January 2006

Dear Friends in our supporting churches,

Thank you for your support for our family through the years. We are grateful. Your gifts make it possible for us to live and serve here in Thailand as part of the worldwide ministries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and to extend the ministry of your church in partnership with the Church of Christ in Thailand. Thank you.

This past year has been one of our most fulfilling years as a family and in ministry in Thailand. Some of the highlights we are grateful for include:

January

Esther’s long-time dream to hold our program for fourth-year students (called “going out into the wide world”) at the mission cabins of Payap University at the top of a mountain in the middle of a national park was realized! Eight-hundred students and teachers in four groups hiked the two-hour walk up to the newly renovated cabins and campsite for a gorgeous, fun, and inspiring time together before graduation. (We’re getting ready to do it again next month, too! Please pray for safety, and that students will realize their preciousness and potential to make real positive contributions to the human community.)

February

Son Paul was released from prison in Chiang Mai, and began the long journey back to health and wholeness. He’s been living at home, traveled with us to reconnect with family and friends during September, and is working steadily teaching English in Chiang Mai. We enjoy his humor and help, and continue to pray for the deepest healing and restoration of his soul.

March

Esther’s staff headed up our international work camps with International Christian University and Keisen University, both Japanese Christian universities similar to Payap. One-hundred campers worked together to build the floors and wall of a northern Thai church in Chiang Rai province. Good friendships were begun, and campers were invited to consider more of what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

April

Esther’s parents came to Chiang Mai, and then all but Paul went to Pakistan and on to Kabul, Afghanistan, where Esther lived from babyhood through kindergarten. We loved seeing the sights, smelling the smells, and tasting the delicious fruits and food that were dearly loved memories deep in the hearts of Esther and her parents. We met new friends and old and had a generally amazing and wonderful visit.

May

The Christian Communications Institute (CCI) put the finishing touches on their new songs and dramas for the program for Spiritual Emphasis Week that was shared in 16 schools around the country from June through November. This year’s theme was “power for living,” and students responded to the gospel more readily than ever before.

June

Payap University started the school year. Esther’s fifth year at Payap proceeded well, with an experienced and committed staff ready to build on good programs developed over several years. Our English club, music club, and Campus Crusade volunteers are working together well to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The convocation worship service included handing out plaques to more than 70 staff members who had worked at the university for 25 years or longer.

July

Anna graduated from high school in June, and in July said goodbye to Chiang Mai. She sorted, packed, sold, and tossed stuff to get ready for college, and then helped Esther go through decades of clutter and reduce it significantly. That was a great help when it flooded in August—there was space upstairs to move furniture and books out of harm’s way.

August

CCI led the annual Spiritual Emphasis Week at Payap University, Rob preached, and God blessed with good participation and good responses. The spiritual atmosphere at Payap and throughout Chiang Mai and Thailand seems much more open to the message of God’s love and salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Churches are being planted and growing in greater numbers than ever before. Payap Church is growing in strength and numbers under the able leadership of the Reverend Teerapong Chaisri, and cooperation between the church and the chaplain’s office is bearing good fruit in ministry to both staff and students.

The first of four floods in Chiang Mai sent water right into our living room. We’re grateful to report that we sustained no serious damage.

September

Rob, Esther, Nathan, and Paul took Anna to begin her first year of college at Whitworth in Spokane, Washington. The orientation weekend was welcoming, informative, and fun, and the difficulty saying goodbye was mitigated by our confidence that Anna had chosen the right school and was in the right place. Nathan then headed back to Alaska to finish up a summer construction job, and Paul went with us to visit Esther’s family and friends in Ohio. We loved watching John’s children, Ben and Connie, run well in cross-country; they are growing into delightful young adults. Andy, Ellen, and their energetic sons, Christopher and Jonathon, entertained us during a brief stop in their home in North Carolina during our travels, too. We celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary (one month early) and the 80th birthdays of Esther’s parents.

October

Paul headed home to continue teaching English and Nathan to continue his work with Free Burma Rangers (who work with internally displaced people in Burma). Rob and Esther were joined in Texas by the CCI drama and dance troupe for a tour of 25 churches and schools in 11 states, in five weeks, driving 6,000 miles to share the beauty of Thai music and dance, and the fun and glamour of traditional Thai drama—Likay. We made lots of new friends along the way and enjoyed some special sightseeing opportunities as well. The Hallmark card company, the new Air and Space Museum, and Washington, D.C. stand out as highlights. Special thanks to all our wonderful hosts. Bless you.

CCI is planning another tour for October 2006. If you would like us to visit your church or area, contact us now at the email address on our home page.

November

Work in the chaplain’s office at Payap had continued apace in Esther’s absence and she hit the ground running upon our return—with a counseling skills workshop for Payap teachers and three days of preaching for spiritual renewal chapel services at McCormick Hospital (the Christian hospital founded in the late 1800s by Presbyterian missionaries). Rob spent a week in Bangkok working on Bible translation, as he does several times a year.

December

An all-day Christmas party with worship, Santa, supper, and the Payap choir singing The Messiah made for the “best Payap Christmas ever” in Esther’s view (you can read more details in a Mission Connections letter that should be coming to you soon). We’ve just enjoyed a quiet, joyful Christmas with family and friends here in Chiang Mai. We love having Rob’s daughter Kris, her husband, Troy, and son Sawyer here in Chiang Mai. Two-year old Sawyer is chattering non-stop, and hearing “grammom and grampa” is music to our ears.

Once again we want to say how grateful we are to God for his gift to us through you. We love knowing and serving Jesus Christ. We love the privilege of working with the church here to share his love and to invite people to consider following him. Our prayer is that you will grow in your knowledge of and love for him in the coming year. We also hope we may be able to see a few of you. We will be in the United States from March 17 to May 15, 2006. Much of our time is being arranged by the PC(USA)’s Mission Connections office, but we’ll be in the Pasadena, California, area from March 18-24, and in northeastern Ohio from April 3-21, and in the Portland, Oregon, area from May 11-14. If you would like us to visit during one of those times, let us know.

God’s richest blessings on you all,

Rob and Esther

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 122