Matt and Audrey Pound

9:55 AM No comments

6 Days until we leave for Thailand…

In the rush of preparing and planning and packing, I received a Facebook message that made me stand still. I laughed and was deeply moved by one of my friends from India. I have copied the message below:

Hi Matt... This is Kingsley... Me and my friends miss you badly. Do you remember that you had visited MG Public school in Ramnad? There the 12th Standard kids became your best friends... You played basketball together with them Friendly match and some bet matches for DARK FANTASY COOKIES Which is the biscuit which was loved by you the most... I am one of the boys in that group... I am kingsley... I hope that you remember me.... You may had thought of us in Ohio.... But we are regularly talking about you in our class room... Still now we can't able to forget those huge BICEPS and that popping out SIX ABS After your departure we feels lonely... But we know that you can't stay with us... But thanks for visiting our school... We had a great time with you... We enjoyed playing with you... Again thanks a lot... After you read it please reply to me Matt.... You are more than friend to us... You are one of the family members in our family... Finally.. God is ultimate who helped you to visit India... We loves you and miss you a lot ....

This is a perfect example of the special joy in crossing cultures. For clarification, Dark Fantasy Cookies are simply vanilla cookies with chocolate filling (not quite as exotic as the name implies, but tasty nonetheless). Also, apparently one of the American cable programs available in India is WWE (professional i.e. fake wrestling, hence, the preoccupation with biceps and popping abs). There are plenty of uncomfortable moments crossing cultures to be sure, but also many magical ones. Playing basketball on a school playground thousands of miles from my home, laughing with friends though we can barely understand each other is one such moment. Sports, like music, is one powerful connection that crosses and sometimes even transcends culture. We can impact a person, a life with such seemingly insignificant moments. Our friends Chris and McKenzie Nielsen are masters at this. They know how to simply be with people. As we prepare for living in a foreign culture, I can’t help but think this may well be one of the most important skills to learn. If our spirituality cannot contain our physical lives---food, music, art, sports, relationships, etc. then it is wholly inadequate.
Whether we are in India, Thailand, or the United States, we do not have to be masters at ‘making friends and influencing people’ to have a powerful impact on another’s life; we simply have to take the risk of relationship. What basketball games need to be played? What conversations over coffee are missing? What cultures can you cross and enter in to? What new families will you become a part of?

Kingsley is right, God helped us visit India; and it is He who often invites us not only into relationship with Him but with each other. And He seems to be especially fond of connecting lonely people and making strangers into family. Psalm 68:6 says: “God sets the lonely in families…” Until we enter into each other’s lives and begin to appreciate and understand one another; until we not only tolerate, but learn to love one another, His Kingdom may not come, His will may not be done and His family will not experience the joy of life together. May we know the God who loves us. May there be room in our hearts for God’s big, diverse family!

Please Pray for us in our goodbyes (to our family and friends here, whom we love deeply) and hellos (in the new families and friends we are joining in Thailand), our hearts are both grieving and eager with anticipation.

Thank you for your love and support , we love you all and are blessed to call you Family!

Matt, for the both of us.

3:26 PM No comments

To our dear Family, Friends, Rope-Holders, and Co-workers,

It is hard to believe another year has come and gone---full of joys, sorrows, milestones, and the mundane. We hope this letter finds you well, enjoying God’s goodness and building His kingdom in all the various, unique places He has called you to. It has taken some time for Audrey and I to discover and pursue God’s calling in our own lives.

We believe that calling is now leading us to Chiang Mai, Thailand to work with a small, Christian foundation called Faithful Heart Foundation (FHF, www.faithfulheartministry.com). We will arrive in Thailand on February 7^th, 2015! We have a lot of mixed feelings right now; it is not easy leaving so many of our friends and family (especially the cute little nieces and nephews!) At the same time, we feel a real excitement about this new stage of life God has brought us to. Many of you have shared in our journey, encouraging and loving us along the way. Your willingness to partner with us now means more than words can say. Thank you. Audrey and I are both hard workers, and we are determined to honor your trust in us. We hope you will not find it unfounded.

