"mae thii song"

Adele with her second mommy...Phii Khiaw! Phii loves Adele and you can bet if Adele is in the room, chances are very high Phii Khiaw is holding her! I keep telling her I think Adele looks like her...what do you think?! We are so blessed with our friends here, both Thai and American. God is so good. Today, at worship we had folks from Cambodia too and it was such a blessing to hear prayers and singing to our Lord from three different languages all at once. (A very small glimpse of what heaven will be like.)

Please continue to pray for all of us as we labor here. I will say it again, "God is GOOD!"

Check this out...

Dear Friends,
I don't often refer you all to other blogs, generally because I don't have the time, but tonight, I must strongly encourage you to read a post a dear friend posted on his blog over at ECD Pilgrim (www.ecdpilgrim.blogspot.com). Please pray for him and others and please ask yourself the hard question of whether you are part of an "insular" church he mentions? We need to get out in our world (whether it be DuBois, Bangkok, Orange Park or Pinchatouly (and yes, some of you know where Pinchatouly is!)) and get dirty, just like our Lord got dirty. He sat with the sinners. He loved them and we are called to do the same. Think about it, but more importantly, pray about it. Remember those "intentional relationships" (check out January '07 post on said topic)? How are they coming along? Stop "doing" church and start LIVING Christ and your world will be turned inside out and upside down; ask and see what He can do in and thru you. Ok, I am done now!

For Your Information

I haven't written much about what is happening in our neighboring country as I am sure you all are just as horrified as I am and I trust that you are praying as well. I found this on our mission organization's website. Please continue to pray for this situation. I firmly believe God is at work and I take great comfort in knowing that He directs the hearts of kings, even though in times like these it is hard to believe a sovereign God would allow such atrocities we must believe that He is working all out for good and for His glory. There are Christians in Burma who live under extreme persecution. Pray for them to be strengthed and bold to share the Hope they have. Please don't forget to pray for them...remember Christ's words, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Stephen echoed these same words before he was stoned to death...may we as western Christians truly stand in the gap for our persecuted brothers and sisters and beg for God's mercy to be shown forth in this country. The following letter is from our co-ordinator at MTW and expresses what MTW is doing and some needs to bring before the Father.
May 2008

Dear Minuteman,
Is Aid Getting Through?MTW is able to get funds into to Myanmar to be used for the cyclone victims. Our national partners, who are standing ready to help in the name of Christ, have been able to purchase supplies, and have begun distribution to the most needy people that they are able to access. They are hopeful of being able to expand their reach further south. We are less positive of being able to send disaster relief workers, but they have applied for visas and are prepared to go. Please pray that God will open doors. And pray for the suffering people of Myanmar.

Horrifying and harrowing stories are emerging in the aftermath of the catastrophic tropical cyclone that devastated much of already poverty-striken Myanmar. Reuters News is reporting as many as one million people left homeless. No one really knows how high the death toll may rise, but estimates are still being revised upwards, possibly in excess of 100,000. The military government has not responded quickly, and relief agencies are frustrated by delays in receiving emergency visas. Assistance has only begun to trickle in. We are grieved at early reports from survivors that describe terror and devastating loss of loved ones. The urgency of the crisis increases almost hourly.

The area hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis is Myanmar’s fertile Irrawaddy delta known as the Rice Bowl. Of course, this means that the rice crop, upon which the country depends, is almost certainly lost. So, even those areas of Myanmar that did not take a direct hit from the storm will be deeply affected, possibly catastrophically. And as is always the case, children and the elderly will suffer the most from lack of shelter, water, and food. If circumstances continue unchecked, disease is sure to follow, driving the misery and the death toll even higher.

Our assessment team will leave whenever visas are issued, and after that we hope to move quickly with disaster response teams followed by longer-term assistance. The crisis will not pass quickly.

MTW’s national partner, with whom we have worked for the last ten years, lives in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) which, though it is outside the hardest hit area, also suffered significant damage and loss of life. It has been difficult to communicate so far with this valued partner, but we do know that he is well and that he has expressed willingness to work with MTW in the relief efforts.

To make a donation by check, please make your check payable to Mission to the World and write” 93985-MMMM08WEB” on the memo line. (To give online, click here.) And would you pray as well as give? We expect to face many challenges.

Sincerely in Christ,

Paul D. Kooistra, Coordinator

PS: MTW’s Minutemen gave $30,691 to the 2007 Tabasco, Mexico appeal. Any funds not used in the current appeal will be used for similar appeals.

