February 3-17 2010 ABCRM Thailand Mission Team is Ready to Go!

From February 3-17, an ABCRM mission team composed of Arlene Bowie (FBC-Colorado Springs), Beth Kieft and Karen Pinkham (Calvary Baptist -Denver), Sandy Stensland (Autumn Ridge Church-Rochester), and team-leader Kerry Hassler (FBC-Boulder and ABCRM Mission Team member) will go to Thailand to meet and learn about the ministries of ABC-IM missionaries and do work-projects with many of them. Missionaries the team will meet include:

• Jeff and Annie Dieselberg, whose Bangkok NighLight ministries help women escape from prostitution, and to learn about and accept Christ;
• Mike and Becky Mann, whose Chiang Mai-based Integrated Development Program (IDTP) ministries provide income to hilltribe families by teaching them how to grow coffee, as well as by helping them with medical clinics and education programs;
• Karen Smith and Kit Ripley, whose Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai New Life Center ministries shelter in-need tribal women, and help them to get an education;
• Kim Brown, whose Chiang Mai “House of Hope” provides day-care for young children from needy families, and
• Chuck and Ruth Fox, whose Chiang Rai Akha Crafts ministry provides family income to Akha villagers, and whose Christian outreach ministries brings the message of Christ to Akha villagers in northern Thailand.

ABCRM Thailand mission team members will be doing work-projects with Mike and Becky in an area about two hours north of Chiang Mai, helping the Mann’s IDTP “Starbucks Clinic” medical staff to treat ill and injured villagers. Some team members will service as “helpers” to assist the Mann’s IDTP Lanna Café Coffee staff to construct a shed for coffee-processing equipment in a Hmong village. Several team members will be doing craft projects with Karen and Kit at the New Life Center and at Kim’s “House of Hope” in Chiang Mai.

During the trip, team members will be learning about the Thai culture and see beautiful places in Thailand. At the end of the mission trip, the team will ride elephants at an elephant reserve north of Chiang Rai.

To see on-going updates from the ABCRM Thailand team members during their February trip, check the ABCRM “Missions Experiences Blog” at http://abcrmmissionexperiences.blogspot.com/. Thanks for your prayers for the ABCRM Thailand mission team!

L-R: Arlene Bowie, Beth Kieft, Karen Pinkham, Kerry Hassler (Sandy Stensland absent)