Abundant Life, Chonburi-alhthailand

Thai school started this week and it's back to early mornings and getting 35 children all in their correct uniforms...PE, Thai outfits, Boy and Girl Scouts, regular and even a Tae Kwon Do day! One thing our kids miss is having grandparents...but God has given us one very special grandma...Lek's mom, and she is on braiding duty every morning. The kids love her, and they soak up all her love and affection. It's beautiful to watch them 'take care of her', and to marvel at how God provides for His children what the enemy tried to steal, He has returned to them.

Then and now. Love.Heal.Equip. Our motto...love comes first, and what a miracle to see how love moves people into new life, a new identity in Christ and a new future. When it APPEARED that their futures had been killed, destroyed and stolen, God comes in with His love and His incarnational, slow and steady and miraculous way of transforming lives and communities. He breaks generational and systemic sin and breathes to life new destiny and hope! Only He can do this.

Grandma or 'Yay', teaching our girls how to make the sauce for the dessert voted the NUMBER ONE dessert in the WORLD....mangos and sticky rice! It's summer, it's mango season and it's HOT! Thai New Years and our 4 day country-wide water fight is coming and at the end of the day we all want to sit on the cool tile floors and eat mangos and sticky rice. A little piece of heaven right here. 'sFavoriteDessert

He is Risen! Hallelujah! Happy Easter! Jesus is alive, He rose from the dead and is moving in Thailand! He is changing lives and bringing hope to in the darkness!

Today! 20 years ago today we welcomed our first five boys and ALH was started! P Ganiga made fried chicken to welcome them, with some sticky rice and Som Tum! We fell in love with Mac, Bern, Golf, Joon and Daow, and then 2 months later we welcomed baby Supakeed and Apilak. Tiny babies entrusted to ALH. We sensed we were entering the sacred ground of orphan care, advocacy and learning that work is holy. We learned to hear God during the dark night of the soul when our kids were sick and in hospital, as well as in the beat of our B Boy practices. We planted a church and God invited us to bring our church out of our small storefront and into alley ways, fishing boats and gambling dens. This one thing I know for sure, that when you enter into caring for orphans, the burden is heavy and the tears are many. The lows are too low. But the miracles and blessings and joy are also incomparable. The highs give you a glimpse of heaven on earth and what the Father’s heart looks like in living color. Both are still true. Even this week we experienced some emergencies and trauma. But 20 years in, we know Jesus loves orphans in a special way. And He will protect and provide all we need every single day. ‘Thank you Jesus for Your heart for the orphan, widow and alien. Thank you Jesus for Your protection and provision helping us love, heal and equip our children. Thank You for establishing the big family that is ALH. Thank You Jesus for every person who has ever given to ALH. Bless them today. Bless every child of ALH. In Your beautiful name, Amen.’

Another milestone for 4 of our sweet kids! So proud of them and all they have overcome. We are so thankful for the teachers and schools that teach and nurture and celebrate our children! Well done guys! Keep being lights in the world!