Back from B~rm*

Self-portrait from Tuk Tuk Mirror in Bangkok

Due to the sensitive nature of this post, please do not re-post or publish this information elsewhere in print or online without permission from the authors.

The production for our evangelistic film for the Sh*n people of Burm* has been going exceedingly well; however, to complete this project there was a need for authentic footage from the Sh*n St*te. Peter and I were selected to go. Our mission was to slip into My*nm*r under the radar of the oppressive, military dictatorship. The first hurdle was to secure a coveted visa to enter the country. Because this land is considered a closed country, we had to be extremely careful in how we completed our paperwork—even humanitarian NGO workers have a hard time entering these days despite their beneficial contributions after the tsunami. We attempted to secure the visas from Chiang Mai and were informed we would have to appear at the embassy in Bangkok to have our paperwork processed instead. Flexibility in planning is key in this line of work.

Yngn from Air

We arrived in Bangkok about five days before our expected departure date and prayed that the process of securing the visa would be both timely and successful. In the meantime, we were able to explore downtown Bangkok's shopping and tourist districts during our free time. We discovered that bustling Bangkok is quite a contrast from the underdeveloped city we were heading to. Praise God, our visas were finally issued on late Friday afternoon and we departed for Y*ng0n on Saturday as scheduled.

Yngn Cityscape Shot from Tr*der's Hotel

We went to work right away capturing cityscapes and urban life in this country's largest city. Having passed through immigration at the airport we were essentially free to roam about the country—except the prohibited parts of course—and we soon learned that you can't get far without crossing through an armed checkpoint.

Shwe D*gon in Yngn from Fence

Sunday we watched as faithful Buddhists made their weekly visit to Shwe D*gon, the most famous of all My*nm*r pagodas. From the top of the famous Tr*ders Hotel where foreign correspondents often hide out to cover the local uprisings, we got some great scenes of this creaky old city. Paradoxically, we attended an underground church that meets at the top of a tall building (with no elevator!). And in a sure sign that God is great, we also feasted on amazingly awesome Mexican food downtown in this bustling Asian city. Who would have guessed?

Beggar Girl from M*nd*l*y

On Monday we went to a local Sh*n monastery to celebrate the Sh*n new year where local talent sing and dance and local dignitaries are honored. Early Tuesday morning at 6 am we were heading to the airport to fly up to M*nd*l*y in the center of the country. Once there we had a grueling 6 hour drive into Northern Sh*n St*te over treacherous road conditions with hairpin turns and unguarded drops into deep valleys. A quick stop to capture the glorious sunset was time well spent.

Shooting the Sunset in Sh*n St*te

Regrettably Tuesday night into Wednesday morning found me hovering near the toilet with the worst case of traveler's diarrhea I've ever had. Too much information? Perhaps, but being sick is a common hazard to be endured when you visit new places. It's suffering well worth it when the project is done.

Thanks be to God, by Wednesday afternoon I felt well enough to bike around the local town to shoot more needed footage in this beautiful plateau.

Sh*n St*te Vista

Thursday was a gift. I felt much better. The temperature was cool. The sky was overcast and just great for shooting video. We attacked our shot list by biking around the surrounding area from dawn until after dusk to get great local color and details for the video.

Friday found us driving back to M*nd*l*y and flying back to Y*ng0n in time to shoot some interviews late into the evening. Saturday we shoot more local scenes in the morning before taking two flights back to Chiang Mai! It was an exhausting yet exhilarating experience.

Protecting the camera from rain during a key shot

My understanding of this place based on my observation mixed with hearsay: not very forward thinking. The government seems bent on putting money in their pockets at the expense of the people. You can't get very far without hearing stories in hushed tones from victims of some government atrocity. The infrastructure seems to be about 50 years old and so are most of the vehicles and buildings. Beautiful new buildings have been built and then sit rotting on the side of urban roads unoccupied and forgotten. Busy street vendors hassle you to “change your money” because they are eager to secure some good old US dollars. Nothing gets accomplished without bribes and kick-backs and most businesses don't bother coming here because it's just too frustrating navigating the bureaucracy. Even Coca Cola doesn't bother, which says a lot. The food here pales in comparison to the great meals available in Thailand on every street corner. One local pastor told me how excited he was that he could get a cellphone for $1700, even though the local service is woefully inadequate and over regulated by the government. Power outages are frequent, often leaving people trapped in elevators or waiting for their luggage to scoot by on automated conveyor belts. We know about that last one firsthand.