PPS: If you would like to receive Minuteman appeals by email, please send a message to minuteman@mtw.org with the subject line “Add to Email List.”
Donations Address:
Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284

to make you laugh

This past Tuesday, Paul and I celebrated 8 years of marriage! That alone is a crazy thought. We went downtown to celebrate and as we were leaving we noticed this sign, it says, "Miss Puke...aromatherapy"

some recent projects

PJ wanted to paint the horse his daddy made for him, so last week we got to work on it. Now, we have to find some more paint to finish the job, but so far, he really enjoys painting. Notice he has given the horse some spots..The other color will be black...so I'm told!















I also found some water paints a couple weeks ago and PJ has enjoyed creating. He continues to draw animals. Paul and I were discussing how neither of really likes water paints as children but I must say the other day I sat down and painted with PJ and it was a lot of fun. I think, perhaps, we didn't have good paints in school while I was growing up. Paul and I both recalled the paints not being very vibrant and hard to work with, which could also be attributed to bad brushes? Anyway, I had fun painting with PJ and Calvin the other day and PJ really enjoys it too.

recent pics

Daddy and Adele, May 4, 2008

















PJ posing with his t-shirt his cousins, Matthew and Kylee, made for him. (This actually is the shirt for Calvin but we didn't notice it until later...oops!)
























Adele enjoying a "new" toy. The Mills have graciously offered us some fun baby toys and this exer-saucer is one of them. Adele LOVES sitting in it and it helps momma out, too!

Bitter-Sweet

For those of you who are regulars to our blog and our teammates blogs then you probably have heard of Andrew and Becky. Andrew and Becky came to Thailand as a couple in September of 2006. For the past year and nine months they have served the Lord faithfully here. They added so much to our team and the ministry here it's hard to list all the ways. Suffice it to say that they will be dearly, and I do mean dearly, missed, not only by the Americans serving here but also our Thai staff and their Thai friends.
However, as sad as it is to be saying goodbye to them this Friday (the 16th) we know that God is calling them onto to great things...and Lord willing they will return to Thailand in a few years. Andrew and Becky are heading to Covenant Seminary in St. Louis to study God's Word. So, we trust God to bring them back to continue the work He has here for them. Please pray for Andrew and Becky as they say all their goodbyes here in Thailand and as they transition back into American life (it's not an easy thing to do, yah know). And, pray for us as we say goodbye. Goodbyes are always hard but it seems we have to say them a whole lot more on the mission field. It seems, by God's goodness, someone is always coming or going here and it is just a fact of life, but it doesn't make any easier. =) We grow to love our fellow laborers and brothers and sisters in Christ and then they're plucked away for the next part of their journey with our Lord. (And I know one day we will be the ones being "plucked"). So, pray for our transition as a team. Andrew and Becky are leaving a hole but that hole is not so big that God can't fill it. Praise be to Him. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
And thank you Andrew and Becky for your friendship, laughter, "arom dii" spirit, conviction, faithfulness and love for us and the Thais. May God greatly bless you in St. Louis and use you to further His kingdom there. We entrust you to Him.

William Cowper

I found this nugget this morning...enjoy-

Light Shining Out of Darkness
God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev'ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

some more PJisms

Today we were on our way to the store when PJ asked if Sunday was coming soon. I said, "no, today is Wednesday." He said, "Yeah, but it's not very windy."

At lunch we were having cheeseburgers from our favorite place (Mickey D's) and I quoted a line from Jimmy Buffet (?) and I said something like, "Are you having a cheeseburger in paradise?" PJ replied with "they aren't cheeseburgers...they're birds!"

There's never a dull moment around here these days! The kid cracks me up a whole lot and I just wish I could keep a running commentary on all that he says.

The things PJ says...

Today as Emmy was leaving our house, PJ began running around with his play donkey saying in a sing-songy way, "I'm a wild ass, I'm a wild ass." Of course, both Rhianna and our new teammate, Mary, heard it loud and clear! I did a double take and realized that the poor child has watched the "Planet Earth" series once too many times. Soon, I will have to teach him the truth that "ass" is not the best word to use to describe oneself since it doesn't only refer to an animal God created...but for now he knows no better and I hate to spoil the innocence with which he plays. =)

more from camp

Pramote and Tang lead us in worship
















Yu and First hanging on the beach.

















Melanie being Melanie...need I say more???






















Adele catching up on some sleep in her Jerry Carrier. The Thais had a fit that I would allow her to sleep in this thing so I eventually took her back to our room to sleep. =)

some pictures from Church Camp

Phii Nong with Adele.
























Nong Saeb















Paul with Sam, Champ and Q.
















Phii Phaa giving her testimony at the church camp