April has arrived again.  It is hot. Over 100 degrees every day with no end in sight.  This Seattle girl begins to feel like a fish out of water this time of year, 5 months of dry season and building heat and humidity, but no rain.  I’m thankful for air conditioning, sweet mangoes and running water! I have acclimated, though, as I used to turn on the air when it reached 94 degrees, but now I can make it to 100 before I succumb. This is the time of year when we think we are crazy to be here instead of in cool, gray Seattle.  We are looking forward to our summer visit and hope for one of those gray, cool summers everyone hates.  Sorry.

            On our visits home, the question we get most often is, “How much longer will you be staying in Chiang Rai?”  And the answer is always, “We don’t know, but we’re going back next year!”  This year, the answer is a little less foggy.  After much prayer, thought and discussion, it has become clear to us that we will be staying at CRICS for quite a while longer. I can give you logical reasons for this:  the school is growing rapidly and needs stability in its leadership; Cindy has been offered a job as curriculum coordinator, which is one that has deep interest for her; Lindsey will probably be posted with SIL nearby (Yippee! If you’re interested in her newsletter, just let us know); Dan is looking forward to new challenges leading Boy Scouts and teaching Calculus; the list could go on.  All of these reasons are true, but in reality, there is only one reason that matters.  God has made it clear to us that His desire is for us to stay longer.  And obeying Him makes us, even in this heat, feel like:

  

So what does this mean for us, logistically?  We have the world’s best renters for our condo (Dan’s brother Darrel and his wife, Debbie), so that is taken care of.  After being told we would have to move from our little duplex here, our landlords changed their minds, which was a relief after looking at other houses that cost twice as much for little more, so we are working on making it homey.  Mostly, however, it means that we will continue to need your partnership in this ministry longer than we ever anticipated.  Your support in prayer, in friendship and in finances.  We would love to share the story of the work that is happening in northern Thailand with your church, your friends or your family.  We promise just to share the story, to let people know that millions of people here in Thailand are living in bondage, praying to false idols, and not knowing the King of the Universe who came to save them.  Can you imagine teaching your grandchild to pray to a gold painted cement statue? Wouldn’t you want better for them?

We will be home from June 9 (Lindsey graduates from college June 11, a whole year early) until July 19, right after Cindy’s dad’s 80^th birthday.  If there is a time in there when we could meet with you, or with your faith community, please contact us, we would love to see you and share what God is doing at CRICS, and in northern Thailand.  Perhaps there is another missionary out there, who just needs to be invited.

If you are interested in supporting us financially, please check out:                       https://tnt.teachbeyond.org/USA/give/projectinfo.aspx?desig=40170 a new giving page that takes you directly to us,or  https://give.teachbeyond.org/ 

If you’re interested in giving to the school building project, go to:                                      http://crics.asia/give/development/  

Thanks for all the ways you show your love for us and the people of Thailand.