So... we are back at the main office after an amazing 5 days in
the children's home and also in a Lahou village! We have been blessed! I will
start with the children's home. We got there around noon on Monday and met with
our contact there who runs the home with his wife and a few volunteers. The man
is 25 years old. He barely looks older than us but God has called him to this
ministry and he has responded in obedience. The children's home is actually an
abandoned school that the Thai government no longer needs so they have granted
it to be a children's home. They care for 13 students, three of which are
orphans. The rest are sent there because their family cannot provide for their
needs or because the home life is not a safe one. There are a lot of little
boys there who love to play soccer, so we bought one and brought it with us. We
were able to minister to the children through playing soccer, teaching bible
stories, singing, and praying. We stayed there a day and then went to the Lahou
village where the wife of the minister is from.
While at the village, we stayed with the our contact's
in-laws. Our mission for being there was to build a pig barn. We stayed there
for three days and had a great time. We slept on the floor of their house in
mosquito nets, we ate AWESOME Lahou food, had about 20 coffee breaks (I now
love coffee), bathed in rivers, went to the forest and cut down wood with
machettes and carried it back, slipped in mud constantly (rainy season),
smiled at villagers, were followed by the children who constantly yelled
"HELLO!"... they even watched us through the cracks in the wooden beams
of the house. We chased kids around, picked them up, and took pictures with
them. We even got the chance to go to a church service and preach the gospel!
It was a great few days!
Please be in prayer for the villagers, the minister there
said that they all acknowledge Jesus and believe in Him, but that there are few
who actually live a different life than they did before. Also, our contact's father in
law has cancer, so pray for healing.
The Lord is awesome. He has provided everything we have
needed and more, whether we are in the city or in the forest. Thank you so much
for the prayers and encouragement! It makes a difference! We are so
thankful for you
-Andy