Brother Chaiyong Wattanachat, General Superintendent of Thailand, has died (Friday, September 4, 2009). Brother Jack Cunningham, Supterintendent of VA District UPCI, wrote of him, "He has a great reward awaiting him in glory. He was a powerful Apostolic. I'll miss him."Brother Jack Cunningham (at left) with Brother Chaiyong in Thailand in February of 1998 to help with a Holy Ghost crusade.Myself, I was privileged to get to know Brother Chaiyong while I was in Thailand in late 1994 and over New Years 1995 with Bishop Cole ("Achan" Cole, as the Thai church called him; it's a title of respect for their esteemed elders). What a huge honor it was for me to preach their annual General Conference. Achan Chaiyong was a wonderful man.
From left to right: Achan Chaiyong, Brother Frank Poling, Achan Ping, and Brother Cole. Achan Chaiyong (whose name means "son of victory") served faithfully as the first superintendent of the UPC of Thailand. Now that he has passed on to be with the Lord, Achan Ping (whose name means "to lean upon") will surely serve well as superintendent.Words fail me to express what God wrought through these two spiritual giants, Brother Chaiyong and Brother Billy Cole, who were destined by God to be paired up like Johnathan and David of old.
The Lord laid His foundation in Thailand through Bro. Cole, Bro. Chaiyong, Bro. Poling, and other missionaries and national ministers there, and it will surely grow until the Lord's return.
Below: Altar service at the Holy Ghost crusade in Thailand in February 1998. Over 1,500 Buddhists received the baptism of the Holy Ghost!
Pastor Larry Kapp wrote me the following prayer request and information by email:
ReplyDelete"We met Bro. Chaiyong Wattanachant when we were Bible School students working with the Asian Ministry. We considered him our friend over the years as he preached most of the Asian conferences until we grew to a national conference. He preached several retreats & revivals. He had a sense of humor that didn't necessarily translate to english, (I remember him feeding me REALLY hot peppers at an Asian men's retreat) and the Asian church loved him & Bro. Cole so much. One time when he came into Stockton he brought my wife a Thai cookbook. When I spoke to Bro. Somsack last night, he asked us to remember Bro. Chaiyong's son & family in this time of loss."