Metropolitan Missionaries

Dear Praying Friends, May 27, 2008

Divine Appointments:
1. In February Paula saw a lady dressed in a black robe in the Denver Airport and told
me “I’m praying that Jesus will have me sit next to that lady on our flight” (Sure enough,
Karen, a trouble MK, was Paula’s seatmate for the next 3 hours).
2. On our trip to Thailand we had a few hours layover in Taipei. Paula struck up a
conversation with a Thai lady (Som) who was a new believer. Som was not used to
international flights and stuck to us for the hour or so before the flight departed. I sensed
that Paula needed more time to disciple Som and so I asked to see her seat number so that
we could change seats when we got on the Jumbo Jet (which seats around 400). Walking
down the jet way to the plane I casually asked to see her seat number and then let out a
yell when I saw it….I was in 48a, Paula was in 48b and you guessed it…Som was in 48C!!
3. A group from YWAM did a worship song for the Mekong Conference and there was
one girl (Alisyn) at the front that stood out from the rest. Paula happened to see her in
the breakfast line the next morning and asked where she was from. She said, “San Gabriel
and Bellflower, CA.” Paula then asked where her house was in San Gabriel. Alisyn
answered, “Bridge Street.” Paula asked, “Where on Bridge Street?” When she gave the
street address, Paula asked incredulously, “Are you Nancy Robin’s daughter?” “Why yes.”
Paula then yelled out, “I LIVED ON BRIDGE STREET TOO! I USED TO BABYSIT YOUR
MOTHER!!” The family had moved to Bellflower and so Paula asked where they attended
church. When she mentioned the church Paula blurted out, “In a couple of weeks Larry is
preaching at that church!” Alisyn’s parents didn’t know that Larry would be at the church
so it created quite a stir when Paula sought them out and told them the whole story.

Thanks so much for praying for our long awaited trip to Chiang Mai. It was an emotional
journey for Paula but God gave her good health and stamina. Paula estimated she spoke
at length with 50 people and was greeted by around 200. Thai and ex-pat friends hosted
a open house for Paula and she was able to give her testimony at both a tribal church and
ex-pat church. A missionary even gave us some money to go to a nice restaurant for our
30th wedding anniversary. Over the past six years Paula had often dreamed about going
back to a certain restaurant in Chiang Mai…if God restored her health. What a joy to be
able to celebrate together on that evening – May 13th.

Closure after Six Years
2002 - June 2nd evacuated out of Thailand upon cancer diagnosis- chemo treatments
2003 - Paula receives Bone Marrow Transplant on our 25th Wedding Anniversary
2004 - Paula completes critical first year following transplant
2005 - Remission continues
2006 - Paula is able to travel to England to visit Amber
2007 - Reoccurance of cancer just before Tim and Lydia’s wedding in Aug 2007
2008 - Back in remission and able to celebrate 30th Wedding Anniversary in Thailand

On this trip we attended the OMF Mekong Conference which is attended by around 300
missionaries who have targeted around 20 unreached people groups (long range goal is to
add another 10 UPGs). The cyclone in Burma hit when we first arrived and so it was
sobering to get first hand reports by OMFers who had evacuated out of Burma. Others
were planning to go back into the area of the China earthquake. We need to continue to
bathe that area in prayer.

Our main ministry was one on one counseling with OMFers as well as teaching workshops
and leading a mens meeting. We had one week at the conference and then another
intensive week teaching a prayer counseling seminar and meeting with 10 people in
counseling sessions (these last around 2-3 hours). I was able to tell stories and sing
songs with 45 orphans at Breanna’s House of Joy (it breaks your heart to see these
abandoned girls – 5 years to 14 years old). We ended our time in Thailand at the Bangkok
Airport where “Juey” met us to share about his life and ministry (Juey is the 21 year old
student who asked to accompany me around Thailand during my last visit in February).

From May 31-June 1st Paula and I will be speaking at a Thai church retreat (the pastor
said that around 20 nonChristians will be attending). Titus is getting in flying hours this
summer and has asked me to fly with him on a 3,000 mile cross country trip from June 6-
9th (Note: I didn’t enjoy teaching Titus to drive, and now I’ll be with him in a plane for
four days at 10,000 feet!)

Finally, Tim and Lydia leave tomorrow for 3 weeks on a vision trip to Albania, Macedonia
and Turkey. They will be visiting Lydia’s parents in Albania and “spying out the land” in
anticipation of missionary service in that part of the world. Lydia has not felt very well
recently…pray for her health and for travel mercies and good connections with people.

Larry and Paula Dinkins