February in Udon Thani.

The banana tree field across from our house.

We want to give an update on Gun (our employee mentioned in the last post), and thank all of you who prayed for her! We were able to have some more follow up conversation with her regarding her interest in Christianity. I was able to share my testimony with her and explain the gospel and how it differs from buddhism. We have been continually impressed with the depth of her thinking and questions regarding religion. She was curious about people who call themselves Christians but still went to the temple and participated in making merit (she had encountered a professor like this). At the end of the conversation, I told her we would love to give her a Bible (she had never had one) and she was thrilled as she loves to read and is eager to begin learning more about God and Christianity. 

The next time she worked, we gave her the Bible and were excited to continue conversation with her. Sadly, she told Ryan that day that she has decided to continue studying for her nursing degree and would be moving the next week to a different province for school! We are disappointed that this relationship ended sooner than we would have liked, but are hoping to continue to keep in touch with her and encourage her in seeking the Lord from a distance. We pray that God will continue the work He began in her before we even met and that she would come to a point of truly grasping the gospel of grace and commit her life to Christ!

At the beginning of the month, while Ryan's cousins were here visiting, we took our employees on a day trip to a neighboring province. Sadly, not all of our employees were able to join, but those who did brought family with them and a fun time was had by all. :) we are thankful for the team God has provided for us. They are one of the best parts about the S&T experience for us!

One of our neighbors has created her own greenhouse with organic hydroponics lettuce. It has been so fun to be able to walk over and buy such quality greens from her for ourselves and for the business!

We also wanted to take this opportunity to share an update on the business. This month has held a lot of difficult and honest conversations about the future of S&T from a realistic standpoint in regard to sustainability, finances, and it's impact on our family. Although the sales at our current truck are trending upward and that has been encouraging, we are still far from meeting the requirements that our business visa would require for a foreign-owned business in Thailand. We would need to approximately triple in size and hire several more full-time employees to function ethically according to the law here. And from a personal standpoint, the amount of work it would require to achieve those goals seems pretty unrealistic when we feel already tapped out with the workload required for one truck, as well as growing a young family and investing in our local church. Much more could be said, but we would invite you to pray with us for God's direction and wisdom as we pray through and consider what He would have for the future of S&T and our family. 
 

PRAISES & PRAYER REQUESTS:

- praise God for the work He is doing in Gun's heart. Ask Him to continue the work He has begun in her and bring her to a point of genuine repentance and salvation.

- praise the Lord for a so-far smooth and uncomplicated pregnancy. Join us in praying for the hearts of our two children and that they would be lovers of Christ one day.

- pray for hearts that are centered on Christ as we talk through the future of S&T. We want to walk in faithfulness and obedience, and to function in a place of true surrender to the Shepherd.

"If Christ is not all to you, He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Savior of men. If He be something, He must be everything, and if He be not everything, He is nothing to you." (Charles Spurgeon)