SDCC Water/School

Hello Everyone! It's been a few weeks since I last updated my blog site so forgive me as I try to summarize all that has happened...

Aaron and I spent the first week in Mohojo Village with three ITDP Missionaries trying to get everything prepped for the SDCC team arrival. Most of our time was concerned with the school project. Every day we woke up around 6 am and were at work by 7, bending re-bar, digging foundation holes, and laying out the framework for each room. The work was slow at first, because supplies were still being shipped in from surrounding villages; however, we got a good jump start for the weeks of construction to come. The villagers were extremely welcoming and gladly prepared a place for us to stay at night. Every time I returned to my hut there was a meal ready to be eaten...the family I was with had two children yet none of them would eat until after Aaron and I had finished, then they would eat the leftovers. Arriving a week early was highly beneficial because it gave us a chance to become acclimated to the weather, food, sleeping conditions, and long work days. However, the best part about my first week in the village was getting a chance to fellowship with the Christians. Mohojo village had a water project put in by ITDP three years ago, and since that time 11 of the 22 families have forsaken Animism/Buddhism and placed their faith in Christ because of the follow-up ministry done by the Thai Evangelists and the display of God's love set forth by the American team. Nearly every night we were invited to attend a Bible study/worship service held in the hut of various families. Songs were sung, the word was clearly preached, and much time was spent in prayer...but what moved me the most were the prayer requests. Not one request set forth by a villager was for themself, only for others. Some of the youth asked that we would pray for their parents who were still Animists, while others prayed for family who still had no citizenship, had very few rights, and faced possible deportation...very different than our requests in America. One evening I was eating dinner with a Christian family and the husband excused himself, grabbed his Bible, and left the hut. I asked where he was going and their son, Wan Jon, told me that many of their neighbors were still Buddhists, so his father went from hut to hut every night, explaining the gospel and answering questions about the Christian faith...and this man has only been a believer for two years...

On Sunday morning Aaron and I woke up early and rode two elephants for three hours to meet the arriving team. Our pace was sloooooow but amusing as the elephants became angry any time and unsuspecting motorbike passed by...a couple of the riders had to jump off their bikes because the elephants charged at them...I felt safe seeing as I was on top of the elephant! We met the team in the afternoon and began our journey back home. It was encouraging to see familiar faces and feed off everyone's enthusiasm.

(You can see the school on the bottom right of this picture)



Work began the next day. One team stayed in Mohojo village and worked on the school project, while another group slept in Dae Buh Sae La Ko village and built the water tank and bathrooms. On the first night one of the trucks was taking a group of team members and villagers to Mohojo when there was a gearing malfunction. It began to slide backwards down a steep, muddy hill...the breaks of no use. The truck ended up sliding off the road at the bottom of the hill injuring three people. The most serious was Alli who landed on a tree stump bruising her kidney. Mike and I took her to Chiang Mai the next morning to make sure there was nothing more serious done to her internally. Thankfully, she was fine and returned to the village a day later, though her mobility was limited. In hindsight, I am so thankful for this accident because it showed the villagers that we were there to serve the Lord, and that this mission would not be hindered. It also taught the team to persevere through trials for the glory of God. I strongly believe that God has His hand on the vehicles as they go up the hills, and even as they slide down into a ditch. He is sovereign over every circumstance and I find such great comfort in this truth.



The rest of the trip went as planned and there is simply too much to write about. I will say that everyone worked hard and stayed unified. The water tank was finished early and the school now has a foundation, roof, and the brick walls are well under way. Weather prevented the use of the new video projector and sound system by which we planned on showing the Jesus film in the Karen language. However, we had the opportunity to show one other video in Karen followed by an evangelistic message given by Somsok. The villagers fell in love with the team and the team with them. VBS had children showing up every day who walked over two hours to be there, and the team of Doctors we brought had more patients than they could handle. Fresh water has been given and now we must pray that they will drink of the Living Water...what a privilege we have to participate in Missions.

Prayer Requests:
1) That the villagers would accept Christ in Dae Buh Sae La Ko where the water project was built...right now there are none.
2) That God would provide funding for ITDP so that the ministry there can continue.
3) For safety as I travel with the staff in and out of the villages this coming week.
4) That the team's return to the United States would bring along with it enthusiasm for missions and motivate SDCC and the American Church for the glory of God.