Integrated Ministries for Ethnic Minorities Foundation (IMEMF) 
Prayer and Praise for June, 2010

Many of you are aware of the political unrest in Thailand, and I am grateful to each of you who pray for peace for this land.  While most of the violence was confined to Bangkok, we did have a few moments of fear up here in Chiang Mai.  Our daycare children were being returned home after a day at the House of Blessing when the driver turned a corner into the midst of one of the demonstrations.  The driver and all of the children were terribly frightened as tires were being burned and stones thrown, but fortunately none of the violence was directed against them.  We ended up closing school for 2 days, but now, everything is quite normal.  Please keep praying for Thailand, and that in this time of uncertainty, many will look for peace in Jesus. 

                                                                                                                                                                               

Praise and Prayer Points:

·         The return to school for all of the House of Love (HOL) children has been uneventful.  With 32 children to get ready to go to seven different schools we are thankful that the new year has started off so smoothly!  We would ask for prayer for Suttee, as he starts at the school for the deaf.  Teachers are concerned about his HIV-status.  Pray with us that his teacher would not be afraid, but would welcome this dear little boy into the classroom.

·         Someone once said—little kids, lots of little problems.  Big kids—not so many problems, but the ones they have are big!  Khun Amnuayporn and I are finding this to be a true statement.  I have known many of the HOL children since they were toddlers, but I am still finding adolescence to be a challenge.  Pray for Amnuayporn and me as we help these young adults figure out the value that God places on them and just how much He loves them.  We are still looking for another care-giver for the children—please pray that God would give us just the right person.

·         School is back in session at the Christian Center for the Development of People with Disabilities as well.  Please be praying for wisdom for Khun Saylo as she writes a proposal for the future direction of the project.  There is a lack of vocational training in the province where the CDPD is located, but we are realizing that prevocational skills must be taught before vocational training can be put into place.

·         And yes—school has started for the House of Blessing day care children as well.  They have had the joy of a field trip this past month.  The 5th grade from Grace International School brought the children to a local garden (complete with labyrinth and camels) for a morning of fun, followed by a yummy lunch.  The 5th graders are the same group that did a Christmas and Easter party for the HOB children, so the field trip was a wonderful way for the daycare children to start their year, and the 5th graders to finish theirs!

·         The boys’ dorm/daycare classrooms are continuing to look great—I hope you like the photo update.  Please pray for timeliness in completing this project.  Our goal is to be using the classrooms and the dorm rooms by October—and right now, the construction is ahead of schedule, which is wonderful news

·         And other construction news—we have started the building for the simple apartments for the women who live with us, thanks to a donor in the US.  It is wonderful to be seeing this building come into being.  The plan is that it will be finished by October as well!

·         The Health Project teams are continuing to do health development, an evaluation of what has been provided for the communities and a survey so that future activities can be determined.  Please pray for God’s guidance for the staff.  

·         Finally, I would value prayer for me as I travel to Bangkok and then down to Cha Am for our annual Baptist missionary conference June 7-11.  As the Chair of Thailand Baptist Missionary Fellowship, I will need to chair the business meetings.  Seven Baptist groups make up TBMF (2 groups of Baptists from America, as well as groups from Sweden, Great Britain, Australia, Japan, and Norway.)  Would you pray that God would refresh and restore me during this time?  Thank you!