Andy & Carmen Owen – MBMSI -- Thailand

Address:

P.O. Box 25

Bang Saen, Chonburi

THAILAND 2013

website:  http://www.mbmsi.org/acowen

e-mail: acowen@msnpost.com

Biography: Coming to Thailand in 2001 with Team 2000, we have seen God move to form a community of Thai believers. We continue to work with our team and Thai leaders to grow the church and build the Kingdom of God in Chonburi.

Children: Connor, Isaac

Birthday: Andy (March 25), Carmen (January 6) 

January 1, 2010

Happy New Year everyone!

God is moving in Thailand! He is drawing many to Himself, and as You will read, He is working in the hearts of governors, university students, and slum dwellers alike. (AND in our adoption - pictures inside!)

We invite you to celebrate with us as we start this new year by reading our attached newsletter. Isn't it fun to share good news?

January 2010 Owen newsletter

Peace,

Andy & Carmen

Click here for the Owen October Newsletter


December 3, 2009    Thank you so much for your concerts of prayer for our family this last two weeks. We found out today that God in His wisdom has chosen not to bring her home to us before Christmas, but hopefully in January or February. We are disappointed, but trusting in Him through the process. We appreciate your continued prayers as we once again are in a posture of waiting.     Love, Andy & Carmen

November 25, 2009

Awaiting our precious gift...

THANKS!!! Heart-felt thanks to the many of you who have continued praying for our adoption over the years, and since the call for our match last week!  It brought tears of joy and overwhelming thankfulness every time we opened the computer to find your email responses.  What a beautiful picture of meeting together in thankfulness around the Throne, on behalf of this precious child...and so many like her the Lord loves so dearly! Names Last Tuesday night, after hearing we were matched with our daughter, I went to the market and asked the Lord to show me something that would symbolize this miracle in the years to come.  In one stall hung black and white photographs of various images, when one brighter photo caught my eye.  It was a branch of yellow and white frangipani flowers.  Tearing up, I told the lady, "I need to buy that photo."  She made the sale, and quickly tapped every other photo with the baht bills I had paid, giving way to her superstition that this initial sale of the night would bring her good luck.  She asked, "Do you know the story of that flower?  It used to be called 'Lantome, flower of sadness' and it was basically prohibited to be planted in homes or anywhere it might bring a curse of sadness. However, in recent years, the Queen of Thailand  "redeemed" that flower, changing it's name to 'Lilawadee,' and inviting Thai people to plant it readily, enjoying its incredible fragrance and beauty."  As I shared my story with her, I understood that God was speaking to me about His redeeming love for our daughter.  Later that night, I claimed Isaiah 62:2 over our daughter, "The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name, that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.  You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." Lord, You are the Redeemer and Restorer of all things in heaven and on earth.  Thank you for your redeeming love! Visas We spent Monday this week in Bangkok, first with a visit to the American Consulate, then a visit to the Thailand Adoption Center, where we met with our social worker.  We were trying to find out what process we need to use for eventually obtaining a visa for our daughter.  We realize that this is not an easy process, and will continue to trust in God's sovereign plan as He unfolds it in His timing.   Please pray with us for discernment and breakthrough in this process. Homecoming! "December 16 is the board meeting," said our social worker.  That means, if the paperwork (in the Adoption Center's hands) is completed by the 1st of December, our file could be approved by the board and we could get custody of our daughter on December 17th!  Otherwise, we have to wait til after mid-January to pick her up...ugh! Please pray for expedition in the paperwork completion, and that we'll meet our daughter on Dec. 17th. We love you much! Carmen, Andy, Connor, Isaac and ? PS!  Thailand MB Foundation Soft Opening On the ministry front, today we celebrated the establishment of the Thailand Mennonite Brethren Foundation!  We gathered under a white tent in front of TLC with church members, friends, and various influential community people present.  Praise God with us for this monumental step as He opens more doors for His Kingdom to come in Thailand!  (We will write more soon!)

November 17, 2009

Dear friends,

Today, at 3pm Thailand time, Carmen answered her cell phone to our social worker's words, "I have good news...you have a daughter!"

After being "pregnant" for well over 2 years, we are elated to announce our match with our daughter, 11 months old, and waiting for mommy, daddy and brothers to pick her up from the orphanage.  At this point we have minimal information, but know that she is the miracle we've been waiting for.  We have been told we will get to see her in about 1 month, and hopefully bring her home soon after that.  Who could ask for a better Christmas gift!

Thank you for your faithful prayers and for standing with us in this emotional roller coaster in the last several years.  Please keep praying!...

**  that all the needed paperwork would come together quickly for our daughter and us
**  that the process would be finished in 1 month or less and our daughter could come home with us in time for Christmas
**  that we would have open doors to share the Gospel with our social worker and others involved

We will send more detials soon we hope, but we wanted to let you in on the great news and say thanks again for standing with us in rayer.

Love, Andy & Carmen






October 6, 2009

Dear friends,

A number of years ago, a Japanese theologian named Kosuke Koyama wrote
a book called "Water Buffalo Theology". It was written out of the
effort to communicate the gospel to farmers in Thailand in a way they
could understand. It was a monumental work on Asian theology and has
become a textbook for contextualism in many seminary classes.

This newsletter is neither monumental nor will it be used in any
seminaries. Mostly I was just trying to figure out a way to use a
cool picture. Nonetheless, we hope you enjoy reading this mini /
bonus edition of the Owen Outlook.

Sincerely,

Andy & Carmen

8/14/09

Friends,

On a cool, rainy afternoon in July, we had the privilege to conduct
another baptism service with the members of The Life Center church.
Once again, it proved to be a huge highlight and a reminder of why we
came to Thailand in the first place. Attached is our newsletter with
some pictures and stories, and be sure and watch a short highlight
video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtxnDoK2ubU. You may not know
these young people, but someday in heaven they may thank you for your
prayers and gifts which made this day possible. In the meantime, we
say a big thanks on their behalf. You have been faithful to pray and
support us over these years and we can't thank you enough - together
we are impacting eternity.

Our family is well after just getting back from some much needed
holidays. Connor and Isaac are getting ready to enter international
school together and we appreciate your prayers for adjustment and
safety in travel. Isaac, upon learning he would have to wear black
patent leather uniform shoes at school, said "I think I'd rather be
home schooled." But he is truly excited and looking forward to the
adventure of 1st grade - two of his best friends will be in his class,
and he will have a Christian teacher whom we know from Canada.

We'd love to hear how your summer has gone and what's new in your
life. Let us know how we can pray for you as well. We thank God for
you.

Sincerely, Andy & Carmen

May 7, 2009

Dear friends,

The other day I reached deep into a bush to get Connor's ball, and
when I pulled it out, I had fire ants all over my body! The ensuing
excitement helped me to better appreciate the term "ants in your
pants", and I am almost as excited (in a good way) to share our
newsletter with you, with an "ants" theme. If you have trouble
opening it let us know.

Click here for the Owen's July Newsletter

Thanks so much for partnering with us - we couldn't be here without you!

With love,

Andy & Carmen

PS If you don't have time to look through the newsletter now, please
pray for our combined MB church camp this weekend, that God would meet
us all there in powerful ways! Thanks.

 

Page last updated on Mon, Jan 4, 2010 9:44 AM CST