Feb 07

Dear Friends,

 

Hello everyone!  I have been back in Thailand over 3 weeks now. I had a nice time in America though I am a little annoyed that Ohio waited until I left to have the snow I wanted.  Now they are just taunting me as I hear they had over a foot.  Not fair I tell you.  But we have plenty of cold here in Thailand though I still think Thailand is just strange with it's weather.  We have freezing cold mornings and sweltering afternoons. It's not healthy I think and presents a wardrobe challenge let me tell you.  When I got back I had to immediately move!  I mean immediately!  It was like "hi kids great to see you can you pick up this chair for me?  But I moved into a much bigger house than the bungalow at the hotel where I was living.  I moved because they drastically increased my rent.  The bungalow no kidding was ten steps from the door to the back and probably ten steps across if that.  My new house even has a kitchen and as I walk around I feel like I must be getting my exercise going from room to room.  It has been fun to actually cook for myself again.  So many blessings.  There is something just lovely about cooking spaghetti in your own kitchen singing badly with Frank Sinatra in the background.   It does a girls heart good.  There is so much joy in the little things. 

 

I have been getting back in the swing of things. We have been working on moving the children's home from one town to the other and have rented a boys home across the street.  We hope to have at least twelve boys when the term opens again in May.  We have been accepting new children and I have been attempting to hire new staff.  Believe with us that we will get the right staff and the right children as well.  After the 2nd week of March when the term ends for the year we will have only ONE children's home and for that I am thankful.  It is too hard to be so spread out.  I am excited to focus on just one thing for the first time in 3 years.  I think it will be so great.  And last year was extremely difficult but now we are through it all and the problems have been worked out so we can start a new on a much stronger foundation.  I wouldn't change anything that has happened because it gave me the opportunity I have now. 

 

We are continuing to work with the youth in the town and this last Friday night we had an additional children's home join us - they had heard about the great services we had and wanted to come.  We are believing for open doors into all the children's homes in the area.  We want to minister to all the youth we can possibly find! 

 

This year my focus will be in building these young people God has given me. More will be coming as the term opens - one children's home has asked me to help them develop their children spiritually as they expand their home from 12 to over 50.  We conservatively expect to minister to over 150 youth each week.  So my goal is to teach these young people to be passionate about God because I know this is God's heart for them.  He is so in love with each of these young people and He wants them to be so in love with Him too.  This is the gift I want with all my heart and life to give to my Lord.  These kids are what He wants most.

 

The second thing we must do this year is build our new children's home.  We have the money for the land which we have yet to buy but we believe soon the beauracracy involved will be done and we will have it.  Then we will begin building and we are believing God for the 50,000 dollars it will take to build it.  God is faithful and this is His vision so He will do it.  I know He has raised up people to give so this plan of His can be built.  I can't wait to see all the wonderful surprises He has in store for us this year.

 

We are going into the hot season now in Thailand and the children are going home for two months.  During this time I will be studying the Thai language as well as teaching some English.  Also I have some opportunities to travel and conduct seminars in various places.  I would like to thank Living Word Church in Jonesboro Arkansas who gave me money last year to buy a clothes dryer.  It turns out I didn't need it so desperately here in Mae Chaem - it is not nearly so damp as the village so I saved it and I bought an AIR CONDITIONER which you have no idea what a beautiful thing that is in the hot season in Thailand.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!   Thanks to all you who give so faithfully.  God is using you powerfully in Thailand.  I feel nothing but excitement about this year.  We are going to grow and expand inways I can't even dream of right now.   I can't wait to see the kids change and grow and myself change and grow as God continues to reveal Himself to us.  I am so overwhelmed by His love and goodness and beauty now that I am often speechless.  Really He takes my breath away everyday and yet He whispers to me that there is MORE,  new vistas of His love for me to see.  That is what I want.  All these other things I tell you about - the ministry, the kids they are His Dream, His heart, MY dream is to see God and those new vistas He tells me about. That is the thing I want most this year for myself.  Keep us in your prayers.  We love you. 

 

Candace