We have had lots of firsts this year already—moving to a new home, starting the daycare in another location, moving the office (the list can go on!)  But I wanted to share with you an absolutely exciting, bring-tears-to-your eyes first that we are celebrating in the House of Love—that of one of our children graduating from college.  Of course, lots of young adults are graduating—but what makes this story special is how it began.  Our health teams met Adoh and his younger brother in 1997 in their small village.  Adoh and his younger brother had to take care of their mother as she was dying of AIDS.  They had very little help because other people in the village were afraid of their mother and isolated the entire family.  The boys were not allowed to play with other children; they were not allowed to visit in other homes.  They had to drop out of school and had to plan for the family’s finances.  Adoh felt the added burden of caring for and finding food for his younger brother.  They knew of no other family who could help them as their parents were from Burma.  They were alone in their struggle to care for their mother.  HPTP staff came alongside and helped in practical ways (like food and nursing care) until the mother died.  But after the funeral the villagers burned down the boys’ house.  Then the village leaders told the boys that they were no longer welcome to stay in the village; their neighbors were afraid of them because they thought that the boys were also infected with HIV.  At this time Adoh shared his feelings of hopelessness stating, “I have no hopes or dreams.  My parents were both alcoholics and drug addicts, and I will probably become the same.  I will be dead before I reach adulthood.”  Adoh and his brother eventually moved into the House of Love and were able to get their citizenship.  Adoh now states that it was the Christians who brought him hope, both for his life now and for eternity.  Is his story finished?  Not by any means.  Adoh plans to move back to the north of Thailand and find a position teaching electrical engineering at a technical school.  And we look forward to seeing how God directs Adoh’s life!

Praise and Prayer Points:

Back to school for the House of Love kids (HOL).  Pray for us as we work through some logistics—the majority of the children go to one school—but a few others attend a total of 5 other schools, so we are still working out how everyone gets where they need to be!

It is also back to school for the Christian Center for the Development of People with Disabilities (CDPD) in MaeSariang.  Pray for the 2 new teachers that are working there.  One is specifically working within the government schools to help those teachers learn how to integrate children with disabilities into their classrooms—a big step!

The House of Blessing started  May 11 with 30 students—and I was impressed with how quiet and orderly the children are—even on the first day of school.  They love their new class rooms (and big dining room).  We praise God for the beautiful facilities that can be shared with so many!

One more school request—Khun Nok, one of our Lisu team members and coordinator for the HOL, is finishing up her MDiv.  Please pray she finishes well, and that her Master’s research on counseling and AIDS will be valuable to others.

The Health Project staff are excited and encouraged as they start teaching seminars on agriculture chemical use, as the Lisu villagers they are working with have said how relevant this information is to them and their village’s health.  We also want to give a praise report that the youth seminars were well attended by enthusiastic minority youth—please keep praying that information given will translate into good moral choices.

Our full sized basketball court is poured and ready for play!  (It will also be used as a volleyball/takraw/badminton court too!).  The garden has been plowed, ready for vegetables, and fish will be coming to the pond soon—it is starting to feel like home at the HOL!

Finally, I am excited that my good friend and head of the Missionary Partnership Team, Susan Peer, will be visiting later this month.  Susan’s husband and daughter will also be coming—their first visit!  Pray for safety in travel, good experiences, and joy as we share in the work here.