Cru @ Univ. of Ark -2015

Michael and Bethany are finishing up another year working with Cru at University of Arkansas. Michael spends a portion of his time creating videos for the ministry.  This is his most recent one highlighting some of the students in their ministry and how God has worked in them this year.

Vision Dinner 2015 from Michael Allen on Vimeo.

He's a talented son-in-law  :) and it is exciting to watch what God is doing in the ministry there at UofA. If you want to see more of his work, you can watch the recaps of the ministry at Texas A&M  and at Louisiana State University    He also made both of these this past semester. 

This summer Michael, Bethany, Ellanora, and "baby in the oven" will be staff on the San Diego Summer Project.  It is a great summer of discipleship with the college students that will be there with Cru from all over the USA.  Michael also made a promo video about the fun side of the project. 

Pray for them to have good closure with students before they say good bye for the summer,  as they pack up for  San Diego,  and that God will use them in the students lives on the project. 

B.A.M.

Business As Mission's has become  a new trend of evangelism here in Asia. As a follow-up to my last post, I want to share our experience with BAM.  30 years ago, when we first came to Asia, we had never heard of BAM strategies, but now we often meet people who have come to try and combine business as an avenue for the gospel here in Thailand.

There are a variety of goals by people who do business as a ministry.  Some of those are to create jobs for local people or to help nationals learn to create a profitable business that they could not start up on their own. Building relationships with nationals while doing business together can lead toward evangelism and discipleship naturally.  Personally, we are interested in BAM, but so far have not figured out how it can be effective to help us.

Our interest has been to help our ministry in southern Thailand to become sustainable on their own. In all honesty, the Ranong Kids Home has been dependent on foreign contributions to keep feeding the kids day to day and to keep them enrolled in school.  We are very happy with the development we have seen in the home and in the children's lives. They have come so far from those first years.   Our next goal is to find a type of business or income that will  help them to become self supporting and not dependent on others.

While  talking with people trying out the BAM approach, we have strived to learn from them. Donors and supporters have  donated money specifically to help the Ranong Kids Home get  a business started as a micro-enterprise. So far we have tried raising fish, raising poultry, gardening and a few other things.   We know other orphanages who have tried jewelry making, mechanical repair shops- and frankly nothing of ours and theirs has brought enough profit to make it worth it. Frankly there is a lot of talk and dreaming in this area, but we have not seen a model that has worked yet enough to support the orphanage. We have learned that even the best orphanages that find a business to help them with some income, still only make enough revenue to cover 25% of their homes budget.

So once again, Mike is re-visiting this issue in southern Thailand this week.  He and our staff have been researching, praying, and seeking wisdom to know what steps to take next.  One conclusion has been that although the dorm parents do such a great job with the children, we need someone with a good business mind and heart to help manage a project that can help the ministry in the south to become sustainable on their own.  If any of you readers, feel like accepting a challenge to come for a year or two and help with this project- we will gladly accept you with open arms. In the meantime, let us know of any ideas or insight that you have and prayers are always good!

Ranong Kids Home

A New Kind of missionary

I just finished this book and I have to admit- a comment by someone before reading it made me feel a little skeptical. It was first recommended by one of our favorite supporting churches for everyone on their mission board to read. We have a lot of respect for this church and since they spoke highly of it, I was curious. The author went to the same college as I- so that too sparked an interest.

The comment that made me skeptical was the fact that the author has only been on short term mission assignments, and then has enough insight and expertise to write a book to those of us who have invested a lifetime in another country.  Possibly it is a sensitive topic to me as I see people arrive here as newbies who are experts on missions.  Especially when we've been seeking God for 36 years in country on how to do what God wants us to do and we still don't have it figured out.

The author though has done extensive research and through talking with people has gained enough knowledge to help those of us who live here, day in and day out. A short summary of the book would be that since fewer than 10% of the world's Christians live in North American, it is not an American religion.  Most of the worlds Christians live in Africa, Asia, and South America, what he refers to as the global south.  So because "The world has changed , but the mission has not", we need for churches across the globe to partner together.  Out of these partnerships, we need to send out a new kind of missionary.

I agree with his emphasis that Asian's (in our case) do not want the Western church to leave, but for us to work together in new ways.  Keep in mind too- that Thailand is still less that 1% Christian. Mike and I believe that Thailand is only going to be reached through the Thai people and  not us as westerners. We are excited that great strides have been made in the past 5-10 years of them getting a much greater vision to reach their own people. They do not need us to do the work for them, but to empower them- which is our goal in encouraging our national staff here. Through partnerships, missionaries should bring their specialized expertise and knowledge and then humbly and wisely share it under the leadership of a national ministry, with no hint  that we are superior to them.

