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คลังบทความ บทความเชิง บทวิพากษ์ Missionaries are the Victims of EFT
Missionaries are the Victims of EFT
วันพุธที่ 01 กุมภาพันธ์ 2012 เวลา 14:41 น. | 
เขียนโดย อ.ธวัช เย็นใจ | 
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Chicks held too tightly in one's fist will die. Open the fist and
they will live.
By Acharn Tawat Yenjai
About twenty years ago, bandits in the southern part of Thailand
captured two female OMF missionaries and imprisoned them on a tall
mountain.
They sent a ransom letter asking for a huge sum of money in return for
the safe release of the missionaries. The OMF mission board decided
not to pay the ransom.
After the dead line for the payment passed, the bandits realized they
weren't going to receive any money, so they murdered the two ladies
and threw their bodies into the jungle. By the time someone
discovered the bodies, all that remained were their bones.
A situation similar to this happened just a few days ago. This time
it wasn't the bandits in the jungle, but people of the city who are
respected in the Christian community. They have used the
unsuspecting missionaries as their 'victims', catching them in their
vicious nets regardless of the fact that the missionaries have
selflessly given themselves to work for the Lord in Thailand.
There is a story told of a little boy who wanted a new bicycle for
Christmas very badly. His parents couldn't afford to buy him the
bike, so they told him to pray and ask the Lord for it.
That morning he took up a scrap of paper and begin to write, "Dear
Jesus, I am a good boy. Please give me a new bicycle." Immediately
his conscience began to bother him as he felt the letter wasn't
totally honest. He got out a new piece of paper and began again. "
Dear Jesus, please give me a new bicycle. I think I'm a pretty good
boy".
But he didn't dare send the letter because it still didn't sound quite
right. Later that day, he was thinking the matter over as he walked
along the road. As he passed a Catholic church, he noticed a statue
of the Mother Mary and her baby Jesus. He carefully sneeked up and
snatched the statue of Mary before running home as fast as he could.
Once safe in his room at home, he began another letter . "Dear Jesus,
I want to inform you that at this time your mother is in my hands. If
you would like to ensure the safety of your mother, then send me a
new bicycle within the next 24 hours. Signed by a bad boy.
Yesterday (25 January, 2012) I received two letters (from Dr.
Preecha). The first was a letter from the government endorsing EFT as
being a legal organization under the Thai religious department . At
first I thought it was a recent document. But when I read the date
and the signature of the person in charge at the time, I realized that
it was actually a few years old. The date read 8 June, 2010, way back
then! I would like to inform you that times have changed. Positions
have changed. Situations have changed.
The second letter came from the same person. This person feels he has
the administrative authority in EFT. In the letter he was referring
to another group of people (Dr. Suchart) who have set up a new EFT
office. Along with his letter which was sent to all the EFT members,
was a calendar with the picture of his group on it. One line in his
letter threatened, " The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand would like
to inform you that all actions of the other group (Dr. Suchart) are
illegal and are having an ill effect on the image of the Evangelical
Fellowship."
So I was puzzled. If they know the other group is doing something
illegal, why do they allow this illegal group to continue working?
There should be some definite measures that can be taken to clear this
situation. Either kick them out of EFT or prosecute them so the
image of EFT won't be tarnished.
Also, in this same letter, it said that their group had a meeting to
consult with the government department on January 10,2010 and that the
government officials were concerned with the situation. They said
they were told that the conflict must be resolved by March, 2012,
"Otherwise the Religious Department might find it necessary to
interject government policies to help solve the conflict more quickly.
For instance, the visas of all the missionaries may be suspended
temporarily until we can solve the problems internally by ourselves."
We have no way of knowing if this is truly the Religious Department's
words or not.
Along with a third threat - We don't want any EFT member to associate
with the group who has set up a new EFT office (Dr. Suchart). He
firmly emphasized that EFT wouldn't be responsible for any losses to
ministries who associated with the other group.
Wow, that is strong language, sirs.
Now the EFT members are really confused. They don't know which group
is the right group according to the EFT constitution, and which one is
the outlaw.
This is like sending a signal directly to all the missionaries saying,
don't associate with the group comprised of the majority of the EFT
elected committee (who have been unconstitutionally removed from their
posts), or else there will be big problems for you. I won't sign the
letter to endorse you as our missionary, and without that letter, you
can pack your bags and go home.
What does this conflict in EFT have to do with the missionaries?
Isn't the administration of EFT and the visas of the missionaries a
different issue all together?
Or are they trying to connect it somehow?
Or are they separate related issues?
It seems that amid the present conflict in EFT, the missionaries are
the ones to receive the ill consequences (I don't want to use the
phrase, " the ministers of the Lord have become the scape goat"). The
question arises in the minds of many EFT members, "Is this right that
the missionaries have become 'hostages' ?"
In order to solve the conflict, the missionaries must recognize this
group. If not, they are finished in Thailand.
I believe that everyone who hears of this situation will feel sympathy
for the missionaries.
As the Thai saying goes, " Do merit but receive punishment. Merciful
to animals but it results in sin"
I know many hundred missionaries and I have seen they all have these 4
things in common.
1. They love the Lord.
2. They are concerned for the souls which are perishing.
3. They have dedicated themselves to serving the Lord in Thailand.
4. They have much grace and love and are harmless to anyone.
When missionaries are threatened and cut off from the opportunity to
serve the Lord , what should we do?
Some people have suggested some interesting solutions:
Full Support. That is to sound the trumpet and call all missionaries
everywhere out to vote at the EFT annual meeting. Then bandage their
mouth closed (bandage their eyes and ears as well, but not their nose.
If they can't breathe they won't be able to stay in Thailand). Then
have them raise their hands and vote for the tigers, ox and
rhinoceroses to become the new EFT committee. That's all that will
need to be done for the conflict to be resolved. As for virtue and
righteousness, well just don't mention them.
Register under a different Organization. Have all the missionaries
leave EFT and apply to other organizations which are more open minded.
(Just see - if there weren't any missionaries in EFT, what work would
EFT do?)
1. Return home as is threatened. In this EFT conflict, the
missionaries are the hostages and they will be executed (meaning their
ministry in Thailand will cease) for sure. From the way things are
going, it doesn't look like this conflict will be solved very easily,
so have the missionaries go home first and find another way to return
at a later date. There are many other ways of ministering in Thailand
(which don't require EFT membership) which I will suggest in a later
letter. Some may ask, "What if they can't come back?"
Well, then let the Thai Christian be responsible for the souls of
their own Thai people!
This is what happened in China and Burma many years ago.
So to the 700 - 1,000 foreign missionaries presently registered under
EFT now, I say that for certain you are Sthe 'victims' and the
'hostages' . You must prepare yourself for the terrible circumstances
you which will soon happen. For the group of people whose ears are
ringing and eyes are dizzy with the lust for power must hold onto your
position at all costs through means
My dear missionary friends, whether or not you fight them, they will
cull you....unless their threats are empty.
