For the past two weeks I have been in Thailand visiting three different ministries. The Globalscope campus ministry house at Thammasat University in Bangkok was flooded for weeks. Indeed the whole university was under four to five feet of water. By the time I arrived the campus house was fully cleaned up and ready for students. Michael Ruth, Beth, and Grace put in lots of hours of scrubbing, painting, and washing. I was privileged to be able to be there for the first gathering of students since the flood. What a great job this team is doing!
My next visit was the the Klong Toey slum where we partner with Urban Neighbors of Hope, led by Ash and Anji Barker. We were there to help envision and establish an International Society for Urban Missions. Fellow travelers were Stephen Burris (CMF research missiologist), Kendi Howells Douglas (professor from Great Lakes Christian College), and Gary Weedman (President of Johnson University). All tolled, twenty-seven people participated in this gathering. We look forward to helping promote the need for ministry to the urban poor throughout the world, which includes the launching of a new journal.
In Chiang Mai I was able to spend time with Jeff and Pilar. Pilar teaches at the international school, and Jeff is involved in a CHE ministry that links orphans/poor children and their home communities. He is working to help these homes become self sustaining, and already two churches have been established in this ministry. Jeff and Pilar partner with others in such endeavors as rice planting, pig farming, and aquaculture. Jeff and Pilar are anxiously awaiting the arrival of two more families to this ministry.
Did I get some birding in on this trip? You’ll have to wait to find out the answer to that!
Thanks Doug for the opportunity to serve. I consider my affiliation with CMF one of the great joys and honors of my life. There is so much to do. But we have made a start. Stephen