FBC Missions

Hi,

It’s good to be back in America, soft beds, drinkable tap water, and no mosquitos.

Glen and I returned on Saturday after a few very long plane rides. Funny how the return trip always seems longer. We left Grace in Mae Sot with Robert and his daughter Brooke. She’ll work with them for the next two weeks, continuing to learn more about the Karen people, the organizations who help them, and how First Baptist can play a role in doing that.

There is so much to share that I don’t know where to start. We saw so many things, so many people, and so many ways that we may be able to help. It’s exciting.

We visited a hostel in the mountains. This is a place where Karen children from outlying villages stay so they can attend school in the larger village. In the photo below, I am sitting with a group of girls who live at the hostel. We are actually sitting on their “beds” which are floor mats and blankets. This is the same room that Grace and I slept in. The bamboo walls behind us did little to keep out the cold. It’s a hard life, but these young Christians know that they are receiving a valuable education that will benefit them.

Below, Glen, Grace and Robert, having a quiet moment together before breakfast. They are sitting on our breakfast table.

(oops, next photo is missing, I’ll get that put back soon.)
The children are in the outdoor kitchen where they could warm their hands on the open fire that heated their morning meal of rice and cabbage.

Robert took us to visit several refugee camps on the Thai border. Some have been in place for many years, have churches, clinics and schools. Below, Grace is sharing honey sticks with a young boy in the camp. The honey sticks were a small thing, but the smiles we received in return were huge.

One way that we (FBC) have already helped is to provide money for a medical clinic that will serve the refugee camps, and be available to Internally Displaced People in Burma who can make it to the Thai side for medical attention. Below, Robert showed us the property where it will be built. The materials will be gathered, hopefully before the rainy season starts, and building should begin soon. We pray that all goes smoothly and quickly, that this clinic will serve many people in need, and be a place of comfort and respite.

While we were in Mae Sot, we met with many of the people Robert works with to help the Karen people. We now have a better understanding of the work being done, the assistance that is needed, and how we might be able to serve the persecuted Karen people.

This war has been going on for decades, the Karen, and others in Burma, are fleeing for their lives. Many already know the Lord, and continue to trust in and rely on Him everyday. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

While we were traveling, we studied the book of 1 John. In chapter three, it talks about how we are to love on another. Verses 17 and 18 spoke strongly to me during this trip;

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

I pray that we all desire to share our material possessions with our brothers, and that we love with actions.

Thank you for keeping our team in prayer. Continue to pray for Grace as she stays on with Robert. And pray for the Karen.

For the Karen Project Team,

God bless you,

Elizabeth

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the delay in posting anything new. We’ve had little access to the internet as we’ve been traveling like crazy; plane, truck, bus, and tuk-tuk.

The past two days we’ve been with Robert and his daughter Brooke. We traveled into the mountains to visit a few “hostels”. These are homes for Karen school children to live in while they attend school. The children are from small, distant villages that do not have schools. The first hostel we visited, Ti Kay Kee, was quite rustic. Most of the children were gone to a camp, but I made friends with the girls who were still there. They live in a bamboo dormatory of sorts, with a dried grass roof that leaks in the rainy season. They sleep on the floor with grass mats underneath and wool blankets on top. Grace, Brooke and I shared the same accomodations for a night. It got very cold that night and I could see the sweet little girls all huddled together for warmth. But they awoke with smiles and giggles, just like any other girls I know.

This place is amazing. The kids all know the Lord, and are cared for by a wonderfully gentle and generous couple who shepherd them. It is wonderful to see that they know the same God we do and it brings them joy.

I’m sorry to cut this short, but it’s time to get our stuff on a taxi and to the bus station.

I’ll continue this when I get a chance.

Thank you for being our prayer warriors. We are grateful for your faithfulness.

Please continue to pray for our health and strength as we begin yet another segment our journey.

Pray for saftey as we travel by bus, truck, and soon, by boat.

Pray God’s protection for us, but even more for the Karen.

