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June brings us a step closer to fully re-opening but there are some things gained during this season which we don't want to lose.
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JUNE IN THAILAND

COVID UPDATE + MINISTRY

COVID + THAILAND
We're in Phase 4 of 5 of reopening and we don't always know what that means, but glimpses of ways forward and reminders of what was once normal are happening more and more.

The government has just extended the COVID Emergency Decree until July 31st. Though restrictions are loosening, it is still a modified life. Thailand's international border has opened to some foreigners, but not tourists. With 20% of Thailand's GDP dependent on tourism (not to mention the ripple this creates in other sectors), this has hit the economy hard. There are now over 20 million people unemployed in a country of 69 million.

With 58 deaths attributed to COVID, Thailand's Emergency Decree was swift and far-reaching, but effective. Thailand, like many countries, will feel the impact of the health toll, economic disruption, and shake-up of societal norms for years to come. We are trying to be an immediate help to those hit hardest while still looking at ways to go forward from here.

COVID + MINISTRY
It's said that necessity is the mother of invention and we may need a new saying - like pandemics are the drivers of innovation. It's been a blast to be invited to digitally be part of things we may otherwise miss. This month we got to speak and share in a couple churches and Matthew was part of a men's Bible study. This isn't limited to global connections, but even here in Thailand as fellow Global Worker, Cavell Rowsell, invited Matthew to be part of a World Missions Class with the Masters students at Thailand Pentecostal Seminary. It was uncomfortable and awesome to be asked surprisingly direct questions about Thailand and missions by Thai students.

The church we are plugged into has been able to reopen in a limited capacity. We continue to help lead the kids church. Most of our kids church is done in a private group for security and prvacy, but you can find some of our lessons online here.  We're hoping to have in-person kids programs running in July.

This time of year typically involves a trip to southern Thailand as PAOC Global Workers gather together from across South East Asia (SEA). This regional event transformed into a 2 hour ZOOM call this year (not nearly as beachy), but it was still an important reminder of the team we're part of. We're grateful for  our Regional Director, Peter Dove, and Regional Lead Team, Cindie and Jonathan.
Men's Bible study on neighbourly-ness had a very different feel as we've all been at home more.
being asked questions about missions in Thailand by Thai students was a beautiful and thought-provoking experience.
We are so thankful for the genuine interest in Thailand and concern for our family that many have shared. The headlines speak of distance and separation, and while we do feel this on some level, we have also experienced a beautiful level of intentionality with churches, supporters, missions committees, and pastors reaching out. We've not felt forgotten and we're grateful.

This is a season of reset for everyone and as the Church, we have an opportunity to forge a new way forward. We do not simply have to return to how it was. This can be true of macro values and overarching narratives, but it can also be experienced in the little things. It's been an honour (and a lot of fun) to be able to be in conversation with more people and be invited into more experiences via technology. As the world opens again, we don't want to lose that connectivity. These opportunities are a more tangible reminder of how we can choose what we want to bring out of this pandemic and what we want to leave behind.
It will never not be an odd thought to think of our faces being 15 feet tall. Brushing teeth pre-video is a must.
We're so grateful for champions who have helped keep Thailand and our family on the radar.
COVID + FAMILY LIFE
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US
This month we celebrated 13 years of marriage. It felt like a hyper-practical celebration. We went to a Thai restaurant for lunch, got talking about the kids, and went shopping for them after our meal! No, the romance isn't dead, though this year did lack ambiance. Let's be honest - anywhere without the kids feels like a treat after having them home so much.

ABRUPT ENDINGS
As we end this month, things just seem to be over with little fanfare. Even though we knew endings would come, we find ourselves abruptly on the other side of them. For example, the soccer club we help manage is done for the season. We're issuing refunds because we didn't get all of our practices in. The kids are done school. They got a few days back in class, but the final day was a ZOOM call. Between Daxon and Zala, there are 6 awards / recognitions but there is something anti-climactic about printing those off for them. *Side note - any other parents feeling mixed about school being done? Super happy to not be doing online schooling / missing the structure school provided.* We're also realizing how much COVID has shifted people's worldview. The world feels big again and hard to cross. Our kids attend a small British school and 14 teachers are leaving. We've also fare-welled a number of international friends. Around our dinner table, those teachers and friends shared about how much they want to be close to family and friends. We get it.