“What are Matt & Audrey doing in Thailand?”

The Thai foundation we are working for focuses on orphan care. Audrey and I were impressed deeply when we volunteered with them last year. They do an incredible job of meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of these children. It is more like a small foster care model, where up to 5 children are placed with a Christian Thai family. Their daily needs, as well as educational costs, are provided by the foundation, but what really impressed us was the sense of family, of belonging, that was part of each home. FHF supports full-time care for about 30 needy children. They also house college students from rural areas, provide emergency relief among hill tribes in the mountains, and live out a compassionate, Christian witness in a country where less than 2% of the total population knows Jesus.

After several conversations with David and Shirley Callahan, the founders of FHF, Audrey and I both came to believe we could contribute in our own unique ways to the work they do. Thankfully, David and Shirley feel the same. Audrey is an administrative guru, will be running FHF’s social media and helping with event planning…not to mention loving on the kids and house mothers…and there is talk of starting up a coffee and tea shop, which she would love; she spent the last year working with a church-run coffee shop and makes a mean latte! I am excited about the agricultural projects that help provide food and support for the families. Currently, FHF is growing rice, raising fish in ponds, and growing a special tea from a newly planted orchard. I would love to introduce some projects that benefit from raising chickens and livestock (cows!). I’ve spent the last year working as a fruit and vegetable gardener for the city of Fort Collins and doing lots of reading on farming. One of our first goals though, is to begin learning Thai and to help wherever we are needed. As with everywhere we go, we seek to share our hope in Jesus and help others follow Him.

“Are Matt and Audrey asking for money?”

Yep. We have worked hard for several years, saving and investing our money to help cover our personal expenses while on mission work. After all, it doesn’t pay very well when you serve the poor. We feel very fortunate to say that we are able to cover about half our expenses from our own funds. We really don’t like asking for money. We know you all work hard for your wages and we don’t want you to think we are simply looking for a free vacation. We take stewardship of God’s resources (and yours) very seriously. Thank you for trusting us. We are always available to answer any questions you have about where your money is going. Don’t hesitate to ask!

“How much money do you need?”

That is hard to say since it is our first year. We would really feel good if we could raise about $1500 per month to cover the cost of living, language classes, ministry costs, and occasional travel expenses. There are basically 3 places your money could go towards:

1. Our personal living expense (food, rent, health insurance, etc.)

2. Current ministry needs with FHF

3. Development of future ministry projects (like the cows and chickens!)

Berean Baptist Church has very graciously chosen to support us at $300 per month. That leaves about $1200 per month we would like to raise. We think that is pretty reasonable and hope you feel the same.

“How do I give?”

Click the "Give" tab or click here.

“How can we pray for Matt & Audrey?”

Please Pray that we would love God – this is the heart and center of who we are.

Please Pray that we would love each other – that Audrey and I would protect our marriage, care for, and serve each other.

Please Pray that we would love the people – and make many new friends.

Please Pray that we would be good learners and good servers.

Please Pray for Faithful Heart Foundation – the families, the workers, and those in need of help.

“Does it matter if I get involved? (What is a Rope-holder?)”

Yes! William Carey is often called the ‘father of modern missions.’ When he was preparing to go to India, he told his family and friends that he felt like he was descending into a dark well. He was scared and unsure of what to expect. He said, “I will venture to go down, but remember that you must hold the ropes.” Audrey and I will venture to go, but we need you to hold us. We cannot do this on our own. You are essential to this work. You are the people we love most on this earth. We already owe many of you a great debt of love. Let’s build the Kingdom of God together!

In Hope,

Matt & Audrey Pound

Matt Pound Audrey Pound
matthewdavidpound@gmail.com audreypound@gmail.com

“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” -Isaiah 58:10

1:10 PM 1 comments

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