July 1, 2001

Dear Family and Friends,

Some years are like this. It looks like the matters that matter most in them will never end, but they finally do. It is finally certain that the twentieth century and the second millennium are over; one of those past two New Year’s days accomplished that. The U.S. presidential election was definitely decided, finally. Ken Dobson was reappointed to another term in Thailand after months of delay. The outcome of these and other events was never really in doubt, but the devil was in the details.

I am now back in Thailand serving as vice president of Christian College. The college is one of two that is owned and operated by the Church of Christ in Thailand, the older and larger of which is Payap University in Chiang Mai, where I taught on the theology faculty for several years. My area of responsibility at Christian College is international relations, which begins with a search for native speakers of English to teach English. We urgently need teachers and can provide generous incentives to the right people. If you know of anyone who would like to spend a year in the tropics please let them know. I would love to hear from them. I am also helping revise the English curriculum of the graduate school and assisting the religion department.

During the coming months I will be host to three or four tour groups representing Presbyterians and others from Illinois, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Our fifth Mission Study Tour, scheduled for January 30 to February 13, 2002, would welcome you aboard. We will visit the mission work of the Church of Christ in Thailand (especially that established by Presbyterians and Disciples), we will see some of the wonderful and exotic sites of Thailand, and we will spend time soaking up sun and enjoying a break from mid-winter—in about equal doses. The cost for this will be approximately $1500 plus airfare from St. Louis to Bangkok and back (about $1000). That includes all food, lodging, ground transportation, gratuities and fees from the moment you arrive in Bangkok until the moment you leave. The Rev. George Humbert, pastor of College Avenue Presbyterian Church in Alton, Illinois, is the coordinator; the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy is the sponsor. Contact me soon to add your name to our list of those who are interested.

I am also helping a couple of the churches in St. Louis send out a youth group to do an English Camp at one of our Christian schools. This is a new venture that everybody is excited about. If your church is interested in sending a youth group to Thailand to do something useful and different (not painting a church or school), let me know. I can estimate costs and arrange the program for you. Most groups would be interested in coming in the summer, but I would really love to have a group that can come during spring break! We are planning for our fourth English Camp for children sponsored by the college for a week between the last week of March and the first week of May. Four to six older high school or college kids would be fantastic. We can keep the cost to little more than airfare to Bangkok and back. You’ll never find a better deal than that, for a life-changing experience of what the Church is all about.

Meanwhile, back in Godfrey, Illinois, we sold the house. So please change your address book as below.

Grace and peace,

Kenneth Dobson

The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 163