The Derington Family
The Derington family together with an elephant

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed”

Psalm 82:3
by Traci Derington

Current Outreach

Last school year, the parenting class for moms was quite fruitful, and Traci continues to meetwith some of the women for discipleship. Several expressed interest in having their husbands participate, so this semester, we’ve opened the group to both moms and dads. Nick and I(Traci) are leading the main group time and the English-language breakout, while our friendsNathan and Nueng facilitate the Thai breakout. We’re grateful for the diverse backgrounds inthe group—Thai, Western, Indian, Korean, and Chinese—and pray the relationships built overthese ten weeks are as fruitful as last year.

Meeting with this international parenting group has been a highlight each week. They all bring many different insights to the discussion time, and it’s been great to learn from one another.

Currently, Traci has the opportunity to work with a local ministry (Gateway Movement) that helps “at-risk” Thais through practical care and workforce training, including transition houses, social care, English classes, vocational programs, etc. Right now, they are working with a small group of vulnerable women for a six-week training program that will culminate in helping the ladies secure jobs. Through this initiative, the ministry and trainers are able to share the love of Jesus throughout the course as well as extend follow-up care, including ongoing discipleship and vocational guidance. To learn more, see: https://www.thegatewaymovement.com

Traci has enjoyed beginning to get to know the women from the Gateway program. Pray for what it looks like for her to be involved more on an ongoing basis, as this program currently takes place in the city, about 45 minutes from our house.

International Staff Conference

We just wrapped up our bi-annual Cru Thailand International Staff Conference in Chiang Mai, where Cru staff from across the country gathered. Originally scheduled for fall 2024, you may recall, it was postponed due to widespread flooding in Chiang Mai. In alternate years, we have a national conference for Thai staff, but this one focuses on those of us who also call other countries home. The conference offers a chance to connect with other staff, share ministry updates, and deepen our understanding of various topics, including spiritual, cultural, and life skills. During the event, Traci spoke on a panel about her work in evangelism and discipleship, particularly connecting with Thai parents.

It’s always a joy to hear how the Lord is using various ministries to reach the people of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Please pray against the bonds of Buddhism!

While the conference was great, several distractions impacted our ability to be fully present. It fell during the school week, so the Chiang Mai kids were bused to GIS (45 minutes away) while parents stayed for sessions. Throughout the week, we had two sick kids staying behind each day, requiring us to check on them regularly. On Wednesday, Nick also began feeling unwell and was resting with the kids when he received a call from GIS about a bomb threat—a first for the school. Emergency protocol was implemented, and while evacuating the school, Nick sent an email to alert parents of the unfolding situation. Thankfully, it was a hoax, but it took hours for local police, the Thai bomb squad, and the US consulate to clear the school to resume classes the following day. We are so grateful for the Lord’s protection in all of that!

Prayer Requests

  1. 1. Vulnerable Women

    Pray for the women involved in the Gateway program. Some come from very difficult backgrounds and may be experiencing the love of Jesus for the first time.

  2. 2. KC

    Our friend KC has been wrestling with how God can answer specific prayers with a “no” or “not yet.” Pray that KC’s heart will continue to yearn for the things the Lord wants for her, which may be different than what she personally desires right now. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

  3. 3. Family

    With lots of various activities for our family members, pray we are able to remain united and work well as a team.

Throughout the week we pray for our ministry partners as a family. We would love to know how we can be praying for you specifically. Click the button below to send us your prayer requests.

Send Your Prayer Requests

Additional Highlights

Over Christmas break, we went on a camping trip with several other families connected to GIS. Despite cooler temperatures, one of the main highlights for our kids was playing in the creek.
It was so fun to see some of our friends from the US here in “our” country as they visited their ministry partners throughout SE Asia. The “C” family was part of our home church (GFC) in Northern Kentucky before moving to Pennsylvania to serve as the director of a sending ministry.
We are so grateful for our kids’ rich friendships through living here. Wren still gets loads of attention when we are out because of her light skin, hair, and eyes, but she cheerfully embraces it.

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