Testimony

Jan Goble

I moved to Udon Thani from the States in Nov. 2007 to be with my son Michael, with no interest at all in organized religion, even though I had been a Christian for many years. I had my time in churches and experienced some serious negatives there. Anyway, by chance one fair day, I met one of the members of ICF at a restaurant in Udon Thani and she mentioned her "church" in passing. My interest was peaked as I didn’t know there were any churches in Thailand (nor did I care). However I liked Shay as a person and she just said very calmly "come with me sometime if you’d like", which is what I ended up doing.

I was immediately blessed by Pastor Ben as he appeared a man of strength, character, and integrity. I was OK to be at ICF even though I still wasn’t crazy about "church in general". My heart was with the poorest of poor in Thailand even though I didn’t come to Thailand to work as a missionary.....it had seemed to me for a long time that church people didn’t share my great burden for interest in the poor, and I had felt that I was in opposition with their goals.

The leadership of Pastor Ben McClure kept me going to church on a regular basis, which is where I ended up meeting the love of my life when I least expected it. Peter Goble, an Englishman from Spain who was visiting his son in Thailand after the death of his wife of 58 years, and I married in Udon Thani on October 5, 2008 after a short courtship, and celebrated our marriage union in a simple ceremony at ICF in December of the same year. It was conducted by Pastor Ben whom I, by then very much loved, respected and appreciated.

Though I absolutely loved Thailand and didn’t want to leave that country and it’s beautiful people I made the decision to move to Spain with my husband to live in the cortijo that had been his home for over 20 years. We’re in the process of making it "our" home today, but it’s been my extreme pleasure to have been able to stay in touch with Pastor Ben and Wendy in Udon Thani via the internet.

I have seen God do His work in His own way at ICF, with myself, my dear son Michael, Pastor Ben and Wendy, and all the beautiful people involved in the church. I recognize today that it’s not all about how I think things should be done. I continue to have much to learn, and greatly appreciate God’s blessings in so many areas of my life and in the lives of all those I hold dear.

I’m ever so grateful for that fateful day that I met Shay at "Three Hearts Restaurant" in Udon Thani, and was calmly invited to ICF. I’m so grateful to have met Pastor Ben and Wendy and had the opportunity to be under their spiritual leadership for even a short time. I’m so grateful to have met my dear husband Peter at ICF one Sunday night when I was least expecting it. I’m so grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of my experiences with the lovely people at ICF in Udon Thani. I’m so grateful to have been able to start some AA meetings at ICF and be involved in valuable service work in that capacity. I’m so grateful today that AA and ICF was there when my dear son Michael was ready to receive the tremendous blessing of deliverance from alcohol and begin a beautiful, productive, new life in Thailand.

I’m so grateful for each of you and all you mean to the individual people in your lives. Everyone has a purpose, and we’re all important to those we love and to God and His work here on this earth. I pray peace, prosperity, and happiness to all and I very much look forward to witnessing God’s continued blessings on all people here on this earth. Thank God we live in a big world. God is everywhere, and people continue to need the Lord.

Love and blessings from one of your spiritual sisters, Jan Goble - mjelliott92001@yahoo.com