And pray that we have the eye’s to see that which God is trying to show us.

Love from the Karen Project Team,

Elizabeth

Greetings to everyone back home!

Sorry we haven’t been able to write about what we’ve been seeing until now. It takes a lot of energy just to take it all in!

We made it safely here. Our flights were long, but uneventful. We had some freezing rain as we were leaving Eugene, so the plane had to be de-iced, but from then on things went smoothly. We did have a long layover in the new Bangkok airport but survived. And all of our luggage made it too! When we arrived in Chiang Mai, Jim and Gayle and Pastor Daniel were there to meet us along with Kitypong, a Karen man. We arrived at our lodging, the Galare Guest House and relaxed. The guest house is right on the Mae Ping river and is only a short distance away from the Beulah church.

Once settled, we went over to the church and saw Stacy, Mark, and Elena hard at work. Stacy painted the name of the church in Thai and English letters. Mark made a cross out of teakwood to go in the front of the church, and Elena was hard at work on a mural inside.

At the end of the day, we ate a nice dinner at our guest house and got a good night sleep.

The next day we met with some other visitors from Cherry Hills Community Church in Denver, Colorado and learned about the proposed dining hall construction on the Frontier Labourers’ for Christ’s (FLC) land just outside of Chiang Mai. This building would help operations both for the Barefoot Doctors’ training and when they conduct pastor and leadership training throughout the year. Cherry Hills has been involved with this ministry for many years.

In the afternoon, we went out to the land and saw the property. FLC has about forty acres. So far, they have one house and one building with training rooms and dormitories. The land also has scores of mango trees that provide a picturesque setting. The overall strategic goal for this land is to provide a regional training center where leaders from surrounding countries can come both for medical and spiritual training. That, of course, is the short version, but rest assured, the ministry here is alive and growing with many plans for the future.

Yesterday, we traveled about two hours out of Chiang Mai to a village called Bayasai. This village is one of many model Christian villages that Daniel has started. This village is very diverse with about five different people groups living there. It is completely self-sustaining with clean water and coffee replacing opium for a cash crop. Out of 196 people living in the village 160 are believers and attend the small church there. We got to eat lunch in the pastor’s house and meet some of the church members. By all accounts, this village is a success; however, it has a Bible shortage. There are only 10 Bibles in the whole village. The cost is prohibitive to print enough to meet demand and it is difficult to accommodate several specific people groups’ languages. There is much more I could say about this experience, but I am still processing it. The people were friendly, the food was delicious, and the off road driving was memorable.

Today we attended church. There were many visitors including us and all of the Barefoot Doctors in training. We from Oregon managed a rendition of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and Dad preached from Acts 8. Afterwards we had a fellowship lunch with more delicious Thai food. Now we are spending the afternoon running errands, relaxing, etc. This evening we will be going to the Thai cultural center with some of the visiting doctors, Daniel, Beverly, and others. Tomorrow we fly down to Bangkok and meet the rest of the Thailand team who are currently headed our way!

Some prayer requests:

Pray for safety as the rest of the Thailand team makes their way to Bangkok!

Pray for safety as we fly from Chiang Mai down to Bangkok!

Pray for the Frontier Labourers’ for Christ ministry

Pray for my health as I am fighting off a cold and ear ache and hope not to infect anyone else!

Pray for the country of Thailand and the government. Tomorrow the country is celebrating sixty years’ of the King’s reign.

Well it is finally time to leave. All the last minute details have been taken care of; work, phone calls, letters, immunizations, and packing. I can hardly believe I’m done. Or rather, if I didn’t finish something, it can wait.

So many of you have been faithful supporters and we are truly thankful. We know that this trip is filled with many unknowns and the need for flexiblity, patience and grace is at an all time high. As a sweet friend of mine told me yesterday; this trip couldn’t happen unless it was bathed in prayer.

Keep checking back here as we hope to have internet access and will update you periodically.

Walking in faith,

Elizabeth