Otherwise, without the input of nationals, missionaries can conjure up their own strategies that they think will work  and are tilted toward western mindset.  Sometimes these projects are too expensive and they end up failing without a westerner there to keep it going. The whole subject of BAM is for a post at another time.  It is something we are struggling with a lot concerning our work in the south and asking God for wisdom.  More on that later... but in the meantime - this book is worth your time.  May we learn to function together with our dear Thai brothers and sisters to spread the joy of God's love  to every Asian who has not heard of Him yet.

Happy Thai New Year

The Thai Songkran Water Festival is in full swing this week throughout Thailand. The city of Chiang Mai, especially  turns into a giant water fight- the official days being April 13,14,15.

What started out years ago as a simple water blessing has transformed over the years to an all out water war, but all in fun.

We had our fun for many years, taking our girls out and playing ourselves, but this year- we have been happy to stay inside and keep dry. (Except for a few attacks from the grand kids)

Credit goes to the Internet for all these captured photos.  None of them are mine this year. Call me a chicken and I will agree. 

It has been fun to see our grand kids enjoy this holiday just like their parents did growing up.  They have played for three days in a row now.

It is most brutal when you get splashed with a tub that they have put big chunks of ice into.  Yes the weather is roasting hot now- but the shock of ice cold water is not too pleasant.

Happy New Year to all and Happy Songkran-2015! 

GBC 75th Anniversary

This post is only 6 months late.  October 11-12, 2014 was one of my favorite weekends while we were in the USA last year and I have been wanting to share about it ever since. The fact that I'm posting about this even now, says how special it was to me.

My home church celebrated their 75th anniversary.  My grandfather Lewis E Deits was one of the founders of the church, and had an important role in the beginning as the chairman, moderator, and on the first building committee. That was in 1939. I loved this grandpa and have wonderful memories of him.

I owe much to this church and the heritage it gave me.  My mom was on the charter membership roll and my parents were married there.  I was on the cradle roll and grew up in every program the church had to offer throughout my childhood and teen years.  Mike and I were married there, and this is the church who first sent us to the mission field. The community at GBC shaped me much into who I am even today.

As they shared the history of the church, I have memories of each pastor and the impact they had on my life.  Not to bore you, but De Armey, Aeby, Deloe, Cosgrove, Burke, Lambert, Weimer, Barlow, Straits, Keeney, Cooke, Matteson, and Borkowitz each have had an influence on my life. Many more teachers who put up with my childhood pranks and orneriness raised me and helped me build my value system around God's Word.

Jan Jensen and a few other ladies did a fantastic job bringing out old photos, and programs and memories from years ago and displayed them in two different rooms over the weekend.  I was able to spend a few days with Jan before the celebration and help her set up these rooms for people to enjoy. The old black and white photos were very fun for people to look at and brought back so many memories.

I was thrilled that I just happened to be home that weekend to  join in the celebration.  The planning committee was not sure how many people would come back to Iowa for it, but when the weekend arrived it was astounding to see so many old faces that traveled from near and far. The weekend far exceeded my expectations. It was a very emotional weekend, reuniting with so many very precious people to me.  A 'shout out' too, to Jim and Jeanette Grady for inviting everyone out to their home on Saturday night so that we could reconnect with people from out of town and for coordinating the meal at the church on Sunday for everyone.

Here are just a few of my  favorite photos from the weekend:

Still on the intersection of Minnesota and Williston, where it has always been.

As people started arriving on Saturday the reunions were so sweet! It was so good to reconnect with Rob and Christy Barlow and we are grateful for their influence in so many kids lives.

Some of the old pictures on display from past youth group parties.  That is Sarah in a mud fight here.

Love this youth group picture of my dad and Mike and Terry Lambert.  Terry and Patsy were very influential in our lives. He discipled Mike as a new Christian.

My grandparents, Lewis and Bernice Deits.

Oh my, this picture is of a group of people just oozing with good memories, smiles, and happiness. This was the "Potters Workshop" Sunday school class that we were in as newlyweds up until we moved to Asia and then during our furloughs to the USA.   We studied the Bible together on Sundays, celebrated fun parties and holidays together, and raised our children together.

Chic and Doris Sayles led the class and Chic is a diligent student of the Bible that passed on so much insight to us.  They are a very special couple to us as they also came to Thailand and taught Bible to our Thai staff and then stayed and worked with us for two years.

Chic is 95 now and we weren't sure if he could make the trip from out of state.  When I saw him walk in, I burst into tears. So many people were very happy to see them come.

