Songkran and Hosting Dinner

Thank you so much for your continued investment—both financially and through your faithful prayers—in the work God is doing here. Your support is not only deeply encouraging to us personally but also instrumental in creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and relationships that point others to Christ.

Last month, we wrapped up our parenting group, and Thailand celebrated Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is marked by several days of water festivities and time spent with family and “making merit” at temples. In the spirit of the season, I (Traci) had a thought-provoking conversation with my Thai teacher, Champ, about the concepts of merit and sin in Buddhism, which naturally led to a discussion about heaven and hell. It was a moment without judgment, filled with my curiosity and his openness, and I’m grateful for the space to speak into these topics from a different perspective than he is used to. My hope was that through my curiosity, he would pause to consider the plausibility and reliability of what he was telling me.

To continue building those relationships, we recently had the joy of hosting both of my Thai teachers, Mild and Champ, along with Champ’s friend, Poh, for a Sabbath dinner. My parents and our good friends, the Ritters, were also able to join us for the evening. We began by sharing a simple liturgy that reflects the rest and hope we find in Christ and gives a brief biblical account from Creation to Jesus’ return. Then, we enjoyed tacos (a first for all three) and fresh-baked desserts together—most Thais do not have an oven, so this is often a real treat for them—and ended the night with lots of laughter as we taught everyone a new card game. It was a sweet time of fellowship, hospitality, and cross-cultural connection. Please join us in praying that seeds of truth were planted in the hearts of Mild, Champ, and Poh. Ask the Lord to continue opening their hearts to the gospel and to give us more opportunities to walk alongside them with love, patience, and grace. Your prayers truly make a difference—thank you for standing with us in this work.

The Summer Split

This summer, Nick, Elam, and Grey will be returning to the U.S. for five weeks so that the boys can attend camp through our home church, Grace Fellowship Church. This is a huge blessing and an intentional step to help them continue building relationships and a strong foundation in the States as they look toward eventually transitioning back for college. At the same time, it also means that Traci and the girls will remain in Thailand, and our family will be split in two for that period. While we would have loved for all of us to make the trip, our budget didn’t allow for the entire family to travel this year. We’re trusting the Lord to sustain us during this time apart and are so thankful for the opportunity the boys have to reconnect and grow in community back home.

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