Yngn Airport Mural

An example of the backward governmental mentality is this story we heard there. Because this land was once a former British colony it was completely constructed for driving-on-the-left. However, after consulting an astrologist one government official was encouraged to change that driving pattern and have everyone now drive on the right (like North Americans). This was done without any real reasons to back it up except some horoscope. Unfortunately, none of the roads were ever changed to match this new way of driving and the result makes for some awkward intersections. This is further proof that people can be really transformed by adjusting their worldviews.

Grandma

Nevertheless, this country is also home to a diverse group of people who try to live their lives despite governmental interference. Most have not heard of Jesus and consider Christianity a religion only for foreigners. People have gone to great lengths since the days of Adonirim Judson to bring the good news to this great land, but without neighboring Christians living out their faith and demonstrating the love of God the distance to go is yet to be reached. Please pray especially for the six million or more Sh*n people who live desperate lives without hope. They are ravaged by wars and drug and alcohol abuse. Their lives of quiet subsistence are frustrated by a regime that demands the best of everything they produce. Generations of people are losing their language and culture in an attempt to homogenize the people. The result is an internally displaced people group on the verge of losing their cultural identity.

Child with B~rmese beauty make-up that doubles as sunscreen

We felt humbled to have the opportunity to be in this land and meet these people. We overcame many obstacles to be here and saw evidence of how much God abundantly blessed our experience. Thank you for your prayers that provided us great peace and provision during our journey. We are most grateful to you for standing by us in prayer during this time and we are happy to report that our mission was accomplished thanks to your faithfulness.

I will remain in Chiang Mai for a few more weeks to continue work with the team on post production of the mobilization video for the Sh*n people. It's going to be great and I'm eager to share it with you next year when it's completed.

Monk in Yngn

In other news, I'm eager to see my family after such a long absence and gratefully will be returning home just in time to celebrate Christmas. We'll be sharing more about our future plans in 2010 and I look forward to seeing you all again face-to-face soon. Thanks again for all your support of our work. We are most grateful for all you've done for us these past two years!

Back Across the Border

West of the border from my present location is a land that is as backward thinking as it is beautiful. I have just returned from that beguiling place and I'm grateful for your prayers which sustained me and my colleagues while we were away. Our mission was accomplished. We came and went from the country without hassle or hindrance and secured the video footage we required. Over the next week or so I plan to release a fuller newsletter providing some details of the trip. If time permits I will also release a multi-part photo journey like the popular one we provided after our time in PNG.

Apologies to everyone who received old versions of our “Boomerang,” while I was away. In an attempt to fly under the radar to secure the needed visas to enter the land, we attempted to decrease our internet footprint by unpublishing a few recent posts that mentioned the land and its people. Consequently, the automatic service released old posts as if they were new ones. When we republished them, the service then sent them out again! This should not happen again and does not require any action on your part. Thanks for your patience. This is a guaranteed new post at this time and there are more to come.

Short Update

Hello everyone,

Just a note to let you know that Steve is waiting for his visa today to go into a closed and unfriendly country tomorrow for a week. Please pray for him! We have unpublished our posts that mention the country specifically because the government may check on Steve online. Please be discreet in any messages you post. We'll let you know when he's back!

On the home front, things are good. Samuel leaves today for a Model UN conference at Brown University. He is representing China in talks on nuclear arms. Last time he won an award.... I'm so glad his skills in debating have found a constructive outlet! The girls and I are planning a quiet weekend. It should be nice.

Thank you all for you prayers for us. We greatly appreciate them! We love you all.

Allyson for Steve and the family

Volume 12 - Film Production Completed

To protect the identities of workers in sensitive areas and the integrity of their work, we will be adopting a new coded method of communicating in our newsletters. Vowels will be substituted with symbols so we can avoid showing up inappropriately in internet searches. If you are having trouble figuring out the code, just contact us directly and we'll help out. The reason for this will be more apparent later on in this newsletter.

This past year continues to be the most professionally and personally fulfilling of my life. God has repeatedly confirmed to me that my calling involves standing with a camera in cross-cultural experiences. Directing scenes cross-culturally was definitely a humbling experience for me, yet also incredibly exhilarating. I never doubted that I would find the experience professionally and spiritually satisfying, nevertheless, working very closely with a Create team for the last few weeks has been a powerful confirmation of my calling and a dream realized. Praise be to God.

