“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”  – Ps119:105 (NIV)

Team from Georgia

In the first half of July, we were privileged to have an outstanding team from Georgia join us.  The team had a full load of ministry and activities with several stops including Baan Nai Soi and our Long Neck Karen village.

We started the trip off with 2 days in Rak Thai Chinese village near the border of Burma.  With lots of kids and over 20 parents coming, the team had a special time as they hosted a block party that was packed full of fun and games, including a great clown ministry for sharing the gospel.  In addition to the fun, we also provided medical care and care bags to all the kids.  Some highlights of mine were being able to share about God’s love and goodness to many of the parents and to see Tiff perform a magic trick with the clowns.  And with lots of smiles and laughter, it was a job well done. 

Lots of fun, games, medical and more at the Chinese Village

After that, we spent the week working with schools throughout the area.   With the team having several professional teachers on board, they were able to provide teacher training and ESL lessons to the kids.  This was accompanied by a full show by the clowns, with songs, magic tricks, dramas and more.  The team continued to provide medical care and more importantly, they shared God’s love with the kids.

Teaching, medical and clowning around in the Long Neck village school

In addition to our time at the schools, we were invited to a night of praise and fellowship at the university and got to party with all the kids from Tiff’s home town.  Overall, it was a great time with many new relationships.

Worship Service, block party, and more!

Grace House Children Home

In addition to the team from Georgia coming, there was quite of bit of activity at Grace House.  It turned out to be an unexpectedly busy time for us.  With all the rain the past couple of weeks, the water levels rose quite a bit and even the road into village had turned to mud (trucks couldn’t even pass).   Unfortunately, this change affected the foundation of the home’s bathhouse and it collapsed!  Thankfully no one was hurt.  But it did change our plans as we quickly looked to rebuild this needed facility.

Toilets collapsed due to lots of rain

Construction of the new bathhouse

Our next project is actually to capture some of this rain water to provide irrigation for a vegetable garden behind the children home.  Already, the kids have planted several pumpkin plants but when the season changes and the rain stops coming, it’s very difficult to grow anything without a good water source.

Also new is the children home now has a pig!  With the help of our staff, the kids are raising a pig, including caring for it and gathering food from the jungle.  And already the kids are talking about what they are going to do with it when it is much bigger!

Our new pig at the children home

 Lastly, our friend Sarah from California visited us this month and also came to Grace House.  The kids in the school and at the home had a great time learning English, songs and all kinds of crafts with her.  They even go to enjoy a puppet show and a bamboo tic-tac-toe game.

My friend Sarah visited the children home