Thomas Reid became acquainted with foreign mission work as a result of his association with the Duluth church of Christ and its members. He is married to Queenie Reid and has four children, Clifton, Joshua, Lydia, and Hannah.
In 1988 he was asked to accompany Ken McAfee and the late Carl Johnson of Saskatchewan Canada, to India. They traveled to the southern state of Tamil Nadu and taught preachers from the surrounding areas. This was his first exposure to brethren outside the states. The brethren were very receptive to these types of teaching schools. Brethren were willing to travel great distances to increase their knowledge of God’s word.
In January 1990 a trip was made to Santo Domingo to assist Kirk McAfee, the son of Ken McAfee, and the Hispanic brethren there in construction of a church building in which to meet. Several of the Duluth members also made the trip.
In 1993 Thomas returned a second time to Tamil Nadu, India with Ken McAfee, Barbara McAfee, Carl Johnson and his wife, Emma Johnson, and Curt Davis, also of the Duluth Church of Christ. The teaching was divided between working in the school, which was a rented building in the city of Pollachi, and traveling to remote towns and villages such as Ooty and Kotagiri. Each trip provided an opportunity to learn something different about the people of India, their culture, their religions, and their needs. But they also provided him an opportunity to get to know his fellow workers much better. The work goes much easier when you believe in the people you work with.
In 1999 Thomas traveled to Nepal to work in HBI, (Himalayan Bible Institute), a preacher training school, with Kieth Fields, an elder of the New Hope Road Church in Dacula, Georgia.
In 2001 Thomas, Jimmie B. Hill, and Paul Meacham II, traveled to Ghana West Africa to teach and strengthen the brethren. Preaching and teaching was done in the city and out in the villages.
In 2004 Thomas and Jimmie traveled together again to Malawi to assist Brother Ed Crookshank and his wife Lina in their remote bible school. From Malawi they traveled to the countries of Mozambique and Zambia.
A third trip to India was made in 2006. This trip was special in its own right. Again he had the privilege of working with Ken and Barbara McAfee who now reside in Morrison, Tennessee. But on this trip he was also accompanied by his daughter Lydia Reid and the McAfee’s granddaughter Alyssa McAfee. These young ladies, both graduates of Freed Hardeman University, had their first exposure to foreign mission work. They assisted Barbara McAfee in teaching the women and children while Thomas and Ken taught the men. Their work carried them to the cities of Pollachi, Erode District, Ooty, Kotagiri, and Udumalpet.
With the Lord’s blessing, Thomas hopes to travel again to Africa and India where the harvest is plentiful and the fields are white. All souls are valuable in the sight of God.
Our work as teachers is greatly dependent upon good interpreters, financial support of the brethren and prayers of the saints. To God be the glory!
http://thomas-travels.blogspot.com |
