The nine students I am working with all have disablitities (Mild/Mentally Disabled, Autism, and Downs Syndrome). Their teacher, Anne Lee, is a Christian who raised her own daughter who was disabled and feels this is her ministry.
In addition to teaching the students songs and reading stories, I am working on creating a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for one of the boys who has Autism. He is 12 years old and has no way of communicating. I will be spending the next couple of weeks working with him, his teacher, and mother on using this system to commuinicate. ~ post by MaryRita

After a great time in Thailand and Cambodia, I am in Penang, Malaysia with Tony and Margaret.   Most of the local people speak English since Malaysia was a British colony.  Malaysia is a Muslim nation, although you can see Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Christianity.  This morning (Sunday) we went to an English church service for the local people.  It is spectacular to see the hand of God moving on the people here.  I felt as if I was experiencing a small glimpse of what it will be like when people from every nation and tribe will be around the throne worshipping the one true God!  I was reminded of Romans 10:17, which says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  In the midst of a dark land, these people heard the Truth and had faith in Jesus Christ.  Now, they are ambassadors for the Gospel in a place that is searching for spiritual answers.  I pray that over the next few weeks, my eyes are opened to the needs around me and that my life is a testimony to the living God!  ~ post by Mary Rita

We just got back from Cambodia and what an experience.  When we arrived to Cambodia the host missionary, Joel, took us around Poi Pet to see what the country was all about.  We passed many sweat shops with kids in there sewing shirts and pants.  The poverty is great as the average Cambodian makes 1000 dollars a year.  As we were driving we waived and smiled at people and we watched them light up with excitement.  About halfway through our “tour,” we saw a Mui Thai gym and all the fighters were outside.  We took pictures with them and met one of the champs of Cambodia.  The next day we woke up and learned a little more about Cambodian people and the suffering they have faced.   After devotion the team went to visit an AIDS clinic, it is amazing to see how little healthcare these people have.  One lady required an oxygen tank to breathe which would last only 2 more days.  We were told that when it ran out she would die.  The only hope she had to get more oxygen was if people gave her money. When we got there she was on her final day of the last oxygen tank.  Pastor Tony paid for her to have a few more tanks which would last her about another week.  We asked another lady if we could pray for her about anything and all she wanted to pray for was a coconut.  Jeff and Garrett went and bought a coconut for everyone in the clinic and two for the lady we were praying for.  We answered her prayer with 15 cents. They cannot work because they are sick and the government doesn’t finance these projects so they are at the mercy of visitors, which they do not have many of.  The team went to a house church near the ministry headquarter where DJ spoke to about 15 kids about David and Goliath.  Tuesday night a youth service was planned and Hannah and Amanda gave their testimony and several people gave their hearts to Jesus.  We just traveled back to Sriracha and we feel like we are back in America after coming from Cambodia.  Cambodia has been very eye opening for all of us.  Tomorrow we will be heading into Bangkok for our tourist day.  For the team it is bitter sweet because we have fallen in love with the people here yet we do miss our home.  ~ Pastor Jason

The team has traveled by bus on a 4 hour ride over to Poi Pet, Cambodia for three days of outreach.  Thank you for your continued prayers!

Here’s a picture we found on Facebook of MaryRita (and possibly Lauren C.) riding an elephant!

We painted the jail cell all day on Friday and that night we attended and ministered at a Thai youth group where Shelley and Garrett gave their testimony.  Garrett was nervous but He did a great job!  Ps. Jason preached a message about the purpose of the cross.  Thai people think earning merit is what helps you in life, the message we brought was  how it is not about what we do but what Jesus did. 

The next day we went to a school and worked there to help serve the local ministry and had the evening off to do a little shopping.  Sunday we had two services.  We ministered at a Thai church in the morning and gave a couple of testimonies at the night service.  In between services we had to wash our clothes in preparation for a 3 day stay in Cambodia.  We are leaving for Cambodia in the morning and we are all nervous/excited about it.  The country is very poor and as the local missionaries were orientating us about Cambodia, we realized the poverty we are going to see.  Thailand has been awesome, but the team has  been looking forward to going to Cambodia after they told us about it.  We are looking forward to serving and loving a people who many do not love.  We will not be able to post a blog for the next few days because we will not have access in Cambodia.  Keep us in your prayers that the people of Cambodia will see the love of Jesus and that we may open doors for the local ministries through the team. ~ Pastor Jason

