No Such Thing As Intelligent Design?

THAILAND, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4TH

Hello, All:

Since I last wrote, we have had a couple of busy days. I hope you all saw the pictures on the Blog.

Friday, we had a two hour meeting with a woman who has an incredible testimony, rising up from a poor Buddhist family to become a leading evangelical in her country. She is a regional representive of the Evangelical Foundation for Thailand – one of the few government approved foundations, who license other religious agencies. We will be registering Asia’s Hope with this group. But ... more to the point ..

She has a foundation that runs a Christian school and is looking for a partner to team with in it’s operation. Well, that is one thing that Asia’s Hope does. Much discussion needs to take place and questions need answered, but it is very optimistic that we may be well on the way to establishing a Christian School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. There is much more to the story than is humane to tell here, but it is a testimony to the work of God in our little sphere of work here.

For supper last night, we took the orphanage staff out to "The Pig Pen" restaurant to say Thank you. They loved it. One sits at a picnic table like setting with LP gas cookers every few feet. For 69 Bhat ($1.75 USD) you get an all-you-can-eat buffet. They bring pieces of oncooked delicacies on trays to your table and you cook and eat, cook and eat, cook and eat. More trays appear as you empty the ones you have. They ate crab, pork, eel, squid, pig liver, cabbage – those were the ones that I could identify, but there were more. Dave and I discreetly carried in pizza.

Today, Saturday, we went to the orphanage to find the nurse we had asked to help us administering immunizations to our kids. She had brought with her a relative – a young Thai woman who is a pediatric nurse in Bangkok. They were doing a great job -- I just stood there looking useless. I couldn’t believe our good fortune; people and services we need are there when they are needed.

How about this … Accompanying the Thai ped nurse was her significant other – a definitely gringo-looking man. Turns out this guy is from Dayton, Ohio! He lives in Bangkok and Chicago – though prefers the former. He is a free-lance professional filmmaker, writer, and producer. He has done work for CNN, BBC, and National Geographic; names I recognized among several that he mentioned. Well … he is impressed with the work we are doing and wants to shoot some footage here and in Cambodia and put together a "professional piece" that we can use for information and fund-raising. Who said there is no such thing as "Intelligent Design"?

It is truly remarkable how God is bringing people and resources to bear upon the efforts of a small group of people reaching out to the disadvantaged in SE Asia. And, you are a part of that effort!

Speaking of being a part of the effort, I wish to put in a shameless plug here. I know that you encourage and pray for me, and travel with me vicariously each trip. I am always aware and confident of your presence and prayers. Thank you. I want to hold out the opportunity to support the mission financially as well. (I really hate doing this, but I love what God is doing and am committed to its future.) If you are so moved, please consider being a partner with us in this way.

If you wish to make a donation to a specific goal or project, let me know, or just send it in with a request to so apply the funds. If you would become a monthly donor that would support our general fund (salaries, mail, paper clips, etc.). I assure you that more of your dollars go to real people and projects than any other charity that I know.

Someone said to me, and it is true, that your money is only "one handshake away from its destination". You give your money through the agent of someone you personally know, and he/she personally delivers it to the person or project it is intended for. Not too many organizations can boast of that. (The address is: Asia’s Hope, PMB 185, 343 W Milltown Rd, Wooster, OH 44691.)

Well, time to get back to work. Thanks for your encouragements and suppport. Till the next time …