We have recently returned to Chi*ng M*i where we will be very busy editing the two films for quite some time. The first is an evangelistic drama specifically designed for the Sh*n people of Burm* and the second is a mobilization documentary introducing these people to folks back home and raising up prayer and support for them. While up north on the border, we worked closely with a few ministries focused on demonstrating the love of God to these people through practical ministry like children's schools, orphanages and biblical instruction.

The goal has been to create the tools that Christian workers among the Sh*n have requested for their ongoing evangelistic efforts. Working with a dedicated team of Create students and staff we partnered with the ministries to produce both films.

During the first week we worked diligently on finishing and translating the script into the Sh*n language and culture. We scouted locations, cast actors and shot footage for the documentary. The second week we hit the ground running with long days and nights shooting footage for the drama in a multitude of picturesque locations. The story centers around two brothers who are separated while young when the elder brother leaves to seek revenge for their father's untimely death. Years later the younger brother travels from Th*il*nd to Burm* to determine the fate of his missing brother. Along the way he confronts his fear and discovers the One who saves us from fear and death.

Personally, I was able to participate by directing a few scenes, shooting a lot of footage, editing some scenes, and providing other crew functions as needed to give others a chance to learn and shine. Basically, it was an opportunity to do a lot of things that I love while confidant that the work was eternally purposeful.

As a team we saw God answer all of our prayers abundantly. We were fighting time and translation difficulties to complete the production. We maintained team unity while we worked long, hard hours without conflict. We even saw God protect the integrity of our location when we were surrounded on every side by rain that threatened to cancel our shoot. Plus, we realized a number of Create firsts:

• shooting an entire film in HD

• using a dolly for a zolly in an alley

• and showing a short movie trailer at the cast party!

As we prepared for the cast party, I was asked to whip together a short trailer for the film. We threw a cast party for the actors and they were incredibly enthusiastic about their movie! We ended our time by worshipping God together in a pub with songs and prayers. The believers from this area blew us away with their enthusiasm. This short trailer is available for viewing at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aFIVXa5SWI

Because part of the story takes place in Burm* we need footage of key locations and events that take place on the other side of the border from Th*il*nd. Peter and I have been selected to go to Burm* in mid-November to secure this important footage. Burm* is an oppressive communist country with a record of human rights abuses. We'll need all of your prayer and support to discreetly slip in and out of this country on this important assignment.

You will now also understand why we are being more discreet in our communication so as not to send red flags up anywhere about the nature of our work. We also do not want to comprise our project partners who routinely work inside this closed country.

As we continue to work on editing these films, and providing the last bits of footage we need, will you stand with us in prayer? Can you imagine living in a land where there is no Bible or church or even other Christians who can encourage you? Now add a government that persecutes you relentlessly, political instability, religious bondage, drug and sex trafficking and extreme poverty and you have a picture of what every Sh*n person faces daily. Our deep desire is to see this gateway group of over 6 million people have the same access to the gospel that we enjoy—the good news that we are free in Christ. (Gateway groups are people in a prime position to influence other people groups.)

Pray for:

• our team here in Chi*ng Mai to complete the postproduction on time

• safety in travel as Peter and I cross the border to get more footage for the film

• time and access to complete our shot list while across the border

• needed finances to cover the expenses for this expedition

• the gospel to be presented in a culturally sensitive way so the Sh*n can be free to worship God will remaining true to their cultural identity

• the continued use of broadcasts to reach these people with the gospel

• the Lord to raise up more people from both outside and among their own population to complete His goals for them.

If you would like to acquire a beautiful prayer guide for the Sh*n people, please send an email to sh*npr*yer@ gmail dot com

Meanwhile, back in the United States Allyson is settling into our furlough home in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Here in her own words she describes the transition and the families specific prayer requests.

We are settling into our lovely home in Falmouth generously loaned to us by our dear friends. God has clearly paved the way for us to be here by providing both a home and a car that meet our needs perfectly. How great is our God?! The kids are adjusting to their new schools here in town and are slowly making friends and beginning to feel at home. Abigail has begun studying French, Rachel has joined a creative writing club, and Samuel is playing ultimate frisbee and participating in Model UN. Sam is also looking ahead eagerly to college next year. We have the added bonus of being in the same town as my parents for the first time in almost 22 years. It's been fun.

