We have been home for almost two weeks now. It's amazing how fast our trip went. Jon and i are truly thankful for the support that you all have given us. We had and amazing time. We are really beginning to miss all of our friends over in Thailand. I hope you all got to see our report on Sunday, but if not... don't worry you can get in contact with us through email or phone and we would love to tell you all about the trip. You can also go and read through all of the previous blogs. Whatever you want to do is fine. We've uploaded some videos that we've made of the trip. Enjoy! Thanks again for all of the love and support.
- Jon & Michael

Prung nee ben wan sut tai tee nee (Tomorrow is our last day here),


We are excited to get to come home, yet we are saddened that our amazing trip has come to an end. Today we woke up in Mae Sai and went across the border into Myanmar to visit Pastor Timothy's family. We went over and had breakfast with him and his family at 9:00 and then spent some time visiting with them. After visiting for a while, Timothy took us around to see the town. We got to see some pretty cool things. We saw a Buddhist shrine. It was very..... interesting. Timothy gave us many gifts that we will get to show you all when we return home. We were sad to have to leave because we became so connected with Timothy and his family. We crossed back into Thailand and headed back for Chiang Mai. We arrived in Chiang Mai safely and returned once again to the wonderful Pangviman Place hotel. We rested for an hour or two before heading out to the Night Bazaar for the last time. Since it was our last night, we went and bought a lot of stuff for ourselves and our family members. The day was great. We look forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning before our long trip home. The Kalnins have planned a farewell lunch for us tomorrow at Beulah church with the whole FLC staff. We really look forward to seeing everyone once more before we leave. Thank you all and we'll see you in a few days.


- Jon & Michael

(going from Thailand to Burma)


(Buddhist shrine above Tachilek)


(line of Buddhist monks getting morning offerings)


(Daniel encourages the evangelists at Timothy's house)

(Michael and Jon with Timothy's family)

Bonjour!

Oh wait. Sawat Dee,

Today was the last day of the conference in Mae Sai. We got up and got ready before going down to breakfast. We all had banana pancakes for breakfast. They are very good! Hint-hint, Dad. After breakfast we went over to the church and began the day. I sang "East to West," and Jon taught about evangelism until about 10:30 and then we had a break. After the break Jon and I taught the students the chorus to "How Great is Our God" along with the hand motions, courtesy of the Mime Team. Jon then taught until 11:30 and then six people shared their testimonies. After they shared, we all laid hands on them and prayed for their safety and for the well-being of their ministries. After we prayed, Jon explained to the pastors the significance of the "Bound with Them" Bracelets we have been wearing the past two months. We then handed out the fifty bracelets we had with us to the people who live farthest away. Unfortunately we did not have enough for everyone, so after we send FLC more of them they will distribute them to the remaining 30 pastors and evangelists. We went to lunch at the hotel with several pastors from the conference. Some of them were Barefoot Doctors and we got to hear some stories of their work in different villages in Burma. After lunch Jon and I went around to different shops looking for interesting jewelry and other handmade goods. We then made our way back to the church where Beverly was in the middle of teaching her afternoon lesson. We then sat in the back and got to relax for awhile. Beverly finished teaching and then Daniel got up to say a few words about the FLC Ministry and the work that they are doing. We don't know what he said because it was all in Burmese. By the way, Daniel knows nine languages, seven of which he can read and write. We were pretty amazed with that fact! After he was done, everyone stood up and joined hands for one last prayer circle before going our separate ways. We had a good time at the conference. After we were done, we went back to the hotel and rested until dinner at 5:30 with the Kalnins, Abraham, and Timothy. They were happy to receive the two suitcases full of medical supplies that were donated. They are taking them across to Burma with them tomorrow. We are saddened by the end of the conference yet excited that we will be crossing into Burma tomorrow to visit Timothy's family. Thank you all.

