March 2024 Newsletter

Dear Brethren,

February starts the burning season here in Thailand. They burn off the fields to prepare them for planting before the next rainy season. As a result, the air pollution in Chiang Mai sores into the dangerous range. The mountains around us cannot be seen because of the smoke. My family always has breathing problems during this time of the year because of the air pollution. Bekah has asthma. Lu has had bronchitis and is still struggling with it.  Cocoa and I went to the doctor last night and we both have sinus infections. We are not the only ones. The air pollution problem here during this time of the year sends many to the hospital. The AQI here today is 159. It will rise to around 400 as the burning season continues. Chiang Mai is usually number one in the world for air pollution during this time of year.

Other than the air pollution and breathing problems… the work is going very well. This month we only made one trip to the mountains.  The second weekend we usually go, we had our annual foundation meeting. We discuss the work that went on during the last year and plan the work we want to accomplish in the upcoming year. The young people are all preparing for their end-of-year testing. During March, we will interview all of the students we helped last year and those who are requesting help for the upcoming year. It is always a heartbreaking time for me when we listen to each student’s life history and the struggles they face.

Since the end-of-year testing is just around the corner, we have spent extra time teaching the young people to help prepare them. We have spent longer on Saturdays and added several extra nights of study each week.  One of our young ladies here in Chiang Mai, Frame, is graduating from High School this year. She has plans to go to university to study nursing.

On the fourth Sunday, we worshipped here in Chiang Mai and then divided into two groups. One group went to Phrao and one group went to Fang to worship with brethren in those two places. Passakorn took the group to Phrao and I took the group to Fang. It is an hour and a half to Phrao from Chiang Mai and two and a half hours to Fang. Even though it makes for a long day, it is always encouraging and uplifting to worship with brethren in these different places.

We continue to make plans and prepare for the youth camp that is coming up in April. First, I want to thank those of you who have donated money to help with the camp this year. If you still want to help, there is still time to send money to help. Youth camp here is a great time to build up the young people and make new contacts. We had 180 young people last year and we are looking at having around 300 young people this year. Youth camp here is not like in America. The young people are all very poor. They do not have money.  So, we must pay for everything. We pay for transportation for them to get to and from camp. We have to pay for all the food and snacks at camp. Each year there are some young people who we have to buy clothes for so that they have a change of clothes. We usually have to buy some towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. We would not be able to do these things if it wasn’t for your help. This year the theme of the camp is John 14:6. All of the lessons will be focusing on Jesus. We are excited because this year Brother Paul Goh will be coming from the Jurong congregation in Singapore to give classes in song leading for the young men. Brother Amos Cheong will be leading the group that is coming from Singapore. Brother Perry Bretherick will be coming with Jaden May from America. We all feel like Perry is part of the team here. He is a great help, encouragement and blessing to the work here in Thailand. We also have two brethren who will be coming from Laos. The vast majority of people will be young people from here in Thailand, but we will also have brethren from around the world who are coming to help and take part in the camp. Please keep this camp in your prayers.

I am sorry that there are not any pictures this month. I hope to have a lot of pictures for you next month.

May God bless us as we all work together for Him,
Michael