Overall, our transition has been a smooth one. It was hard to leave Thailand and the energy that came with being on the field, but we are confident that God has directed this move. I know our missions career is only just beginning and it is exciting to be part of a larger plan even while packing lunches and driving our kids to school!

I appreciate your prayers as well and ask that you would pray with me for the following:

• wisdom as I fulfill the role of two parents for a little while longer

• frugality as we stretch our income over two continents

• guidance as I help Samuel navigate the college application process

• God's will as I look for part-time employment and manage the kids as well

• opportunities to serve the unreached world from here.

Thank you! We love you all and are so grateful for your participation in our lives!

Please inform us directly if you would like to contribute specifically to the

• Burm* expedition

• the bring “Steve home for Christmas” fund

• or Allyson and the families needs in Falmouth.

Film Production Starting

The Baldwin girls have gratefully returned safely to Massachusetts after over 36 hours of travel from Northern Thailand to New England. They will need your prayers and encouragement as they carve out a life in Falmouth over the next month, including starting new schools, securing cars, etc.

In the meantime, I remain in Northern Thailand a day away from heading north to a town on the B~rmese border. What is that all about? I'm glad you asked. Create International is entirely focused on reaching people around the world who have no significant Christian population. In missionary-speak, we call these peoples unreached people groups or UPG's. One of the largest UPG's today are the Sh*n people of Burm*. Our goal is two-fold. First we will create an evangelistic film designed to communicate the gospel to Sh*n people using the Sh*n language and culture. If you think that sounds tricky, you'd be right! However, this approach eliminates cultural barriers inherent when westerners attempt to introduce the gospel among Asians in Asia. In effect, this targeted media strategy will, for all intents and purposes, appear to be created in-house by Sh*n people. This breaks down barriers and increases gospel message effectiveness.

A Buddhist monk writes “I believe in
Jesus Christ. When will you come and
call us out from here? Please come as
soon as possible. I and all my villagers
here will follow.”

Secondly, we will be creating a mobilizing video that will introduce the Sh*n to Christians around the world so they can contribute to efforts to reach them through prayer and missions outreach. If this sounds like a major undertaking, you're right again. You'll get a chance to see this video when it's done sometime next year.

Who are the Sh*n? They are considered one of the great peoples of Southeast Asia and they dominate the Northern My*nm*r (AKA Burm*) state that bears their name. The Sh*n people are an Asian people who make their living traditionally as wet-rice cultivators, shopkeepers, and artisans. The name Si*m likely sprang from a mispronunciation of Sh*n. Their total population in Burm* is estimated at over 5 million and represents approximately 10% of B~rmese total population, not including a significant and growing population in Thailand that may be as high as 2 million. As confirmed by local experts, the Sh*n people article on Wikipedia does an excellent job of describing the issues the Sh*n face today.

Here is a compelling account of their current plight:

“The Sh*n have been engaged in an intermittent civil war within Burm* for decades...During conflicts, the Sh*n are often burned out of their villages and forced to flee into Th*iland. There, they are not given refugee status, and often work as undocumented labourers. Whether or not there is an ongoing conflict, the Sh*n are subject to depredations by the B~rmese regime; in particular, young men may be conscripted into the B~rmese Army indefinitely, or enslaved to do road work for a number of months—with no wages and no food. The horrific conditions inside Burm* have led to a massive exodus of young Sh*n males to neighbouring Th*iland, where they typically find low-paid work in construction. However unsatisfactory these conditions may be, all of these refugees are well aware that at least they are being paid for their work, and that every day spent in Th*iland is another day that the B~rmese regime cannot repress or enslave them.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh*n_people

Provided by my colleague Wendy Hudson, the photos in this newsletter are of Sh*n construction workers and their families here in Thailand. Additional Sh*n issues include rampant drug trade because of the opium grown here in the Golden Tri*ngle, and sex trafficking of young Sh*n girls and boys.

Most Sh*n are strict Ther*vada Buddhists, and all Sh*n community life is centered around their religion. “Unlike most Buddhists who believe in karma, the Sh*n believe they are protected from evil by the spiritual power of Buddha idols and spirits.” This indicates a level of animistic tradition present in their worldview. They believe their lives are controlled by spirits and spend a lot of their religious activity trying to appease them. This sort of religious bondage is as pervasive as it is destructive.