Today we started off the morning with a great time of prayer and TJ shared a powerful devotion with us about purpose.  We went to the school where the host ministry is based out of and we had frosted flakes, banannas and some strange looking but great tasting fruit.  Then the team practiced our dramas one last time before we would minister with them.  It is always so cool to see a group of people who don’t know anything about each other come together and through ministering together become united like a little family.  We finished practicing and had garlic chicken for lunch (yummy) and then we went to the local prison to visit some of the inmates and clean a couple of the cells so we can paint them tommorrow.  It was a small prison with only 30 people there or so.  It is a prison with many immigrants (especially women) from Cambodia who cross the border looking for a better life.  In many cases someone will hire them to do labor work and when their project is almost finished,  they report them to the authorities to get deported so they do not have to pay them.  They also do not have a budget at the prison, so some prisoners go many days without food or water.  We brought food and water to them.  The host told us many of the Cambodians have never seen a white person, much less be served by one.  That thrilled my heart to hear, because that is our purpose –  for people to see Jesus through us serving the people of Thailand and Cambodia.  One Mom had her three little girls with her and they let Shelley, Lauren, Amanda and Hannah go in to play with the little girls and were able to bring in some toys we brought.  For a brief few moments the kids were able to be kids, smiles and all.  We then went to an open market where the team performed, two times, all the dramas and testimonies we have been learning.  Jeff and TJ gave their testimonies and did great!  I asked the girls if they wanted to give their testimonies,  but they wanted the guys to go first.  Tommorrow (Friday) is their day!  Finally, we finished the day with another great dinner.   Everyone returned back to their rooms tired from a great day and hit the hay.   Keep us in your prayers as we continue to reach out to the people of Thailand who have no concept of who Jesus is!  Mark 16: 15 – your kids are doing it!   ~ Pastor Jason

 The team was going to the prison to paint again Friday.  The prison consists mainly of illegal immigrants of all ages.  The team was playing with kids that were as young as 1 and 5 years old while at the prison.  The dorm where they are staying is comfortable. They have A/C and a fan in the dorm.  The kids are sleeping 3 girls to a room, 3 guys to a room.  The beds are made of a wooden platform with a 3″ mattress.  She was so glad she brought her pillow.  The team was using a van (driven by Tony) to get around.  The report is that the food has actually been pretty good.  Last night they got a taste of some really spicy food.  Thursday they ministered in the market and did their skit for the first time.  The people in the market stopped to watch the skit and were smiling.   They are also passing out invitations to the youth to attend a youth service on Friday night.  They also went to the market to buy clothes to paint in, where they found shorts for $1.  Amanda’s highlight so far was feeding the elephant that was walking down the street. She said it was the coolest thing she has ever done.  She said she had learned a little bit of thai (language) but it was kind of hard to learn. ~ Report from Amanda (7:30am Friday Thailand time)

 After our first full day in Thailand the team is quickly falling in love with the people and the food!!!  Today we met all the team here in Thailand and got to know our interpreters.  After some orientation, we went to a newly started ministry for teenagers in the heart of Sriracha, reaching out to teenagers is something we all know very well.  We cleaned up their building and went to a public high school to pass out flyers for their school and to promote a Friday night youth service we will be doing. 

We were exhausted after that because our “body clocks” still think they are back in America,  so we went back to where we are staying and began to debrief.  All of a sudden in the middle of our debriefing TJ yelled out “elephant!,” and everyone ran over to the street to see a man riding an elephant!  We were able to pet the elephant and feed it sugarcane.  You don’t see that happen in Mandeville!  After we pulled ourselves away from the elephant (which was easier for the girls), Pastor Tony gave us an insightful lesson on Buddhism and how we need to approach them in our ministry time.  Well, we are going to sleep at 9pm here (9am at home) and are looking forward to ministering at the prison and in the market tommorrow. ~ Pastor Jason

After 32 hours of travel we arrived in Sriracha exhausted but excited.  We were brought to our rooms where we had a needed good night’s rest.  This morning we had a time of prayer and spent sometime with the host missionaries where they explain the culture and the things we will be doing throughout the week. The team is excited about what we will be doing and at prayer anticipating what God has in store for us and the people of Thailand.  Everyone is safe and ready to be used by God.   – Pastor Jason