Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings to all all of you from across the oceans! We hope that you are doing well. Over here in Thailand the heat is unbearable, and on top of that we are struggling with the smog and pollution. The air quality index has reached over 400, even up to 550 at times especially up here in the North. We need rain desperately to wash it away, but it has been over 3 months since we have had any rain. Please keep us in your prayers for our health and well-being as it is hard to even breathe some days.
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SHAN HOSTEL UPDATE
 Good news! We finally got the land title papers for the one and a half acres of land that we bought last year for the Shan Hostel project! This land is a refuge home for the persecuted Christians. The property has been sectioned and a barbwire fence has been installed. Praise the Lord! It took over a year for the proper papers to be filed and approved, but we now have it in hand so work COULD  begin once they have the funds. This land is located about 1 1/2 miles from the colleges. So we are in a good location. Our hope and plan is to eventually accept non-Christian college age young men and women so that we can share the Gospel with them without the influence of their parents to hinder or forbid them from listening to the Word of God.
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WAMIMAI CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Shan Church #1)
 Wamimai Christian Church was started by Joel's Uncle Sothini  many years ago. Pastor Sothini passed away a few years ago, but his son Yohan has taken up the mantle and has continued to shepherd the church. It is growing in number and Joel has visited and preached there many times, encouraging them in their faith. |
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Saithoon's daughter teaching the youth
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Sports day at youth camp
(notice the pollution in background)
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Pastor Saithoon and wife Adu are the couple who are shepherding this congregation. Their children are also fully involved and working alongside their parents in the church. Saithoon not only pastors the church, but he continues to travel to 
surrounding villages and carries on evangelism work. His wife leads and teaches the women's group every 
Sunday. The church continues to grow and new members are being added to the congregation as many new believers are accepting the Lord as their Savior. They are being taught the Word of God and what it means to have a relationship with our Father, then they are 
baptized. (To the right) Pastor Saithoon also goes to 
wherever he is called to pray for the sick and minister spiritually to the family as needed. Pastor Saithoon's daughter Esther also teaches Sunday School, the youth group and also helps teach at the VBS and summer camps along with her brother.
