Rural & Urban
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| Visiting our dorm in Mae Jaem, new friends |
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| Tiida & Pring, our college students grew up near this Karen village |
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| On the way to church Sunday morning: 'Kuhn Matt, you can share this morning?' |
Greetings from Thailand! Life has been full, rapid, and adventurous lately and we are eager to share with you who so generously share with us! We cannot express how much we enjoy working with Faithful Heart Foundation here in Thailand.
Get ready for a LOT of photos...
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| Apart from my goofy expression, really proud of these two high school graduates, ready to start college! Paul (left) & Nathan are new members to our college dorm |
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| Joy showing us an unusual Thai fast food--sticky rice in bamboo |
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| House father, Ajan Yay, Paul, Nathan and some of their proud teachers |
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| Don just completed his 2 year degree in automotive tech. Pray for him as he looks for a job |
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| The open road... |
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| The beauty of Thailand! |
I had a wonderful time with our dorm parents and the children in Mae Jaem. We even got to go to the nearby Karen village and attend church with them. These unique and beautiful shirts are handmade by the Karen people (see below) and the proper attire for church. On the way to church, Pii Nid informed me they were expecting me to share a message. I pleaded that I was not a pastor and therefore unaccustomed to impromptu sermons, but she insisted and I did the best I could. It was a strange experience, because in the village not everyone understands Thai, and virtually no one understands English.
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| Walkin' to Church in the Karen village |
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| Selfies! |
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| Pring (left) Joy, Tiida, and Uu-on (right) All these lovely ladies (except Joy) are Karen |
The very drastic contrast between life in the city and life in the village in Thailand always makes me pause. We often speak of development as though it were an obvious, unquestionable good (like the word progress in the 19th century, before two World Wars). Running water, electricity, quality education and healthcare, etc. are hard to argue with. But for every gain, there is usually a corresponding loss. There is more than a romantic appeal to the rural villages. There is a simplicity and community feeling there, which is all the more remarkable for its absence in our society of tech and digital loneliness. How difficult it is to know what is best for others or how to go about helping them! It is a task to be approached with fear and trembling as well as compassion.
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| Pring whipping up a fish dinner |
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| There were a few bugs.. |
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| Our friend Bom came along to help drive, and give free hair cuts to the boys |
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| Walking through a river at night on a spear fishing adventure---unlike anything I have ever done! |
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| Skilled spear fishing with flashlights--- the boys were giving me lessons |
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| Bom diving right in |
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| The midnight warrior |
We continue to plug away at our Thai and are growing more and more capable of conversation. It sill seems a long way toward the kind of casual intimacy that friendships are built on, but little by little mountains are conquered.
What's on the horizon?
Please continue to pray for this opportunity to purchase land.
Thank you to all those of you who have pledged to help! Approximately $20-27,000 has been pledged already (about 40% of the total needed). We continue to pray that the Lord will make clear what we should do. If you feel so led, please let me know if you would be interested in pledging to this project.
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Please pray for our college students as they head off to a large youth camp in Bangkok in April.
Audrey, Ezra, and I are joining them for a few days at the beach after the camp. For most of them, this is the first time they have ever flown on a plane or seen the ocean. Thank you so much to those of you who give so faithfully! What a blessing you are in ways you don't even know! I have not seen our students this excited before. Pray for good friendships to form and for all of us to grow as disciples of Jesus (and have a lot of fun!)
Please pray for our staff retreat in April.
Big thank you to Mill City Church and First Baptist Church for helping us take our house parents to a special Christian retreat center this year. Pray for rest and refreshment for our parents; they are the heart of this ministry, and any of you who have children can imagine how difficult their job is.
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| Ez helping at the office |
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| Matt was on babysitting duty for the women's retreat and we saw a hot air balloon go up! |
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| My buddy Rion, whose lovely family makes us delicious Pakistani food every week |
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| The lovely girls from our dorm sing beautifully (Uu-on missed the memo on dress code, but she is so cute she can get away with it) |
Ezra is growing bigger and stronger all the time. It is amazing to see him starting to sit on his own, learn to eat on his own, and even his eagerness to talk. Hot season is here in force, and Mom and baby are getting some good pool time. It is fun to see how the Thai people love babies. Audrey says they are baby-crazy, and it is so much fun to have a baby in the neighborhood. Please pray for all the porch-time she has with the ladies in our neighborhood.
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| Lovely Mama, and a tired baby |
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| Ezra loves to swim |
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| That cute face gets us every time! |
Thank you for your love, support, friendship, and prayers! More and more I am becoming convinced the purpose of every good thing is sharing. You have been blessed, you bless us, and now we get to bless others. And maybe even you are blessed by reading this?
The Circle of Blessing---where everyone gives and receives and no one loses.
Where can you bless someone this week?
Laboring as midwives for the Kingdom, with lots of love
Matt, Audrey, & Ezra
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| Dinner! |
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| Cell Group |
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| Mae Jaem road trip crew refueling at the noodle shop |
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| "Serious face" handsome guys! |
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