In June, our four-year term in Thailand will be complete and we'll be returning to the U.S. for a one-year "U.S. Assignment".Home base for us will be Jefferson, Ohio, in the northeast corner of the state where we have a house. We look forward to being with family again and we look forward to being able to visit with many of you.We have valued greatly your prayers and support and hope we have the chance to meet in person.If you'd like us to visit your church, please contact your regional Minister of Mission Support.They will then coordinate the scheduling with the International Ministries office in Valley Forge.

Four years changes a lot.When we left the U.S. in June of 1998 we had children aged 4, 6 and 10.Sean is now 14, taller than his mother and fast catching up to his father.Erin is now 10 and almost ready to enter the fifth grade.Except for kindergarten, her entire schooling to date, has taken place in Thailand.Shannon started preschool here in Chiang Mai and was able to start kindergarten a year earlier than she would have in the U.S.So even though she is two years behind Erin in age, she is just one year behind in school, now ready to enter fourth grade.

The kids are anxious to taste life in the U.S.We're concerned about how they will adjust, as life and school will be very different from what they have come to know.Your prayers for a smooth adjustment will be greatly appreciated.

The Lord has blessed us greatly during this term.We came here to work in the office of the Thailand Baptist Missionary Fellowship (TBMF).It is very different work than our former work with the Karen.During this term we have tried to help in coordination and communication between the six Baptist groups that make up TBMF and the various groups we work with here in Thailand.There have been many challenges and many rewards.God is doing wonderful things in Thailand and we are blessed with a great group of missionaries, international mission leaders and local Christian leaders and workers to work with.We would love to have the chance to tell you some of their stories.

To contact us directly while we are in the U.S., please write:

Duane & Marcia Binkley
PO Box 357
Munroe Falls, OH44262

Our plans are to leave Thailand on June 13.We'll stop for a visit in Prague and London on the way to the U.S., arriving in Ohio on June 29th. We'll move into our house as soon as we can and in late July will head to Green Lake for our conference with missionaries and stay on for the World Mission Conference.

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Duane & Marcia