- Jon & Michael

(Jon teaches last day of conference)

(Michael hands out bracelets)

(Jon hands out bracelets)

(prayer for pastor's testimonies)

(lunch with barefoot doctors)

(prayer circle)

Sawat Dee,
Today was the first day of the leadership conference in Mae Sai. We got up this morning and went down to breakfast in the hotel where we met Abraham, David, and Timothy, who are all local pastors from Burma who came over the border for the conference. After breakfast we walked a block or two down the street to The Mae Sai Chinese Baptist Church where the conference is being held. After I sang “In Christ Alone” Jon taught until 10:30 then we had a 5 min. break and Jon taught again until 12:00 when we had an hour and a half for lunch where we went back to the hotel and ate. We then returned to the conference where Beverly taught for the rest of the day while Jon and I relaxed in the back of the room and I did some of my homework. There was a testimony by one of the pastors at the conference about how his tribe used to worship a false God and how it lead to the death of his son and he asked for prayer for the rest of the tribe to open up their hearts and find Jesus. All of the leaders their laid hands on him and prayed for him and the tribe. The day was over at 4:30 and we headed back to the hotel and rested until dinner at 5:30. The day was cool and not too stressful and we are looking forward to a great day tomorrow. Thanks and see you all soon (4 days).
- Jon & Michael

(Street vendor in Mae Sai)

(Jon teaching at conference)

(Beverly teaching at conference)

(people lay hands on and pray for Burmese pastor)

Sawat Dee,

Hello! Today we traveled to Mae Sai. We got up and took our time getting ready because we didn't have to leave until 10:00 am. We packed up our things and managed to just take one suitcase for each of us. Deezi came and picked up us and our luggage. We went to the Beulah church and dropped off the things we were not taking to Mae Sai and then went to the Kalnin's house and left with them for Mae Sai around 10:45 am. We traveled for about two hours before stopping for lunch. We had a soup made with duck and noodles. After traveling for about another two hours, we stopped at the Opium Museum at the Golden triangle. It was cool to read about the history of how tribes used opium and how they produced it. Opium growing is now illegal. After looking around the museum we got to look around the shop and got to buy a few little souvenirs. We then stopped right down the road and took a picture of "The Golden Triangle" which is the spot where Thailand, Burma, and Laos meet. After that we traveled for 40 more minutes until we reached The Top North hotel and settled in. We ate dinner at the hotel with the Kalnins at 6:00 pm before making our way to an Internet cafe across the street where we are updating the blog because the hotel does not have an available Internet connection. We are looking forward to the conference in the days ahead. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin this conference. Thank you and we'll talk to you again soon.

- Jon & Michael

(position said to be most comfortable while smoking opium: laying with your heels touching your rear)

(traditional pipes for smoking opium)

(Michael standing with the Golden Triangle in the background)

(Golden Buddha at the Golden Triangle)

(our hotel bathroom with the shower separate from the toilet... we are very excited)

Sawat Dee Kahp,
Today was a very relaxing and enjoyable day. After getting up and eating breakfast, we were picked up by Deezi and went to the Maesa Elephant Camp. The elephants were extraordinary. We bought a bundle of small bananas and a small pack of sugar cane to feed to them. It was fun to watch them grab the food from our hands with their trunks. I had an elephant that was very impatient and extended its trunk to the full extent of its length to try and grab the bananas from my hand. I wouldn't let it though. After Jon, Deezi, and I all got to feed the elephants, we watched the trainers give the elephants a bath in the river. The elephants liked to put the face in the water... I guess it was refreshing. After the baths, we watched the elephants perform the various stunts they had been taught. They played harmonicas, soccer, a game of "keep-away" with the trainer's hats, and they also painted some pretty miraculous pictures. One elephant that we had a good view of, painted a self portrait. They all did a great job. After enjoying the wonderful show, we took and hour long ride on the back of an elephant named Mae Pong. The ride was fun and we got to see some nice areas of the forest. At one point in the voyage, we got to see a smaller elephant who got away from its trainer (don't worry... there was no one on it). It was fun to watch him escape, because he knew that he had gained a sense of freedom as he ran as fast as he could down the path. You could see the huge smile on his face from the exhilarating experience. It kind of reminds you of the feeling you get when you except Jesus as your savior and you smile because you know that you are finally free from your sins and are able to run towards God. We got back from the eventful ride to find Deezi reading the newspaper and patiently waiting for us to get back. We then took Deezi out to lunch at KFC before he took us back to the hotel. We got back to our hotel and i worked on homework while Jon worked on his sermons for the leadership conference. I finally fell asleep on my bed with papers all around me (i didn't much homework done) and Jon fell asleep a little while after i did. We woke up about an hour later and got ready to be picked by Daniel and Beverly. We went to a Thai Cultural dinner at a place called, Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. They had very good traditional northern Thai food and traditional Thai dancing by many of the tribes from surrounding villages. The cultural center's website is: http://www.oldchiangmai.com/ if you would like to see more about that. The day was fun and relaxing and we are ready to leave tomorrow for Mae Sai for the conference. Thanks for all of your prayers.
- Jon & Michael

