April 2011 Update

Visiting family, friends and churches

We are reconnecting with family and friends to introduce our son, Elias. We fly out of Bangkok on April 30, 2011. We'll be in Chile from April 30 until June 16—six weeks with Cy's family (Cy has not seen her parents since their wedding 4.5 years prior). On June 16 we travel to Abbotsford, BC, Canada for about seven weeks, then plan to return to Thailand on August 4, 2011.

Elias is crawling, cheering with his little hockey stick, and was with us at DTS graduation.

Discipleship Training School graduation

Rob was leading a Discipleship Training School for the last 6 months. It came to a close on April 9. There were 12 students who graduated.

Fruit:

• 6 students will go on to serve in another YWAM ministry full-time
• 3 people plan to do the School of Biblical Studies
• 2 Thai students are applying to be full-time staff with us at the YWAM base
• 1 student returning to ministry that she had previously

Thank God for His faithfulness to produce fruit through our obedience.

The building project

The vision for a "double home" on the Chiang Rai base began in 2008—one building with two family units so we could live among those we disciple. Over $7,000 was raised by 2009, but construction stalled because the contractor required enough funds to finish the structure before starting.

In March 2011 a donor provided enough funds to cover the entire structure and roof—and construction began immediately. Photos show progress from Day 0 through Day 21 as the foundation went in. The first phase (structure and roof) was expected around June 2011. Estimated cost to finish each home's interior was about $30,000 ($60,000 total) for walls, windows, doors, tiles, and electrical.