God stuff in Kanchanaburi

J getting prayed up before we head up to Sangkhlaburi.

Chris, Derrick, David, and J visit with Nondo.

We spent a day and night with folks who run an incredible ministry just outside Sangkhlaburi. Nondo and his wife Tulolo are people of the Karen tribe that lives primarily in Burma (now officially called Myanmar.) The Burmese government has led a brutal crackdown against the Karen for years. Many years back, this couple's village was destroyed by the army and the people forced to flee. These two fled to Thailand. Over time, as their lives stabilized, they began to minister to Karen and others who were in hopeless situations. Today, their ministry has three areas of focus. At their home, they operate an orphanage which serves about twenty five or thirty children. In another building at their home, they house a half dozen or so older people who can not care for themselves and have no one to care for them. Finally, about two hundred meters up the road is Safe House, a housing facility for people with various illnesses that make it impossible to care for themselves. Everything from AIDS to malaria to mental illness. At Safe House, the workers are cared for and given simple job training in weaving and brick making, which gives them the chance to earn a small amount of money and to feel a sense of accomplishment. Nondo and Tulolo are amazing people, giving all they have to serve others here in the remote western edge of Thailand.

Thursday evening, we got to share in the regular time of devotions and worship with the kids in the orphanage. In addition to their formal schooling, the orphanage here teaches Karen, Thai, and English to the kids, so most are tri-lingual and fairly fluent.

It is tough to think about what these kids have already had to face in their young lives. J has just been thunderstruck by this week, and spending the evening with these orphan kids only added to the impact this trip is making on his life.

The people at Safe House are trained in weaving and operate a small store, selling items they have made. We each bought several things to take with us.