To all of you who encouraged us, prayed, or gave toward the ministry this past month (and year), we are so grateful! We are thrilled to report that we have our initial funding needed to be able to launch! We are incredibly humbled and in amazement at what the Lord has done for us and through you, our partners in this ministry.
Ideally, we still plan to leave in July. In reality, though, so much is still left to decisions that are out of our hands. If all goes according to our [loosely held] plans, over the next week announcements will be made by the Thai government, officially opening the border and starting a chain reaction for us—purchase flights, apply for Visas, finalize packing, get a doctor to sign off that we are all healthy, get tested for COVID-19 before our flights, and finally fly out around the last week of July. If this sounds like a lot…it’s because it is. We really value your prayers for what feels like a quantum leap ahead…and yet, still the possibility that we may in fact have to wait longer. We know the Lord is in control, and His timing is perfect, and we can be at peace with that truth in mind.
A HOUSE PROVIDED
Once we land in Thailand we will likely be required to fully quarantine for 14 days before we can truly begin to settle in. In a huge answer to prayer though, the Lord has provided a fully furnished home for us to move into. Friends of ours had to come back to the States in March and will not be able to return to Thailand until 2021, so they offered for us to sublease from them. We are still not certain whether we will be able to go directly there, or if we will be required to quarantine somewhere else first, but when we do get to move in, we will have a house with all the necessary amenities for our whole family—including children’s toys and books, a van, beds for all, and so much more. We are so thankful for this enormous blessing and the way the Lord worked it out so that we can bless our friends, too, by offsetting their costs while they are away.
GRACE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Over the past two years we have had many conversations with our Cru leadership to determine what our initial ministry roles would look like. In 2004 Traci volunteered at Grace International School (GIS) in Chiang Mai [Thailand], and we are excited to be coming full circle. Nick will be taking a position at GIS as part of his ministry role—he will be able to help with their operations and use the skills he has developed over the last 15 years in corporate now within the ministry world. This school is unique in that it reaches Thai nationals, missionary kids, and students of business families. This role also provides us with a work permit that allows us to remain legitimately in Thailand. We are excited for the ways this partnership will help our family acclimate while simultaneously allowing us to immediately plug into ministry even before we have our language skills down.
Prayer REQUESTS
THAI BORDER
Pray that the Thai government begins to allow US Citizens into Thailand this month.
QUARANTINE
Pray that we can quarantine in our home in Chiang Mai, rather than in a singular hotel room in Bangkok.
GOODBYES
Pray for our hearts as we won’t get to say our goodbyes in person with many of you, as we had hoped.
HEALTH
Pray that we stay healthy these next few weeks and are able to get tested for COVID right before flights.