Intersecting Lives

Firstly, thank you. Truly. We are so grateful for each of you who prays for us and gives financially to make this ministry possible. Your partnership means more than we can put into words. This season has been incredibly full, and while that’s a gift in many ways, it has definitely kept us busy. One sweet part of this season has been the overlap between Nick’s three Thai staff—Tom, Belle, and Manna—and our life outside of “the office.” What started as working relationships has grown into genuine friendships and shared life.

You may recall from a previous newsletter that Tom has been pivotal in helping the translation of The Bible Project into Thai. He has graciously helped us with translation projects for the café, too. On top of that, one of our biggest highlights over the last several months has been through Tom’s wife, Nikki, and her home-bakery business. Traci has spent time curating and testing recipes that fit a Western palate (the café’s primary demographic), and then passes those recipes along to Nikki for ongoing [exclusive] production for the café. It has been a major blessing for their family financially to have the steady business, and it has also been a huge win for the community to have access to Western-style baked goods. The partnership has been such a success that Nikki is now looking to hire her own help to keep up with the café demand. Watching the Lord grow this opportunity for their family has been incredibly encouraging.

In April, our team will head to Japan for a much-needed soul care retreat. Belle has volunteered to come along and lead childcare for our team during the retreat sessions. This is a huge gift to Belle and us! Belle has already spent significant time in Japan, knows the language, and carries a real burden to see lives changed by the gospel there. This trip gives her a chance to return to a country she loves and reconnect with people she already has relationships with—something she likely wouldn’t be able to swing financially otherwise. And for our team, it means our kids will be cared for by someone they’re already comfortable with while parents are able to fully engage in the retreat.

Manna has offered her skills in design as we create marketing materials for the café. We’re also thankful for Manna’s excitement to care for our two Yorkies this summer while we’re in the U.S. Leaving pets for an extended time can be complicated, so her willingness to step in is a huge help to us. Even more special is that this feels like a direct answer to her own prayers. She had been asking the Lord whether she should get a puppy of her own, and this gives her the perfect opportunity to “test the waters” before making that decision. We love seeing how God connects needs and prayers in tangible ways that bless everyone involved.

As always, thank you for praying. Your faithfulness truly carries us. We’ll be in the U.S.—primarily in northern Kentucky—throughout June and July, and we would love to connect with as many of you as possible. We’re so grateful to be in this together!

Additional Highlights