control. I welcome all responses as I would love to hear from you. Your prayers are vital as well. I feel so blessed to have been chosen for such a time as this. Love to all of you.

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Chris Chin Chung

THAILAND 2011 - Last Day in Thailand

Pattaya, Thailand

Sunday, March 13, 2011

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Last Day in Thailand

It's hard to believe that two weeks have come and gone so quickly. I am currently sitting by myself at a bus station in Pattaya, waiting for the 19:00 bus to take me to the airport in Bangkok. I spent the morning packing up. Then our team headed to a church that meets in a hotel. The service was translated into English but the worship was all in Thai, which was really cool. Also there was some special music in the tribal languages. After testimonies there was a time of teaching. A group of "lady-boys" were welcomed to the church; they sat in the back. Sitting next to me was a Thai man who smelled of alcohol. All around sat former prostitutes and transvestites who have come to Christ; many from the Tamar Center. I like this church. It's as if they have gone into "the highways and the bi-ways" and invited "the least of these" into the wedding feast. Our team got to pray for many after the service.

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After lunch and some strategic planning with Yonnie at Burger King, we went back to the hotel. Since I am the only team member leaving today, the team gathered around me in the back of the taxi-truck and prayed for/prophesied over me. What a blessing it has been to be on this team and be able to help pioneer IRIS Ministries in Thailand. I will miss the team but am glad to head back to the Pacific Northwest now. I don't think it is possible that the IRIS Thailand trip could've been any more fruitful than it was. Thanks Papa.

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Christian Young

THAILAND 2011 - Block Party at the Skate Park

Pattaya, Thailand

Saturday, March 12, 2011

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Block Party at the Skate Park

Had a team meeting this morning. Our hearts have been heavy because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. We worshipped as well as interceded for Japan and for the block party we were to throw today. Tears streamed down my face as I thought of all the lost people who died in Japan, which is one of the least-reached nations in Asia.

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The block party went well. Our team brought a wii system and played video games with the youth. I played on the drum set and jammed on the electric guitar with the guys at the youth center. The kids loved it. Jesse and I also skated more with the youth that showed up to the block party. There was a lot of Thai food and a pig was roasted on a spit. We did games and face painting. Into the evening our team broke off into groups and prayed for people; some for healing, others for encouragement. The team I was in prayed for a child who suffered with severe siezures. I was told that the siezures stopped after we prayed for him. Praise the Lord! Once again, the Holy Spirit was the Guest of honor at our block party in Pattaya.

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Christian Young

THAILAND 2011 - Slum Ministry

Pattaya, Thailand

Friday, March 11, 2011

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Slum Ministry

This morning a handful from our team walked to one of the Tamar centers to assist YWAM in their ministry to the poor in the slums of Pattaya. We met their staff and then led some worship songs in English and Thai as the poor gathered inside the ministry center. Then Lonnie spoke to them a bit and we had a time where they could come for prayer. Our team prophesied over them and we saw the Holy Spirit really touch each of them. One man, formerly a transvestite who had already come to Christ there in the past was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues as we prayed for him. It was such a neat time of ministry.

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We had a team meeting at Hard Rock Cafe and enjoyed fellowship with eachother. We discussed what IRIS Ministries in Thailand would look like in the future. Then our team had dinner with a group from Xtreme Prophetic. I was able to connect with Rob Hotchkin, who my friend Bart Hadaway had connected me with before I left for Thailand. What a great guy. On our way back to the hotel we heard about the 8.9 earthquake in Japan and our hearts broke. Yonnie, who is co-leading our team is also the director of IRIS Taiwan, Asia and IRIS Relief. She called Heidi and Rolland to get the okay for some of the team to fly to Japan from Thailand as a "first response" team.

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Christian Young

THAILAND 2011 - Ministering to Prostitutes, Transvestites and "Clients"

Pattaya, Thailand

Thursday, March 10, 2011

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Ministering to Prostitutes, Transvestites and "Clients"

Got into Pattaya by bus from Northeast Thailand at around 3am and slept on the floor of Jesse and Tanya's room until about 8:30am. Didn't get much sleep on the bus or the floor, so while a group from our team went to the prison to minister, Jesse, Tanya, Lonnie and I chose to relax on the beach. We swam in the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. There are so many tourists and the beaches aren't very beautiful, but we made the best of it.

