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Tim and Judy Heath

Southeast Asia

Email Update 1/30/2012

Dear Prayer Partner,

At times I have thought, "What in the world am I doing here?" Uncertainty can infect our minds and damage our hearts. When I wonder if God is using me at all, I realize perhaps better now than before that I have failed to believe Phil. 1:6. God is working, even when I cannot see what He is doing (Job 23). Here is the story I want to share.

Judy arrived in Michigan on Jan. 18, after traveling 36 hours. She had a wonderful week with her dad. Emotions fluctuated as he drew closer to his home going. Joy when they could talk; quietness when he would sleep; heaviness when he had difficulties breathing. He passed away on Jan. 23, in the early evening, surrounded by the family. God gave them peace that passes understanding and a beautiful day for the funeral on Thursday of that week. The funeral home has a web site that those who are not able to come can share their condolences with the family. I want you to hear of one that Judy shared with me.

Judy was 12 when her dad accepted the Lord and within the first couple of years Dad Fielstra witnessed to many people of the miracle that took place in his life. I am not sure if he saw much fruit from that time. But during that time he "happened" to give a Bible to a man who seemed to need it and Dad Fielstra did not hear from him again. No one was aware or even remembered about the Bible, until Judy read this man’s testimony. He not only read the Bible, but he soon came to know Christ as his Savior. 45+ years later he is working in the prison system giving out Bibles to inmates! Neat huh!

Our opportunity and privilege is to sow seeds. It is God's joy to produce the fruit and sometimes He even lets us see it. We can look at our lives or others and wonder if God is doing anything through us or them and miss God's peace in serving Him in the now age - today. God is keeping track of the ways He uses us to bring Him glory. (Heb. 6:10)

Our oldest daughter, Jennifer, will fly into Chicago Jan. 31 and stay until Feb. 2, when both she and Judy will drive back to Chicago. Jennifer will return to So. Calif. and Judy will fly to Spokane WA, to see our only son, Danny, Lisa, and their family of 5 children - twins just recently born. So "Grammie" is excited to see all of them. She will proceed on her journey Sat. Feb. 4 to Leavenworth, picked up in Spokane by my mom, Eunice. On Tuesday, Feb. 7 she will fly down to see Jennifer, Chad and kids, Melody and her family and get some much needed rest. On Feb. 15 she will begin her long journey back to KL and into my arms! Is that okay to let you know that I really miss her?

Just a note about what God is doing here. As brief as possible: A Filipino, born in M’sia, went to the university in Cebu, Philippines 20+ years ago. During that time he came to know and understand this special time we are living in called the "Dispensation of the Grace of God." It helped him make sense of the Bible and after getting his degree, went back home to E. M’sia to start a church. Things did not go well and he ended up moving to KL some 15 years ago. Last week the thought came into his mind, "I wonder what TCM is doing now days" so he looked them up on the web. As he noted the different fields TCM works in, he noticed our name and the shocking discovery that there was a TCM "M" right where he lived. He emailed me last Monday and by Monday evening we had met. He, his wife and son all came to church on Sunday and he wants to help in any way he can - he even volunteered to help clean the church. Wow! This was all God - it is like we are on a Disney ride and as we go around bend after bend, there are the people that God wants us to meet. I am so blessed with God's timing and His direction in our lives.

So, lots of emotions and blessings both in the USA and here. You are such a dynamic part of this team as you pray and we all see God work. Please do not underestimate what prayer is doing all over the world and especially for us here in M'sia. Thanks so much. We serve a wonderful Savior,

In His glorious Name,
Tim & Judy

Judy Tim and Jessica
Judy drinking "copi" which is coffee, milk, and sugar - like a latte in the states Tim and Jessica in the "yard" which is where the two burner cook stove, toaster oven, and washing machine are


Missionary Call & Ministry

From the time I was 18 years old, I had an interest in missions, mostly because I was on a mission field with my parents, Bill & Eunice Heath.  Through the years, leading up to the present, I was involved in missions at Grace Bible College, leading several teams of students to Europe and Mexico.  In each church I pastored, Judy and I led our youth on a number of mission trips and when going myself, doing seminars in the different countries.

Earlier this year I was pondering the fact that I would turn 60 years old in June and would like to be more free in ministering to missionaries, especially when they asked us to come and encourage them.  I thought that maybe I could pastor part time, with someone else preaching part time, thus allowing me to travel more.  I never dreamed that in order to do that I would resign from my present ministry and go into missions full time. 

But how did this big change occur?  It really culminated at the Things to Come Mission board meeting – my first in quite a few years.  The Director of TCM, Ben Anderson, was simply giving the board his report of the recent trip to SE Asia and the opportunities that were opening up in these countries.  I was aware of the new fields being opened in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, adding to the two countries that TCM has been working in for many years (Philippines and Indonesia). 

As Ben read/talked through his report, he focused on 5 or so key areas of future work and expansion in SE Asia.  Each of these points seemed to describe what God had not only been doing in my life for many years but what He was planning for us to do in the future.

#1 – TCM will open the first foreign office of the mission in Southeast Asia(That sounded interesting to me) having a permanent missionary resident there.

#2 – TCM needs an older person (I fit that need), who has a good grasp of the Word of God and Grace Theology.

#3 – To do this work a person would not need to learn a language!

#4 – Bible institutes in the Philippines and Indonesia would like an American missionary to come periodically to teach 2 to 3 week courses.  This would be key to enhance TCM’s relationship with these countries.

#5 – TCM would like to develop a greater “Missionary Care” emphasis, for TCM’s missionaries are the greatest asset that TCM has.

#6 – A permanent presence in this area would allow better contact with every work in every country in SE Asia, thus reaching the target of TCM, to have a missionary team in every country of SE Asia.

As each of these points was brought up, I felt the Lord telling me, “You can do this for MY glory!”  As Judy and I prayed about the need, our hearts were moved because, through us, God could meet that need.  I hope to be used of the Lord, as well as being an encouragement to TCM and to Ben, the director, in every way possible.  We feel this new chapter in our life is totally from the Lord.  We are excited to begin the process of turning our present ministry in Leavenworth over to the new pastor and traveling around to the many churches with the privilege of sharing this new ministry.