Our Thailand Family Photo

Looking at our reflection in a large mirror and taking a photo.  So much fun with Katelyn, Taylor and Everett visiting from Bangkok.  Missing the rest of the gang in the states.

Merry Christmas 2016 at the Lahu Youth Hostel

Photo Credit:  Eric Spangler

Saturday, December 17 Eric and Virginia Spangler and Don and Kathy Williams spent the morning and early afternoon at the Lahu Youth Hostel celebrating Christmas with the children and their families.  What a great time was had by all.  Here are some pictures from some of the day's activities.  Please view them helping you to remember to pray for the children and the ICCM (International Child Care Ministries) hostel parents.

Children enjoying a game of bucket-ball.  Harder than it looks.

Parents played too.  This was a relay game picking up wrapped candies off the ground.

Soccer game with the young children playing the moms.  The game ended in a tie.

Blow up the balloon until it pops contest.  The boy in the foreground won.

Get spun around, walk forward, and hit the can with a stick blindfolded.  No winners.

Balloon stomp.

Kathy saying goodbye.

Anan and Nancy - the hostel parents.

Parents playing bucket ball.

Boys receive Christmas socks and goodies stuffed inside.
Picture Credit: Eric Spangler

Girls receive their Christmas socks filled with goodies.
Picture Credit: Eric Spangler

Last picture of the day with a few of the girls.

Introducing Gideon and a Very Special Prayer Request

Introducing Gideon and a Very Special Prayer Request

December 7, 2016

Pictured above is Pastor Gideon.  Doesn't he have a wonderful smile?

Pastor Gideon leads a couple churches in Cambodia.  He preaches in the morning at the Light and Life FM Church East and in the afternoon at the Light and Life FM Church West.  He travels many kilometers by motorcycle on roads that resemble driving on dry riverbeds more than they do any road we'd be familiar with.  He has to take a couple ferry rides on what is no more than two canoe-like boats bound together with planks of wood that believe it or not can carry and transport one car and as many motorcycles and walk-on passengers that can uncomfortably be crammed onto the conveyance as possible.

We wanted you to meet Gideon because we promised him when we were with him last week that we would introduce him to you and share his prayer requests.  We will be doing this for several ministers we met in Cambodia last week during the upcoming months. They were asked to share their top three or four prayer requests. 

Gideon's first request was the most compelling especially coming from a parent's perspective.  It came more as a story as the translator spoke rather than as a prayer request.  The translator conveyed how God had called Gideon into ministry and shared the tremendous sense of blessing it has been for him to serve the Lord.  Gideon spoke of his children and then transitioned to share how providing for them was a challenge.  Pastor Gideon shared how his youngest could no longer attend school as even public school, which is supposed to be free, wasn't.  His daughter wants to finish high school but there isn't the $15 a week needed for travel expenses, food, supplies, and school uniforms.  Gideon's other prayer requests paled in comparison but to him were important to share.  A toilet right beside the church, a outhouse sort-of-affair, needed to be moved and replaced and a fence erected around the property's perimeter to help delineate and ensure no one encroaches and claims land belonging to the congregation.

When the translator passed along how Pastor Gideon's children expressed they wished their father didn't have to give so much of himself and his time to the church, which paid him so little, and seemingly caused all their financial woes, the words broke my heart.  The hope the Lord has given us over the years as parents, providing pressed down and overflowing, when there just didn't seem to be a way to pay for a college education for our children, was exploding in our hearts.  God's grace and provision for us was the comfort and encouragement we were compelled to share with Gideon.  We also committed to pray and invite others who faithfully pray for us to join us in believing God would somehow make it possible for his youngest to finish high school.  I said we would pray boldly asking the Lord to provide the $15 a week needed to make this possible.  Sure there's a toilet and a fence that needs built but we couldn't stop thinking about a life under construction and the incredible opportunities afforded a young person in Cambodia who graduates from high school.

Thanks for reading this blog post and even more for praying for Gideon's daughter.

Gratefully,

Don and Kathy

Your M's Living and Serving in Asia