Media alone will not be the only tool to introduce an entire people group like the Sh*n to the gospel. Nevertheless, an appropriate tool in the right hands as part of a concerted effort by caring Christians can break through cultural barriers to provide a consistent, clear and compelling account of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The goal of this production, therefore, is to create the tools that Christian workers among the Sh*n have requested for their ongoing evangelistic efforts.

Please join us in prayer for:

• logistical concerns of finding appropriate locations and working in adverse shooting conditions

• favor with the local authorities and decision-makers

• identifying and hiring Sh*n cast members

• breakthroughs in further deciphering Sh*n contextual metaphors

• clarity in translation from English to Thai to Sh*n and back

• unity for our team as we work long hours on a complicated project . . . in the heat!

• safety (whereas we do not anticipate any problems from the My*nm*r government or military at this time, we must admit that the possibility exists)

• for victory against the spiritual warfare we face daily on a project of such strategic significance.

In the end, God's love for the Sh*n will prevail and we look forward to contributing to a significant harvest of Sh*n believers for His glory. Accordingly, we would love to see a church fellowship planted in every major city and town throughout the Sh*n states in Burm* and Th*iland. God never does anything half way and neither should we, so let's go for it together in prayer!

Please remember Allyson, Samuel, Rachel and Abigail in your prayers as well. Specific prayer requests were mentioned in our last newsletter and they remain in effect today. I imagine that Allyson's building a temporary home on the Cape on a reduced income during our furlough is a bit like making bricks without straw. It's a good thing we know a God who historically handles those kind of problems for his people all the time. Contact Allyson directly through her Facebook page or allybaldwin5 at gm*il dot com

Photos by Wendy Hudson

September Prayer Requests

Here is a brief note focused on our upcoming prayer requests. As you know from reading our last newsletter earlier this month, we are about to undergo a major transition. The Lecture Phase of the School of Frontier Media ends officially at 1 pm this coming Friday. At 5 p.m. that evening we all fly to Bangkok and crash for a few hours at a local hotel. Early Saturday morning at 5 a.m. Allyson, Rachel & Abigail will board a plan from Bangkok to Tokyo. They have about a 90 minute layover before flying to Detroit and then on to Boston. After 24 hours of traveling, they will arrive at Logan Airport early Saturday evening. Meanwhile, Steve will return to Chiang Mai to being outreach on the B~rmese border.

Please pray for:

• safety, energy and alertness in international travel

• timely return of luggage

• finances – we have an immediate need for $300 to cover unanticipated expenses including the hotel in Bangkok on Friday night

If you are able to help, it would be best to send these funds directly to our banking account in the States or through Paypal. Contact us for instructions.

In this upcoming transition, please pray for Allyson, Samuel, Rachel and Abigail as they:

• adjust to new circumstances again

• start new schools and seek out new friends

• survive on a reduced income

• acquire an automobile, insurance and other needs

• pay off the loan for the airfare home

• manage without Steve for three months.

Steve will also be very sad to be away from his family for so long and will require special attention in prayer. He will remain in Thailand where he will be participating in an Evangelistic Film project for the Sh*n people of B~rm*. Please pray that the team will:

• remain unified and focused even in challenging circumstances and long hours

• overcome all obstacles to successfully create an effective film appropriate for the Sh*n

• receive all of the remaining funding we need to pay for this time ($1500)

• stay safe and unhindered in travel for both staff and equipment

• continue to have God's heart for these great people.

Rachel and Steve are back from their border run to B~rm* so Steve could refresh his visa and Rachel could add another country to her passport! Thanks for your prayers.

If time permits, we will hopefully be posting some information about the Sh*n and this outreach on our blog soon, so stay tuned for more information.

Thanks, Team! We are confident that God will answer these prayers. We thank him also for those of you who will also serve as an answer to these prayers for provision. We are also grateful to know you are praying for us regularly.

Boomerang Vol. 11: Land of Smiles

Thailand is often called “The Land of Smiles” so here we are to greet you with grateful hearts and big grins on our faces. We pray for you regularly and are always keenly aware that our ability to be here is because of your love and kindness. We are very pleased to report that our School of Frontier Media (SFM) tuition was just paid in full. Thank you for providing the means we required to pay for this part of the program.

Our days in the SFM lecture phase are winding down rapidly, so we are checking in with you before our next transition. This training program has been an exciting, rewarding experience that has given us great skills and confidence for our work. We moved from being at a huge base in Perth with over 300 people, to interacting with a small team of a few staff persons, five classmates, and their families. Quite a change!

