Land Purchased and Construction Commenced for a New Blessing Home Center in TaPhraya

It is with great joy that we would like to announce the purchase of land and the commencement of construction for a new Blessing Home center in Ta Phraya in Sakaeo Province.  The purchase of the land has been in the works for several months, and we needed to wait for the proper documents before we could purchase the land.  Now we begin the process of raising the land by about 1 foot to prevent flooding, before we begin to build the center.

There is already a small one room house on the property, and we do not yet know if we will keep and fix it up or not.  But volunteers have cleaned all of the brush and trimmed the trees in preparation for construction.

We want to give our special thanks to Pastor John Kalz (pastor of Buechel United Methodist Church) for his vision for this new Blessing Home center.  John led the Kentucky VIM team this past summer that went to Ta Phraya to serve.  The team saw a great need for a Blessing Home Center in Ta Phraya and when they returned to the States, they shared the need with their churches who contributed to this project.  Buechel United Methodist Church led this drive and their generosity made this project possible.

Here are some pictures that we took several months ago when surveying the property.

Sherri, Pastor Banya, and Elder Det (leader of the Blessing Home TaPhraya ministry) survey the property.

TMM Missionary Shelby Gillespie and members of Life Center UMC of Pattaya, Thailand survey the land.

A view from the street.

An Action Request, A Praise, and an Update (Yes, this is a Second Praise)

An Action Request
We need your help.  Pastor John Kalz is leading the Kentucky United Methodist Volunteer in Mission team (UMVIM) to serve here in Thailand on September 29 - October 10, 2016.  We are excited about this team because they will be providing Mini-English Camps (you would call it VBS - but no one in Thailand knows what that is) in two new locations helping the Thai churches to form new children and youth ministries in those areas.  Follow this link to get information if you are interested in serving on this UMVIM team >>> http://www.buechelchurch.org/umvim.  You do NOT need to be from Kentucky.  All are welcome to serve.

Here is the help that we need from you.  Could you please help get the word out about this mission team opportunity.  Attached to this email is a flyer that you can print several copies and post at church.  We appreciate your help, because we need a full team.

A Praise!
Many of you have been praying for us and other TMM missionaries because it is getting very difficult to receive long term visas now.  We had to scramble to get work permits and visas for some of our missionaries including us.  God has answered your prayers and we all are set for long term visas, Praise the Lord!  Staying in the country is top priority, because we cannot do the work God has set before us if we cannot live long term in Thailand.  We appreciate your faithful prayers.



An Update that is also a Praise

We are edging closer to the goal of $24,000 to purchase a new mini-van for the mission in Thailand.  So far a bit over $18,000 has been received.  Praise the Lord!