Answered prayers after 47 years

Sunday September 27, we baptized Ltn General Prakob Permsook after 47 years of prayer. We first met him when he was flying helicopters for the Thai Army against the communists and was getting engaged to one of our thai daughters, Duangjan. She had lived in our house for 2 years while going to school in Sam Yek, Nakhon Pathom. She is an amazing Christian woman – that in spite of 7 invasive operations and constant daily pain for over 40 years, is still full of smiles and cheer and her faith is strong.

He began to believe in God through his wife’s strong witness over the next 47 years, but finally made the decision after seeing the dramatic change in his daughter and son when they recommitted their lives to Christ recently. Gen. Prakob said something like this: “I realize I was in the boat rowing in one direction and my family were rowing the opposite. I am over 70 now, and I want to go with my family to heaven with Jesus”. He was so excited to share his witness with everybody and at his first communion after the baptism he sang the first verse of Amazing Grace as a solo. He also was very moved by many of Duangjan’s friends from her Sam Yek days that had come to join the celebration.

The day before his baptism, he also shared his testimony in our home with some of his former army friends (a General and Special Col., who had worked with him along the border during the communist fighting) again at the church Sunday morning before his baptism.

He said he really knew nothing about God when he met Duangjan, but he wanted to court this beautiful girl, so he went to church with her many times and also brought his pilot friends with him. He shared how as he looks back on his life, he realizes that God had chosen him and saved him many times. His wife always prayed for him before his missions, but at that time he didn’t pay much attention. One day, he flew his helicopter into the combat zone to retrieve the wounded and dead. While in the air he came under very intense fire. The doctor and gunner onboard the plane were both wounded. As he did his best to get away, he heard a voice on his ear phones “set down, set down”. He asked a crewman to look out the back and the crewman saw that the rotor was on fire. They sat down in a schoolyard nearby that was abandoned as the headman had been killed by the communist the week before. They were able to walk out and escape. When maintenance returned later to retrieve the helicopter, they discovered that the radio was completely shot through and destroyed. Now, he realizes that the voice he heard that day was the voice of God – saving his and his crew’s lives.

He went through a tremendous spiritual battle as he was committing his life to Christ – he gave away his previous worship emblems and got a terrible headache afterwards. His wife and he both cast out the evil powers in the name of Jesus and he came back to normal.

Please pray for this wonderful family and Gen Prakob’s new life in Christ.