Missions » Thailand
Thurdsay, January 18, 2007 2:12 AM
Saturday Jan. 13...9:40am on our way...wait! Where's Andrew?

I am not sure if you got my first email. But here is the best update. We had an uneventful and lllooonnnggg flight but arrived in Bangkok safely. The first two days were mostly tourist things which included doing some shopping for warm jackets for kids and the elderly at the group home we are at now. When we get back ask Eddie what it was like to drive his own Elephant!! We made our way from Bangkok to Kanchanburi (Spelling?) and then to Sanlaburi to the group home. We have been here a few days in a place that takes in orphans, disabled and the elderly that have no where else to go. I have pictures galore! The food has been fantastic and Andrew has been a real trooper!! We have been roasting hot and sweaty, but the people make every moment more than worth while. It is alwasy the people that are the best part!

The last two days, yesterday and today, we have been traveling in some areas that I cannot tell you about through email, way too delicate politically, but very interesting. We can tell you more when we get back but lets say that we are so far off the tourist map that they would never find us. The plight of the Karen is beyond measuring. It is difficult even though we are here to wrap our brains around the situation. The Karen are the most industious people I have ever seen in my life. They are, for the most part, in refugee camps but are never idle. There are schools, hospitals, even a computer lab in a refugee camp in the jungle. These people are so smart that even refugee status in a foreign country can not stop them. There is a Bible school, churches and evangelism going on as well.

The bigger situation is not real good. The Karen are really a people without a country at this point. But Thailand as a country is being very good about the whole deal. More when we get home.

Sharon is fine alothough she was down sick today. Nobody on the team has had any trouble with health at all, thanks for the prayers!! We have eaten all kinds on things we were unable to identify, but God has been bigger than our stomachs! We will be moving from Sanclaburi (Spelling?) tomorrow further south towards Palalu and Hua Hin, and on to the Karen Bible College. Our schedule changes from moment to moment and the team has been outstanding at every turn. In spite of allot of unknowns everybody has been great. Eddie even did some IT work here! I'll try to send another update soon. Your'e prayers are coming through loud and clear and God's grace has been overflowing. Keep 'em coming!! Grace and peace to you all, more soon... The Thai Mission Team (AKA "Blue Team")

Wednesday January 24, 2007 6:32 PM (PST)

Well we have been all over the place here! We haven't been able to email because there has been no place to send from. As a matter of fact, just about everywhere we have been never showed up in the travel brochures! We have been in Hua Hin and Pala U for since the last time we emailed. But in between we have been in the wild country and in places we should not mention via email. We'll give you more details when we get home.

This is our last day here and although we are anxious to get home, we have made so many friends here that we could easily stay much longer.

Ask us about "Grandfather" who knew the 10 Commandments even though no one told him and he has never read the Bible! Or about the kids at Palulu and Nandoe's. Or the wonderful people at the Bible school. We could stay with them all much longer. Their love for the Lord is great as are their needs. Once again we are reminded to be careful what we take for granted.

The needs here for the Karen people are complicated and overwhelming. The hard thing is that many of the needs are easy to meet and not that expensive. The complicated part is the logisitcs. We can get everything they need, but getting it to the most needy is hard. More later...

The "Blue Team" is holding up with great faith and sustained by the Lord and your prayers. Keep them up! We go to the airport at 4AM for a 6:30AM flight home. Sharon is great and working her brains out as usual, our driver P.C. has been amazing. He left early this morning for Chaing Mai. The food has been very good, we even saw Andrew eat a vegatable!! Amazing!!! We have not gone hungry.

We will have a zillion pictures and much more to share. Pray us home friends! Only another 24 hours here. Sorry we have not been able to communicate more, but we have been to the ends of the earth. Can't tell you much about it here, we have been a few places that certain governments would not be happy to find out.

Ask us about the wild elephants, snakes, spiders, frogs, and 10 million other critters along the way. The girls have had kitties just about everywhere we have been. They keep the rodent population under control. One even brought Kathy a "gift" in the middle of the night, a live frog on her bed!!

Can't wait to see you all and tell you these stories in person.

Love and prayers to you all from the Blue Team.


The Blue Team is home, safe and sound.
Thanks for all of your prayers!



God is good!