Likewise was the gratefulness to see John and Shirley Burke who flew in from Colorado. Pastor Burke was the main pastor of GBC from 1972-2000.   Many people sat under his thoughtful and accurate handling of the Bible.

His two daughters Jill and Don and Bonnie flew in also from out of state. They were in 4th grade and 8th grade when they moved to Waterloo. 

Pastor John was my pastor from ages 18-46.  He taught Mike as a new Christian, took us through pre-marriage counselling and married us. He has stories to tell on us that I do not want you to hear.

It was so good to sit under his teaching again.  His familiar voice and expressions were so heart-warming. As he taught, I jotted down some of his (only from him) weekly expressions that only us who sat under his teaching will get: "and to that....", "did you know that.....? well it's true", "to help you grasp what I am saying here...", "I dare say....", "well folks...". You had to be there to hear the tones, too.

He also told us that he knew that GBC would never be a mega church, but would be known as being a sending church. He reminded us of a list of 25-30 missionaries sent out from the church.

And this group of ladies here are just a part of our "gang" that I cannot say enough about. We were known for trouble when together (especially my cousin Betty in the stripes), but also learned how to love God together.  We went through each phase of growing up from the nursery... to summer VBS that lasted two weeks... to summer camps.... to sleep-overs.... to SMM.... to each other's weddings.... and more.  It was sooo good to be reunited and to know we are all still loving God.

Over the course of the weekend, my emotional cup was full to the brim.  I will forever be grateful for this church who invested in me.

For all you teachers out there today who may feel discouraged and think it is not worth your time.. "take heart" - you will be thanked some day too.  The thankfulness I feel motivates me to want to invest in the next generation.  They need us!

Piano Lessons

I grew up taking piano lessons for more years that I can count from Mrs. Aeby.  Every Monday after school, my mom would drive Sarah and I into Waterloo for our weekly lessons. I DID NOT like practicing and DID NOT apply myself, which I really regret now.  I love piano music and could listen to it for hours.

I'm a firm believer that all children should take some kind of music lessons.  It teaches them a lot that they will use throughout life.  So each of our girls took lessons in piano, guitar, or flute.  They did not practice so much either.  Today I have great admiration for musicians, because it means that they DID practice and were disciplined  to get to the level they are at today.

Last week, I was cleaning out a cupboard and came across all those old piano books.  They brought back a flood of memories.  Since we were not using our piano very much, several years back, I passed it on to our church.  Yesterday, I went over to the church to play through these old books.  It was such a deja vu to hear those songs again and I could almost see my sister playing some of her recital pieces. Those were the ones with the most memories because  we played them over and over for months, in preparation for the judges.

Before I knew it, while playing yesterday, an hour had passed.  Sure wish my practice time would have passed that quickly as a kid.  It was funny to feel that same tight muscle in my neck that comes from playing a long time.

Now that I had my little "good-bye" moments with my old piano books, I am ready to pass them on. Do any piano teachers  or students  in Chiang Mai need some piano books from the USA?  And for all you music students dealing with the discipline of practicing...my advice is "stick with it".  If not, you may regret it some day!

Gina and Sheila

Last week, we had some visitors in town that were an absolute delight to be around.  They had come to Thailand on holiday, but wanted to use some of their time to volunteer wherever needed.  Our first choice was for them to help at the Ranong Kids Home, but the distance of travel and their limited time here just did not allow that.

Instead I set it up for them to meet our staff women and share with them.  

Two of our Thai staff shared their testimony with Gina and Sheila (in English.... which was a big deal to them) and did a great job.

Then Gina and Sheila shared some encouragement from their lives too.

They also brought some gifts for the staff girls from the USA, which were a treat.

One afternoon, while I was driving around showing them our city, we decided to stop at a temple up on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai.

No matter how many times I've visited temples, I am still sobered and sense a darkness and emptiness as I see people bowing down to idols and offering them incense and flowers in a hope to make enough merit for a better life. It is a good reminder of why we are here.

Gina and Sheila's last day here happen to be Easter and Marisa's birthday, so they joined our family for a special holiday meal at a hotel.  I never got a picture of our whole group on Easter day, but got this one of the Foltz family.

Thank you Sheila and Gina for coming to visit us and the joy you brought with you!  Come back again, anytime!

A Lizard Staredown

I walked outside tonight and found these two lizards frozen in place right out our front door, having a stare down with each other.  They were so still, I went back in and got my camera.

No matter how much I moved around them, they just kept motionless staring at each other. 

I was surprised how close they let me get to them.  Well this was a telephoto lens, but I was still pretty close.  It was a true stare down- first with the two of them and then with me too. I got tired of staring and went back in- so I guess he won!