It is hard to imagine that we have been working in Thailand for over 12 years!  What changes we have seen and experienced.  I find that when I arrive in Thailand, or any other country  for that matter and to be honest,  especially the USA, I always experience a sense of the familiar mixed with a dose of the foreign.  What a strange life Patty and I have been called to.

Cobra Encounters:  While in Thailand I had no less than three

Cobra (not the one I actually saw :))

encounters with cobras!  I’m not sure why I saw so many this time, but my second encounter definitely got my attention.  In Thailand they drive on the left.   And on the far left side of the highway is a narrow lane for motorcycles.  I was driving my motorcycle (really more of a scooter) when suddenly, in motorcycle lane ahead of me, a very long cobra crawled out of the ditch.  To my right were fast moving cars, to my left was a deep ditch and straight ahead of me was about an 8 foot cobra!  The traffic evidently startled the cobra and it lifted straight up and fanned its head like in the picture (the picture is not my snake).  I hit the brakes on my motorcycle and started sliding at an angle toward the snake.  I pictured myself sliding or rolling into the snake and him not liking it any more than me!  At the last moment the snake turned and crawled back into the ditch.  I took my foot off of the brake and the motorcycle righted itself.  I had a complete cardio workout in less than 5 seconds!  The LORD’s protection was with me!

YWAM Hong Kong Compassion DTS

Ministry Encounters: Thank you for your prayers for the ministry in Thailand.  The Lord most certainly blessed my time there. My work included various forms of ministry to missionaries and organizations working in a variety of areas, including Trafficking Rescue, Community Development, Ministry to Refugees and Discipleship Training.  I had the privilege of teaching for a week the Hong Kong YWAM Compassion Discipleship Training Team .  And what an international team it was!  The team included people from Holland, USA, Switzerland, India, Singapore and Canada.  They were a great team and I feel privileged for my small role in preparing them to work with the poorest of the poor.   As our ministry connections increase it is with joy and reverence that we thank the LORD for allowing our work to expand.

Miscellaneous Thailand –    I’ve included some miscellaneous photographs of Thailand.  The craziness, the lack of order, the funny and odd quirks continues to endear my heart to Thailand.  I’ve included photos that range from the beauty of the Prince Mother Garden, to an overloaded motorcycle.  One of my favorites is how the workers tie orange cones to the back of their truck and pull them along as they progress down the highway, rather than have to move them separately.  

The Wacky - Motorcycle Balancing Act!

The Beauty - The Princess Mother Gardens

Thai Ingenuity - Here you see a truck working on the highway. To save time they tie the orange cones to the back of the truck and drag them along as they change location!

HomeWork:     Our State-side work continues to grow.  In addition to missionaries that come in from the Field to meet with us, we are also working with folks in domestic ministries.  We are soon to begin a Support Group for young married couples who are currently working in full-time ministry.  The goal is to encourage, support, and prepare young families to meet the weighty demand of ministry.  What a privilege the Lord has give us!