My dear readers,

Bethel Development Centre (BDC) – A Thanksgiving

Thank God for the privilege of ministering the Word of God to God’s people in BDC (20 to 24 November 2019). The theme of the Bible Seminar was “Christians in the Last days.” The messages included: - “Very Few Christians in the Last days” (2 Thess 2:1-4); “Antichrists are Here!” (1 John 4:1-3); “False Christs are Here too!” (Matt 24:24); “Be Vigilant” (Matt 25:1-13); “Be Diligent” (Matt 25:14-30); “Be Mature” (Eph 4:11-16); “Separate Wheat from Tares” (Matt 13: 24-30, 36-43). The dedication service sermon on Saturday was “The Works of the LORD are Great!” (Psalm 111:1-10). The Lord’s Day sermon was “Be Patient unto the Coming of the Lord” (James 5:7-8). There were also one infant and three believer’s baptisms and the Lord’s Supper was conducted.

The dedication service was a thanksgiving to the Lord for the renovations that were completed at the beginning of this year. The sandy areas where the forty plus BDC children used to play on since the founding of the ministry in the 1970’s are gone. In the past the children would often suffer from all sorts of respiratory problems and with runny nose and cough but now they are mostly healthy and more alert during lessons and church services.

The premises comprise of a multi-purpose hall on the second floor that can comfortably sit about 250 people, and a communal kitchen and dining area on the ground floor. The staff quarters is also a two floor building for the families of Billy, Irene and three children (second floor) and Warunee, Paul and their mother (ground floor). We thank God for Brother Poh Puay Yong who helped greatly in the construction of the premises as he liaised with the engineers and contractors to ensure that the buildings and other constructions were built according to building code and specification. Thank God also for God’s people who helped and gave towards this mission station to the praise and glory of God.

Below is a summary of the BDC ministries written by Brother Billy. Please continue to pray for the ministry that the Lord will use it for His glory to be a gospel light and for the blessing of God’s people in Chiang Rai.

Background/History

Bethel Development Centre (BDC) is a Christian ministry, reaching out to the Lahu tribal people in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand.

• By the grace and mercy of God, this ministry began in 1975, when Elder Kamol Harichaikul, the late husband of Leah and the father of Warunee, Billy and Paul, initiated the prayer meetings in the family. They were the only Lahu family in a Buddhist Village named Numlat.
• Subsequently, more relatives joined and stayed under the same roof.
• After the home going of Eld Kamol in 1997, Eld Chalo, the younger brother of Eld Kamol, took the lead to continue the ministry to serve the Lord in the family.
• A year after, he left his secular job and committed himself to serve the Lord full time, starting off with daily family devotions, prayer meetings, Lahu classes within the family and evangelism work to the Red Lahu villages.
• In 1998, the Hong Kong Missionary Baptist Church (HKMBC) visited the ministry, thereafter, supported it financially, and the name “Moses Life Christian Student Centre” (MLCSC) was given to this ministry.
• In 2000, HKMBC cut off their support. By God’s grace, Eld Chalo continued on with the ministry and God brought in more children to stay.
• In 2001, two Korean missionary couples showed their token of appreciation to Eld Chalo, for teaching and interpreting the Lahu language for them for two years, by building two hostel buildings for him and the children to stay in.
• Between 2002 and 2004, various mission awareness teams from Singapore visited and were encouraged.
• In 2004, the ministry was registered as Bethel Development Centre (BDC) with Eld Chalo’s desire to follow the Bible-Presbyterian order of worship and teachings from the Word of God. Since then, BDC started the Lord’s Day worship services.
• In 2005, Calvary Pandan B-P Church officially adopted BDC as one of her overseas mission stations. Since then, Calvary Pandan BP Church has been giving full support to the children hostel ministry.
• By God’s grace, Warunee, Billy and Paul graduated from FEBC and went back to serve in BDC.
• On 10 February 2011, Bethel Bible College (BBC) commenced her first semester.
• On 30 October 2013, Eld Chalo was called home to be with the Lord.
• The Lord has been graciously providing all our needs and preserving His ministry in BDC from her beginning until now.

In obedience to the Great Commission, BDC aims to bring the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Lahu people and to nurture God’s people through the teaching and preaching of God’s Word.

Ministries & Activities

BDC runs two sub-ministries namely Bethel Hostel Ministry (BHM) that ministers to the children, and Bethel Bible College (BBC) that ministers to the adults.

BDC

The following activities are usually open to both the children and adults:

Weekly Activities:

Daily Morning and Night Devotions, Tuesday Prayer Meeting, Thursday Staff Prayer Meeting, Saturday Lahu Class, Sunday Worship Service, Youth Fellowship Service, Adult Bible Study (ABS), Sunday School and Junior Worship Service.

Monthly Activities:

Thai Worship Service and BDC Bible Study.

Annual Activities:

Vacation Bible School (VBS) & Family Camp, Daily Vacation Bible College (DVBC) and Gospel Rally

BDC also commemorates Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, BDC Anniversary, Reformation Sunday and New Year’s Eve Watch Night Service.

Bethel Hostel Ministry (BHM)

The children hostel ministry aims to lead and bring the children to the Saviour and to nurture them to “… grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).”

The age levels of the children staying at the hostel range from Primary 1 to University level.

During their stay, they are spiritually nourished with God’s Word through the BDC activities made compulsory for them to attend, as well as to fulfil the daily duties given to them.

Thank the Lord for the blessings bestowed upon this ministry. Through the milk and meat of God’s Word, many children were brought to Christ. They professed Christ to be their personal Lord and Saviour and went through baptism.

Many of the children were also able to discern through the teachings of God’s Word at BDC and ministered to their parents by voicing out God’s Word to point out their sins.

Bethel Bible College (BBC)

We thank God for calling and giving us the privilege to impart the knowledge of God’s Truth to our own people. This Bible College was established “… for the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:9).

This ministry strives to proclaim, teach and preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) from His infallible, inerrant, inspired and perfectly preserved Word.

Indeed, this saying “Without the Bible College, the Church will die” is very true. Many churches are now falling away from the old faith due to their ignorance of God’s truth. Sadly, many of them are prepared to compromise and give up their faith in exchange for the things offered by the world. This is especially so for many of the naive churches in these last days.

Because of this, the Lord laid the burden upon our hearts to start this ministry of teaching God’s Word to our Lahu people.

Thank God for preserving and sustaining this ministry thus far. By the grace of God, BBC currently has 7 to 8 students attending the daily chapel and classes conducted in the mornings from Monday to Friday.

These students are mainly the stay-home mothers, elderlies, evangelists and handicapped people. Their faithful attendance and the transformation of their lives have encouraged us greatly. They have also become a channel of blessings by sharing their knowledge to people around them.

It is our prayer that we will remain faithful to God’s Word (Rev 2:10) and to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3), for the glory of Christ our Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor