We have finally transitioned into our new home and have wi-fi…woo hoo! It only took about a month.
Alot of my time has been spent making this new house a home for my wife and boys and I feel like I have accomplished that goal… (three pats on the back for me) I can honestly say that even though our new place is not like our former home, there is much more peace here. After four moves in seven months, I am glad to just finally be done with all of the lifting, painting, purchasing, cleaning, and organizing.
I am taking it all in stride though. Everything in this first year has been a lesson for me. I can see the hand of God in all things these past few months, even in what seems to be like delays and distractions. I am really learning alot about myself, trust, patience, perserverance, faith, and all of those other life lessons we might love to skip out on if possible.
What always keeps me pressing forward, besides the grace of God and my awesome family and friends, is the cool things that are happening in the lives of Thai people around us. Here are a few recent things:
-New believers are being baptized,
-People are hearing the Gospel for the very first time…ever,
-University students from other nations are being saved,
-Prisoners are experiencing the freedom of Jesus,
-Doors of opportunity are opening in new villages,
-Wisdom for new outreaches is being received,
-Thai People are testifying of God doing miracles for them, and
-Underground believers in a restricted nation are being encouraged in practical ways.
So for these reasons and more, we continue to press on for the hope what is yet to come for this place.
What is it that has motivated you and driven you through the difficult times of transition in your own life? I would love to hear…
During one of our stops, we were clandestinely brought into a home where a group of believers meets. There we met with a group who had been faithfully meeting for some time. Their desire was to eventually be recognized by the government as an official church, so they made an application. They had not heard anything as of yet, but they told us that they had been working hard to demonstrate that they were a group that could be trusted in their community. Our Lao contact felt that while this was certainly to be respected, he encouraged them to stand firm in their faith no matter what the outcome. They were already a “church” that had been accepted and received by Jesus Christ. They were accepted and authorized by Him!
As we spoke with them, we could not help but overhear a loud wailing coming from outside. The members seemed to try and ignore it, but it was nearly impossible. As our friends talked in Lao and Thai, we were getting a little lost in translation. Eventually we were able to hear the story of what was going on. read more…

Remember Us.
*Update: This recently released news story from Compass Direct matches with the first hand story I just shared about persecution, threats, denial of medical care, schooling for children, etc: Click Here to Learn More.
“One brother asked for us to come. This brother NEEDS us to come.” This is what our Lao contact said to us as we headed to our new destination to encourage a family that was facing real life persecution for being Christian.
The villagers had already shut off access to water and kept their son from attending school as a way to force them out of the village. The boy was now very sick and needed to see a doctor, but the village doctor refused to see him and the drug store owner refused to sell the parents medicine. As the parents searched desperately for a solution, they contacted their brother in Christ to come and help them.
This would be one of many real life dramas we would encounter on our journey throughout the countryside of Laos. read more…
Once we decided to go to Laos, it seemed like everything tried to work against us to keep us from going. My friend Freddy got a high fever and a very bad stomach flu the day before we were supposed to leave. My landlady had also just told us that we would have to move within ten days which was only a couple of days after I was set to return from the trip. It seemed that hell was breaking loose on us at once. We came to the conclusion that this resistance was even more proof that we were doing the right thing in taking this trip.
The night before we our meet up, we prayed for Freddy’s healing. He got up the next day and headed up to meet us in Udon Thani. As he soldiered forward, he progressively got better. Before leaving, I had talked with my wife about our situation and we both felt we would deal with the situation when I returned. In some way, I knew that everything would work itself out. And eventually it did. After I returned, my landlady gave us another month and a half in the house before we needed to move which was just enough time to get into our next home.

Getting Ready to Cross the Border
Freddy came to Thailand from Cambodia with the intention of going into Laos. When he mentioned the trip to me, I felt strongly that I wanted to go, so I began to make plans. Freddy found our Thai contact through a friend of a friend from Cambodia. This Pastor then connected us with our contact in Laos. Freddy also invited an older Thai man who spoke good English to come with us as our interpreter. One brother who was thinking of coming with us backed out at the last moment and it turned out to be a good thing. We would not have had a seat for him in the truck we traveled in. We later saw that if another one of us would have backed out of the trip, it would not have been possible for the rest of us to go. Everything had to line up so that this trip could be accomplished.
Once we arrived at the border, our interpreter was only able to get a three day visa because his passport was within six months of expiring. Another hurdle for us to overcome that cut our trip by a few days from our original plans. After we met our contact in Laos, our plans changed on the spot. We were going in the exact opposite direction that we talked about going. Not only that, but our ministry plans had changed and both Freddy and I were beginning to feel that we might have to separate and go our own way. read more…
I was my pleasure to participate in a recent group blogging project put on by www.bibledude.net where we were able to each review a chapter of Pastor Dino Rizzo’s new book Servolution. This book has really got me thinking about what a revolution of serving looks like here in Thailand. Here is my review of Chapter 8 of the book. Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself and let’s see a Servolution take place together!
Chapter 8 of “Servolution”
“Unlocking the Need- There’s a Great Treasure Inside”
I am honored to be able to review this chapter of Pastor Dino Rizzo’s new book “Servolution.” Being a native of South Louisiana myself, I know first hand the reputation of Healing Place Church as a church that doesn’t just talk about serving, but actually does it. read more…
I recently returned from a trip to the country of Laos where I was able to see and learn so much. I want to invite you to come with me into this modern day story of those who are paying a high price for their faith in the Lord Jesus.


I am finding that in missionary life there is always a mountain to climb, especially as you move through seasons of transition. Each day has new challenges, some of which are harder than others. Each day has its own joys and frustrations that are heightened by the amount of culture transition you may or may not be experiencing at the moment. In addition to normal cultural transitions there are things that I call “pluses.” These factors add to cultural stress and cause it to be intensified. I will touch on a few that I have noticed recently in my own life recently. 

Monk Scandals
In the age of the internet and video, what was once confined to a local village issue is not being broadcast throughout the country and even the world. Most Thai’s are deeply embarrassed by these stories, but they are also beginning to question the motives of the ones who are looked at by many as the examples of morality and spirituality in the kingdom.
The two most recent stories coming out may have rocked the faith of many even further given the grievous nature of the incidents.
Other stories of monks caught on video by police doing drugs and heavily drinking alcohol have been recently reported. Many of these role models can be seen walking down the street enjoying a cigarette even as they are fasting all food after noontime.
I wonder what the effect of these ongoing revelations of the behavior of these “holy men”, who are revered and supported by most Thais, will do to the state of faith in the country?
I acknowledge that each faith has its own villains that could be pointed to as aberrations and not the norm, but as these stories continue to abound in the Thai media they are giving many concerned Thai Buddhists something to consider.
Sources: read more…
from → Social Commentary, Thailand Country and Culture