More updates are coming soon, but I wanted to make sure everyone knows about our big news. Here is Paul’s latest newsletter in case you missed it. — Susan
Thank the Lord, we have a place to grow!
We were able to close and get the clear title on the land today! To God be the glory! It seemed that we were having endless delays, but then in one week everything came together.
The land – now we can say “our land” — is indeed a place to grow. It is a place where we can give ourselves for the growth of others in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is here that we will be raising, training, and educating our Thai, hill tribes children.
It is here that we will be having our Preachers’ Training – where God-called men who do not have books or opportunities can learn sound doctrine.
It is here that we can bring in hill tribes children for teaching in the evenings and on Saturdays.
It is from here that we can be reaching out to the many LaHu, LiSu and Akha villages that are around us.
We are so looking forward to what is before us!
BUT FIRST WE MUST GROW THE PLACE!
Now it is only a few acres covered with dried up corn stalks. It must be cleared and plans drawn up for the facilities for living and serving on the property. WE NEED WISDOM!
I am not a builder nor the son of a builder. We need the Lord’s wisdom on where to begin.
We have the general ideas of what we need and some general plans, but now it has come time for details. Pray for us!
We learned today that even before we can get a well we must have an address for the property. Before we have an address we have to have a house. We are seeking to get a man with a tractor to clear the land for us. And we are praying for rain so we can see the drainage flow on the land and where we ought to build.
We also need rain because we have the worst Air Quality Index in the world. For more than a month now it has been hazardous just to breathe. The alternative of not breathing is not good either. And the temperature has been over 100 degrees every day.
Moving from Chiang Mai to here near the border has been a very straining task on us physically with this weather. It also has been very costly.
A good soaking rain here and in Myanmar would do so much to clear the air. I have been having lung and chest discomfort from breathing the dirty air. Most of these that we serve have only bamboo huts and so no place to escape the pollution at all. Pray for rain!
And, of course, we need the funds for the building. Presently we have a little less than $40,000 which is enough to get us started, but probably not enough to take us very far.
We know that the Lord will provide. (Matthew 5:25-34; Philippians 4:19).
But He generally has chosen to use His people to do this! You have been so faithful and sacrificial in the support of this work, and we thank you from the depths of our hearts.
May the Lord bless you! For Christ count everything but loss… Bro. Paul