As time dwindles down at The Life Center, we have decided that this last week will be a fun week. Starting the week off at the Taemekerlah KBC meetinghall, we picked up trash as well as helped to cook food for other workers. On Tuesday we decided to go fishing! Karen style, upon reaching out destination in the woods we found a half dried creek filled with tadpoles, bugs and small fish! We fished all day and in the early afternoon we decided to settle down, and prepare for lunch. We started a fire and degutted the fish and the Tadpoles. After that we boiled water in a pot slowly adding food that we caught through out the day. Finally we added spice and our meal was finished. We ate, shared stories about the day and took pictures. What a wonderful time to spend among friends, and now family. We have grown so close in 4 months it will be difficult to leave, but all good things must come to in end in order that better things can come to light. Coming back to worship we shared testimonies of our time here, blessing one another and sharing tears. What a beautiful picture, and reminder of our unity in Christ.

As 4000 excited Karen people descended on Teameklerah Village this past week, Tatupa and his students quickly helped prepare for the visit. Tatupa was put in charge by the Karen Baptist convention of designing the meeting area that those participating could come to sit and enjoy the conference. Government officials as well as many local community leaders came to the conference, it was exciting to see so many Karen people from all over the country come and participate in a week of worship and preaching. Students worked with different area representatives to set up booths, certain areas presented issues of concern or sale outside of the meeting area. I met many old friends as well as making new friends. At our house in Teamekerlah we had about 20 people stay, and at The Life Center, another 20 people stayed for the duration of the meeting. After the meeting students, Tatupa as well as myself returned to the field to pick up trash as well as deconstruct the meeting area. Praise God for an exciting week!

Spring Semester in Thailand students had an opportunity to visit Witoon in Bala Village this past month. 29 students 2 helpers and 3 translators Mike and Ann Leming (Directors) traveled to the village on the 22nd of march and stayed until the 30th. Students in the 2012 SST group planted 500 banana tree’s alongside farmers. This year students worked hard to plant 1009 Banana tree’s with local farmers in our banana group. The students had the opportunity not only to learn about Lahu and Akha culture but also had a chance to understand the reality that many local farmers face in addition to being exposed to change in the midst of a broken world. I firmly believe that lives were changed and visions were cast by students fascinated and passionate about the world they live in. Our hope for them is that their experience could be lifechanging and eyeopening that one day they can commit their lives to serve those less fortunate than themselves! What a great week for the students and the villagers!

The Restore Initiative has been coming along wonderfully so far. Farmers in Pai, in Bala Village as well as Teemekerlah are well on their way into the program. 4 months in and Ajaan Suriya, who chose to raise chickens will be selling his 90 Chickens in late May, early June. The 5 Bala village farmers who chose to invest in Passion fruit have planted their seeds, built their trestles and await the fruits to grow. In Teemekerlah village farmers have invested in pig feed for their pigs. It is exciting to see community interest growing in all three locations, it will be great to watch this program as it grows. The local committee will meet later this month on how to better tackle some of the issues as well as add more structure to the program. The goal of this initiative is to see local farmers having the resources to begin to make a sustainable income through their existing agricultural occupations. As this small program grows we will continue to pray for God’s good guidance.

Students are coming up on their last few days at The Life Center. After 4 months of living together we have come to be like a family, working together, cooking together, playing together, and even crying together. This experience has been truly life changing for them as well as life changing for Tatupa, Tatumo and myself as well. After spending time learning the bible, learning English and learning life skills, students have become much more confident in themselves and also in their relationships with God. Nawgeay, which means beautiful in Karen, has experienced much growth in her walk. Upon coming to the Life Center she shared with us that Demons had tormented her for years, in the past her family would engage in animal sacrifice to the spirits, but upon coming to the local community they have come to accept Christ as their savior. Nawgeay herself has shared that her life is truly changed and she feels much closer to God. She has gained confidence and I believe she will be a future learned in her new home village of Ban Den.