(Michael feeds elephant)

(Jon feeds elephant)

(elephant gets bath)

(elephant paints a self-portrait)

(us riding Mae Pong)

(Children do a traditional tribal dance where they hop in and out of moving bamboo poles)



(Thai dance called, "Kinggala Dance")


(dance called, "Rich Winnowing Dance")

hello everyone,

Thanks for your patience as we have rested and are ready to fill you in on our visit to Hui-Bong. We left for the village mid-day Saturday at 10:00 am and arrived at 4:30 pm. The drive there was anything but relaxing. We went through the state park for Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest mountain. It was the first of the curvy mountain roads we had to experience with Daniel at the wheel. I got nauseous, but Jon seemed OK. After stopping for lunch, we visited the Zion Christian Center Youth Hostel where children from surrounding villages can stay so that they can attend school. The student population is growing quickly and the buildings there are not enough for the growing amount of kids that are there. They have built a bamboo shelter to house some children because they have run out of room in the main dormitory. They hope to build a new dormitory for the children so that cannot only provide for the students there now, but so that they can also accommodate the children that will come in the future. After visiting the hostel, we finally arrived at the Hui-Bong village, where some of the Karen tribe live. We stayed in the house of the brother of Somsak, Jon's translator for the weekend. After arriving and getting settled in, we walked down to the site of the Detox Center. We got to meet the staff of the detox center, many of which were once addicts who have been saved through the ministry of the detox center. We got to sit and talk with two former addicts and we got to hear their stories and of the miraculous ways the Lord has touched their lives. On the way back to our home for the weekend, Jon kicked a soccer ball with one of the village children. We ate our first meal from bowls on the floor, because they do not have tables and chairs. Throughout the evening we got to meet with more people from the village and were able to relax and enjoy the company of these village people who have nothing yet have everything. The evening was beautiful and Jon and I came to believe we could actually enjoy this way of life, and then came nightfall. When it became dark they turned on the one fluorescent light in the room which then attracted the attention of every insect one hopes they would never come in contact with! After attempting to make conversation with others in the room while trying to fend off annoying insects, we decided to turn in for the night and retreat to the safety of our mosquito nets. The night that followed was interesting! We heard noises in the dark from creatures we didn't even know existed, but none of these sounds were as disturbing as those emanating from the nostrils of our companion and fearless leader, DK. After getting no more than 20 minutes of sleep at a time, Jon and I were both wrenched from our "slumber" at 3:00 a.m. by the sound of roosters crowing in the night. Contrary to what many people think, roosters do not only crow at sunrise, but at every moment of the day. After rising from a sleepless night, believe it or not, we had rooster for breakfast. It was quite an amusing coincidence. There will be a little less crowing in the village tonight. After breakfast we visited the Hui-Bong Children's Nursery where 39 children go to preschool. Surveying the campus we discovered that they would like to have more supplies to give the children a quality education, which many other schools do not offer. They would also like to purchase chairs and desks for the children to use and tile the floors of the school building. We found out that all three dreams could become a reality for the sum of $2,000. We told them we will try to raise the money for these dreams to be realized. We went to see the new church building that is being constructed. It is looking very nice and they expect the project to be completed five years from now. We attended their church service in the older sanctuary. After opening with a song from their choir, I sang "How Great is Our God." Then Jon shared a sermon with the congregation while it was translated by Pastor Somsak. After the service the congregation graciously presented Jon and me each with an authentic Karen bag called a tauh. We were very grateful for this great gift. We ate one more meal in the village before visiting Pastor Somsak's father, Mr. Sunghe. Mr. Sunghe is the oldest member of the village at a ripe old age of 103 years. It was an honor to meet a man that has been on this earth that long and has seen many great things. After a few minutes of fellowship we laid our hands on him and prayed for his safety and health as he continues to live for the Lord. After once again becoming nauseous on the way home, we finally arrived back in Chiang Mai and checked into the lovely Pangviman Place. We were able to rest for a few hours before heading downtown to the Night Bazaar for some good ol' Burger King food. After being nauseous I was not sure if I could stomach any more Thai food today and decided that it was time to take a break from it. Our weekend visit to the Hui-Bong village was an experience we will never forget for the rest of our lives. Tomorrow should be a very restful day and we will get to ride an elephant! It's going to be exciting. Thank you all for your prayers and again... Happy Mother's Day!!!

