You are going where?

Dear family and friends,

I briefly mentioned a trip to Thailand a couple of weeks ago and know I need to expound.

Caroline and I leave for Thailand on the 9th of January and return on the 20th. We are going with the online school that our children take some of their classes from (The Potter's School) and a group from our church home in Virginia.

We are going to help put on a conference for missionaries and to continue a relationship that we have with a school in the mountains.

This is the eighth year that our school/church has come alongside to help with this endeavor. The conference has grown expediently over the years and this year we are expecting 400. The missionaries come from 15 different countries in Asia, some knowing that this will be the one time of the year that they will be able to freely worship with other believers. They come with children in tow and our job it to provide programs, care, and love to these children. Caroline and I are so excited to have the opportunity to minister to, learn from, and fellowship with these Christian families.

Our service and ministry will continue after the conference ends, when our team travels to the mountains for a few days to experience the local Thai culture and minister to the native people. Our entire stay in the mountains is an opportunity to build relationships with Thai people, with highlights that include teaching English at a Thai elementary school and hiking to a remote tribal village of the “Karen” people (refugees of Burma) to spend the day with the families and teach the children.

I really struggled with taking this opportunity due to the children that will be left behind. Ed's work is only three minutes from the house and he will be taking a few days off. The children will be doing school by themselves for four days and my man promises that all will be well. Ed leaves four days after we return for a 10 day trip for work.

Ed had prayed about this trip and felt that it was something we needed to do. As I was struggling through this decision (Caroline had NO struggle, she is full throttle and ready to go) I was talking to someone and said, "Caroline is less than four years away from heading to college and we want to take any and all opportunities to have impact in our children's lives." The moment this came out of my mouth, I knew God had planned this trip and that I just needed to trust Him.

So we are packing and organizing this week...I can hardly believe it! Please mark your calendars and pray...

Oh, and on the way home, Caroline and I will be able to spend the day together in TOKYO...it just doesn't seem real.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops