It is still remarkable to us that the Lord saw fit to bring us to Thailand during a worldwide pandemic—perhaps the most challenging time for international travel in history! And yet, here we are, reminded of the words of Mark. “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and the sake of the Good News, you will save it” (Mark 8:35). We are so very grateful to be past the travel and on our way to adjusting to life here—in huge part because of your faithful prayers and encouragement.
While we don’t know the full scope of the ministry that we will be involved in over the coming years, we are glad to begin to get our feet wet right away. Nick has fully engaged at Grace International School (GIS) and already the school is feeling the fruit of his investment in the development department. Long-term we pray that through the efforts he applies every day, that we will personally see the fruit extend far beyond the walls of the school.
GIS is operating from their brand new campus a short distance outside of the city. Much of the surrounding land is more rural and yet to be developed. We met with one of the developers last month who shared his vision to bring economic and spiritual growth to the area around the school. He is taking a holistic approach by designating land for organic farming, a medical center, small business incubators, neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, and more, all with the desire to share the gospel and disciple the locals who earn an income in these spaces. This is super exciting for us! As a family we are already brainstorming, praying, and dreaming about how we can be more involved in this venture to impact the local Thai community through very practical means with the intent of sharing the love of Christ with them.
As difficult times have hit many households this year, we have been in awe of how the Lord has faithfully provided for all of our needs—both prayer and financial—through each of you. We do not take it lightly. We have also been blessed with the use of our friends’ van while they are in the US, but it’s time we purchase our own family vehicle. We have found used vehicles retain their value better here and are therefore more expensive than their US counterparts. Add to this the fact that COVID-19 created much higher travel costs than we originally budgeted for, and we find ourselves heading into the New Year with a need of approximately $10,000.
We ask you to prayerfully consider giving a special end of year gift of $1000, $500, $200 or some other amount in addition to your regular support. As with any gift, you can make a contribution by bank transfer or credit card through our secure Cru giving page by clicking the button below and following the simple instructions.