-Jon & Michael

(New church building in progress)

(village house that we stayed at)

(michael sings at the Hui-Bong Village church)

(Somsak's 103 year old father, Mr. Sunghe)

(two addicts saved at the Hui-Bong Detox Center)

(extra bamboo hut for the Youth hostel)

(village choir singing st the church service)

(children at the preschool)

Hey,
We've made it safely back to Chiang Mai from our trip to the Hui-Bong village. We are extremely tired from the trip, so we are going to rest for a while and will send a complete, thorough update later today. We slept under mosquito nets which worked for most of the insects, but the real battle was the sounds of the night: tree frogs, crickets, unidentifiable sounds, and a champion snorer in the same room as us. Except for the night and the bugs, the village experience was super!

Thanks for your prayers for our safety. Have a Happy Mother's Day.
-Jon & Michael

Sawat-dee,

Today was unfortunatley our last day of the carpentry class. We decided to get there early this morning and we climbed the mountain at Frontierland and had our bible study at the top. It was an awesome view from up there. It really makes you stand in amazement at all that God has done. I hope you enjoy some of the pictures from the top. After the long climb back down, we finished up the work on the podium. It turned out really nice. Jon pointed out to everyone how it was cool that the first thing the men their built, was a pulpit to be used to spread the word of Jesus Christ. We all thought that was really cool. We had an awesome opportunity to give Deezi a glucometer for his diabetes. He was all to happy and excited to receive such a gracious gift from Antioch. Thank you all who donated different medical supplies for the trip. We got back to the hotel afterwards and had to get all of our stuff packed up. We are leaving at 10:00 tomorrow morning for a 6 hour trip to Hui-Bong village. We will be there all of tomorrow and we will have church their and see their detox center before returning to Chiang Mai on Sunday evening. We are very excited about getting to go out to this village. Unfortunately we will not be able to send updates while we are there because there is no electricity believe it or not. We will send a nice long detailed report of the short trip when we get back to Chiang Mai on Sunday. Jon will preach on Sunday and i will be singing "How Great is Our God" accapella. Please pray for us as we are there in the village.

- Jon & Michael

(on top of mountain: Frontierland near bottom & Chiang Mai in the distance)

(Jon teaches "sermon on the mount")

(Deezi accepts Glucometer happily)

(carpentry class with their finished podium)

Here are the men in the Carpentry Class:

(Kittipong)

(Deezi)

(Ahjong)

(Chai Rote)

(Peram)

(Sin Cee)

(Ahdong)

(Chun Chai)

(Yotine)

Heu-i (hey),
We've had another great day here in Thailand. We got up and ate breakfast before our favorite Thai man, Kittipong, came to get us once again for a long day of carpentry class at Frontierland. We stopped at a hardware store on the way for screws and finish nails. Unfortunatley there are no finish nails in the country of Thailand. So we had to settle for something else. The students were still very eager to learn more about carpentry and to continue work on the podium. We had a wonderful with these noodles which are made from rice. I ate with chopsticks to get the full experience, but Jon not being able to figur which end of the chopsticks to use, and being very hungry, decided to go with the old fashioned spoon. After lunch we made a tremendous stride to finish the podium, but came up just nit-noy (a little) short. We will definitely finish the top of the podium tomorrow before lunch, and hopefully begin work on a table. We are saddened that tomorrow will be the last day of the class with these men we have grown to love and care for, but we know that tomorrow will be an awesome day of work and fellowship. What many people may not realize is that Thai people are on average 5' 6" tall. At one point in the day, while trying to screw on the base of the podium, Peram had to climb on a table in order to reach. It was quite amusing. After the fun day of class, Jon and I went back to our hotel and after having our door lock fixed, were able to get in our room, clean, and then leave at 6:30 to have dinner at the Kalnin's house. They have a nice and the food was great. We were able to experience a new fruit called "mangosteen." It was very good and probably one of the best fruits we've ever had. The night was very enjoyable and it was fun to get to talk with Beverly and Daniel about FLC and about the work they are doing. We had a great day and are sure that tomorrow will be even better. Jeu gan-na.
- Jon & Michael

(Michael teaches morning bible study)

(Peram stands on table to reach the base of the podium)

(mangosteens)

(Jon and Michael with the Kalnins)