FAMILY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE AND PRIVILEGE
In our home, there has been a lot of discussion around race and privilege. As a family, we participated in Bangkok's Black Lives Matter ZOOM rally. More than provide answers, it provoked a lot of questions for our kiddos and for us. As white, able-bodied, middle class, educated, western / northern cross-cultural workers, this is simply not something we can disengage from. To be honest, this is a conversation that no one should turn away from. To see the responses from the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), including our own PAOC, please click HERE.

We've ordered some books for us and our littles, but we'd love to hear about the resources you are engaging with as a family.
The BLM Protest could not get the required permits because of the COVID Emergency Decree and so we met on ZOOM instead.

REFUGE FOR REFUGEES

This month we tried to get more food and supplies into Vietnamese detainees. They are often an overlooked group of detainees. We had a number of New Testaments in Vietnamese and we were able to include those in the food packages.

Two weeks ago, select Immigration Detention Centre's (IDC) allowed detainees to receive visitors. The rules for visiting are more strict with a reduced number of visitors, but it was magnificent to finally look a detainee in the eyes rather than just dropping off a food parcel. It's still in a large room with fences keeping us apart, but to be able to look someone in the eyes and talk with them - that's humanizing and good.

Matthew's first visit under these new rules was with a man who had not been visited in over 6 months. He left his family behind hoping to set-up a new life for them here with refugee status. It did not work and eventually he was caught in a raid. His family has no means to bail him out and so he is alone. When he found out we have 4 kids, he offered to pray for us - an odd offer given the situation but apparently parenting 4 kids moves detainees to offer prayers! We'll call him G and if you think of him, please pray for him. He is diabetic, has heart pains, and misses his family terribly.
Visitation rounds and queue numbers have become the new normal for visiting detainees.
As part of our food parcels, we buy fresh fruit and vegetables from vendors who sell just outside the IDC.

ENGAGE WITH THAILAND

how we can all partner with people in Thailand


As the lockdown lifts, the reality facing urban refugees and women in the relight district is bleak. We're continuing to partner with friends and local organizations to get supplies to where they are most needed. If you can help, we'd love to be in conversation with you.
Twitter
Twitter
Website
Website
Matthew
Matthew
Insta
Insta

CHILDCARE PLUS

children matter


Thai government schools open tomorrow (July 1). This is 6 weeks later than normal. Classrooms will fill with students but it will look very different. Students must provide their own face shields, masks, hand gel, and cleaning supplies for their desk. This is in addition to social distancing. Our CCP team is thrilled to see kids heading back to school, but we know it comes with challenges (including the new financial pressure of buying these COVID supplies).

Throughout June our CCP team continued to distribute food parcels to families of sponsored children that have been impacted deeply by COVID. We're grateful to ERDO for the additional funding which has helped make this possible.Our Program Managers have worked hard to create customized food parcels based on the needs in their community.
CCP is the sponsorship program of ERDO and Matthew did a live interview this month where they talked sponsorship, Thailand, COVID,
Jeff Hackett, from ERDO Canada, interviews Matthew about COVID, family, CCP, and life in Thailand.
@CCP_Thailand
@CCP_Thailand
Facebook
Facebook
@CCP_Thailand
@CCP_Thailand

PRAY WITH US

we believe there is strength in numbers

  • one of our CCP Program Managers was diagnosed with cancer this month and began treatment. Pray with us for her rapid and total recovery.
  • pray for Thai students as they head back to the classroom after a prolonged absence from school.
  • as Thailand opens more, pray that we do not see an increase in COVID cases
  • pray for leaders, on all levels, as we move forward
  • pray for the conversations that need to happen surrounding race and privilege. We have an opportunity to do this in ways we have yet to do.

CANADIAN residents can partner with us through the International Missions department of the PAOC to receive a tax receipt.
AMERICAN residents can partner with us through our American sister organization to receive a tax receipt.
Copyright © 2020 The Prices, All rights reserved.


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