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At around 4pm our team walked to "The Crossing" which is a youth center. They have a skate ministry as well. We met the leader of the youth center, Wan, and prayed fro him. Then Jesse and I skated with the local skaters. There is also a local skate shop right next to the youth center called, "Kanong Skate Shop." They have a skate team with three guys who ride for them; Sten, Mark and Bobby. They are really good at skating. I made friends with them all as we skated together. Got some film and pics of them, too. They gave me their contact info for YouTube and Facebook so I can hit them up when I get back to the U.S. They were all interested in our FacePlant skate team. We also invited them all to the block party we will throw on Saturday.

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Around 6:30pm our team took a taxi to the red light district where DeeDee, Bae and I led worship at the PHOP (Pattaya House of Prayer) for two hours. It was so neat to fill the streets of the red light district with the worship of Jesus. Then our team hit the streets and handed out roses to the prostitutes and ministered to them as well as to the "lady-boys" or transvestites and the men who had come to buy them for sex. And Irish "client" named Willem (who Jesse and DeeDee had previously prayed with as he came to sit in on our worship time) asked me to pray for him as he held hands with a Thai prostitute. I prayed that God would reveal Himself to Willem through the Holy Spirit. I also talked to a guy named Max who hugged me and wished us the best. We greeted the prostitutes, transvestites and "clients" in Jesus' name, telling them, "Pra Yesu Rah Koon," or, "Jesus loves you." Our team carried so much of the Father's love through the red light district tonight. I knew that this is exactly the kind of place that Jesus would minister.

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On another note, I got a chance to add some more weird foods to my list of things tried overseas. These include: grasshopper, frog, cricket and larvae.

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Christian Young

THAILAND 2011 - Mah Pra Yesu!

Buriram, Thailand
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
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Mah Pra Yesu!

Our team got up and met Roger in front of our hotel at 7:30am. We headed to his orphanage to have breakfast with him and his wife. They are such a neat couple with wonderful hearts. They would love it if IRIS Ministries could set up a permanent work in Northeast Thailand someday. After breakfast we went to the public school and began to set up to show the Jesus film to over 100 students. We led them in some children's songs in Thai while Jesse and others set up the mobile projector and sound system...this would be our first time using this awesome tool that God has blessed our team with. And it all fits into one hiking pack! We tried to show the film outside under the awning but there was still too much light to be able to see the film on the screen. So we took the entire sound system and projector upstairs to try it in a room at the school. It was a little better, but still difficult to see. The funny thing is that our screen was set up literally right next to their Buddhist idols.

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The children were restless and didn't seem too interested in the film. So we fast-forwarded the Jesus film in order to cut it short. Jesse told them about the gospel and his testimony. Kayla also shared with them. Roger was translating. They still seemed distracted. Jesse asked how many of them wanted to receive Jesus. Quite a few of them raised their hands, especially the older children in the back. Not knowing exactly how we could pray with them to receive Christ, since we didn't want anything missed in the translation, I got up in front of the wild group of children and asked their teachers to get them in rows in order of their classes and to quiet them down. They all sat there with their legs crossed and their hands cupped Buddhist-style. I then had them close their eyes in the silence and repeat after me, "Mah Pra Yesu," which means, "Come Lord Jesus." They just repeated this over and over after me with breals in between to meditate on Who they were crying out to. Our team prayed that Jesus would reveal Himself to them in His own special way and enter their lives as they sat there and prayed in unison. "Mah Pra Yesu." It was incredible! I know that it was a heavenly strategy to lead the children to Jesus in a way that was more contextualized to their culture. After we finished praying they shouted with me, "Korp Koon Pra Yesu; Korp Koon Pra Jao," or, "Thank You Lord Jesus; thank You Lord God!"

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We packed up the Jesus film equipment, prayed around the school and met up for lunch with Narin and others from the Pentecostal church where we ministered the night before. Then we drove 70km to the highest mountain which overlooks the entire province. On this mountain is the Hindu temple, Phnom Rung. We heard about the human sacrifices and prostitution that took place in this spiritual stronghold 700 years ago and gathered together to intercede and come against the strongholds, principalities and powers, asking for freedom in Christ for the people of this province. On a side note, it is intersting that most of Thailand's prostitutes come from this Northeast province and on this very mountain in the Northeast province, prostitution was rampant 700 years ago.

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From there we visited Narin's home, church and orphanage, which is nearly completely finished and sustainable. We prayed for Narin and his wife, headed back to Buriram and had an amazing dinner with our new friends. I can't imagine our trip to Buriram going any better or being any more fruitful. After dinner we said goodbyes, got contact information and boarded an overnight bus to Pattaya.

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Christian Young