September 2024 Newsletter

Dear Brethren,

In some ways September passed in a flash, and in other ways it seemed like it would never end. I guess that is how it is when you are busy every single day. This month was filled with flooding and landslides. Because of that, it was hard to make plans about going to the mountains.

It started raining heavily at the beginning of September. We had an all-day teaching with the youth in the mountains planned for Saturday the 7^th.  Chaichana called us on Wednesday morning of the 4^th and said there was flooding and many landslides. We decided to cancel that event. About 11 o’clock, one of the teachers from Thasongyang called us. She said that one of our students needed to see a doctor in Chiang Mai. The doctor in Thasongyang said that they did not have the medicine she needed. We decided to go and get her. The problem was that the road we usually take to get there was closed because of landslides. The road we usually go on, takes around 6 to 7 hours to get to Thasongyang from Chiang Mai. I decided to drive on the main interstate highway past that village and come up the other side of the mountain to get her. We needed to go quickly before that road was closed. It took me over 9 hours of driving in heavy rain and fog to get there. Since I didn’t leave till noon, it was late when I got there. I spent the night in a hotel and picked her up early the next morning and took her back to Chiang Mai. We got Namida an appointment to see the doctor on Friday. Friday night as I was getting into bed, the kids came running from the dorm and said, “Something is wrong with Namida.”  I went down to see what was going on. She was having a reaction to the medication. I took her to the emergency room. They got her straightened out and we got back to the farm at 3 a.m. on Saturday morning. I got up at 5 a.m. and did the work we had planned for that day. Because it was nearly time for Namida to test, on Monday I took her back. We left early and drove to Thasongyang to take her back and then went back to stay at Maesariang. We had to leave at 4 a.m. the next day because we had to get back for the graduation of one of our other students from the nursing assistant program.

Namida.

We got back to Chiang Mai, changed clothes, and rushed to the graduation ceremony. It was nice. Frame is now doing an internship at Ram Hospital. When that is finished, she will probably begin working there. We have two former students who are currently working at that hospital.

Frame’s graduation.

On the weekend of Sunday, the 22^nd, I took Adirake and Montri with me to the mountains. Because of the heavy rains, we did not want to drive in the mountains after dark. We took them out of school on Friday so that we could go early. We got to Maesariang in the middle of Friday afternoon.  They came into my room and we studied the Bible for about 3 hours. On Saturday we went and bought chairs to be used during worship at Maekhaduan and Thasongyang. We bought 60 chairs. Then we drove and dropped off 40 chairs at Maekhaduang. After that we drove to Thasongyang with the other 20 chairs. When we got to the hotel that evening, we studied the Bible for another 2 hours. On Sunday morning I dropped Montri and Adirake off at the building (and our bags) and went and picked up the people coming to worship. After worship, I took the people home and then went and picked up Adirake, Montri, and our bags. We drove four hours to the next place of worship. I dropped Adirake, Montri, and our bags off at the building and then went and picked up the people to come to worship. After worship I took the people home and then went back and picked up Adirake, Montri, and our bags.  We only had another hour to go to the next place. We picked up four people on the way and met the rest of the people in Maesariang. After worshipping there, we took those people home, drove back through Maesariang. Then we drove another 4 hours back to Chiang Mai so that they would not miss school on Monday.

We dropped off 40 chairs at Maekhaduang.

Worship at Maekhaduan.

The parking lot at Maelati is coming along well. The dirt has been filled and a road down to the parking lot has been made. After the ground settles and the weather clears a bit, we will pave the parking lot and it will be wonderful… no more walking through deep mud to get into the building!!

The parking lot at Maelati is coming along well.

As I stated earlier, this month has been terrible because of the flooding here in the North. The last count I saw over 50,000 homes were destroyed in the flooding. Those families lost everything they had. Chiang Mai also flooded. It is the first time Chiang Mai has flooded in many years. The airport in Chiang Rai, where one of the members of the church works, is closed and has been for most of this month. The school where Lu and Bekah teach got flooded and was closed for many days. At the last count that I heard 37 people died in the floods. We have been doing the best we can to help those in need. We have given food, clean water, and clothing. Much more is needed. You will see in one of the pictures what is left after the flood waters recede…. MUD!! Many homes were just flooded… but many were left with several feet of mud inside the house. Some houses were completely knocked down by the rushing water and mud. I would ask first and foremost that you pray for those who are suffering as a result of the flooding here.

It is the first time Chiang Mai has flooded in many years.

Secondly, if you can and would like to help, please send money for the flood victims to my overseeing congregation marked “Flood Relief”. Make the checks to the Church of Christ mark them ‘flood relief’ and send the checks to:

Loving Highway Church of Christ
1025 Loving Highway
Graham, Texas 76450

All the money that is sent will go directly to those in need. Thank you all for the love, prayers, and help that you continually give. May God bless us all as we work together for Him,
Michael