We have really loved getting to know the nuts and bolts of Create International through the class and interaction with the international directors and other staff members. We have received instruction on all the major relevant topics:
• Cross Cultural Communication and Research
• Developing Media Strategy
• Photography & Videography
• Arts and Evangelism
• Documentary Production & Directing
• Evangelism to Buddhists
• Scriptwriting
• ... and the list goes on.

Steve was very proud of Allyson directing her first film; Allyson was impressed with how adept Steve was with the Illustrator program; Abby got to join us in class for Photoshop week and Rachel is taking guitar lessons and writing songs! Though it's been a while, we've even both written a research paper. We've also mastered a few Thai phrases—mostly at meal times. Thai food has spoiled us forever. It just doesn't get any better than a giant bowl of Khao Soi or Moo Pad Nahmen Hoi or (Insert your favorite Thai dish here _____). . . we love them all even when the spices make our tongues numb. Pad Thai featured below.

Most YWAM schools have a practical, outreach phase, so our team is now preparing to head up to northern Thailand on the Burmese border to work on an evangelistic project for the Shan people. The Shan are an unreached group of over 6 million Buddhists who have no viable church, virtually no Christian population (less than 1%) and live under the ruthless oppression of the communist Myanmar government. With the hope that the good news of Jesus Christ can bring them freedom, we seek to clearly communicate a powerful message of salvation to the Shan. After extensive research this semester, we are currently refining the script for an evangelistic film we are making in their language and cultural style. Our team will also be making a mobilization film to motivate Christians around the world to engage the Shan people for the gospel.


Our outreach team will travel north in late September to shoot the video and return to Chiang Mai in late October to edit the video until mid December. Please pray that the team will:
• remain unified and focused even in difficult circumstances and long hours
• overcome all obstacles to successfully create an effective film appropriate for the Shan
• receive all of the remaining funding we need to pay for this time of outreach ($2500)
• stay safe and unhindered in travel for both staff and equipment
• continue to have God's heart for these great people and insight on how to best communicate His story to them.

Our Lord used a friend back home on the North Shore to provide the HD camera that Steve and the team will be using to shoot Create Thailand's first HD film!

As this outreach phase begins Allyson and the girls will return home to Massachusetts at the end of September. As you know from our previous newsletters, Samuel has been living with his grandparents in Falmouth, MA. He just started his senior year of high school and joined the Math Team and Model UN clubs. Rachel and Abigail will also be enrolled in the local school there when they return. We are so grateful and blessed for the provision of a furnished home we can afford—another great answer to prayer. After the completion of the training outreach phase, Steve will return to the states just in time to celebrate Christmas with his family!

We will take our first furlough earlier than expected and for a longer time than anticipated to accommodate Sam's education and transition to college. This timetable is a bit different than we had originally thought it would be, but we've learned you really need to be flexible. In 2010 we will be actively engaged in full-time deputation to raise the funds we need for long-term service with Create International.

Lord willing, we also intend to serve Create International in the US by mobilizing, teaching and representing the ministry at conferences and key events around the country. The practical details of this plan are being worked out in partnership with the Create International directors. We know that the Lord has us right where he wants us and we are looking forward with anticipation to how this year will work out. It is our intention to then return to the field once Samuel is safely ensconced in college, and we are waiting on the Lord for a specific timetable. We currently have an open invitation to return to Thailand anytime in 2010 and serve with the team at the Create International base here in Chiang Mai.
In this upcoming transition, please pray for Allyson, Samuel, Rachel and Abigail as they:
• adjust to new circumstances again
• start new schools and seek out new friends
• survive on a reduced income
• acquire an automobile and other needs
• pay off the loan for the airfare home ($3000)
• manage without Steve for three months.

Steve will also be very sad to be away from his family for so long and will require special attention in prayer.

Best of all, we hope to see all of you in 2010. We look forward to sharing with you about our adventures and, even better, the great things God is doing around the world today. Until then, keep those prayers coming.

You may send gifts and donations for our support to Ripe for Harvest and please designate Account #247 in the memo line but please do not include our name on the check. Send it to:
Ripe for Harvest 2824
N. Power Rd #113282
Mesa AZ 85215-1674

http://www.ripeforharvest.org/donations.htm
Ripe for Harvest is able to issue a tax deductible receipt in the USA, whereas YWAM Thailand is not.