Here Comes the Bride...

There are numerous, uncountable blessings we receive from our heavenly Father. We grow up, get married, have kids and the next thing you know, they are having their own kids. This time last year we were getting ready to fly to Florida for Nathan’s wedding that happened May 14^th. We were excited and really looking forward to such a celebration. And, we weren’t disappointed—our son and daughter know how to do a wedding.
Pornpimon (Bum) on the left when she was much younger. She's old now--23!

This year, on May 15^th, another blessing is coming into our lives: Pornpimon Noinamkum is getting married. Wondering what on earth a Pornpimon could be? Well, it’s none other than “Bum,” our Thai daughter (that’s her claim at least and we are glad to have her). About 3 years ago I had a teacher’s assistant named Glynn and he was in the right place at the right time cause Bum was my student then. There was obviously some sparks flying cause they will be married. After Glynn’s time as an assistant was up, he went home, made some money and raised a little support and came back over here and enrolled in school. He’ll be a 3^rd year student next semester.

Here's what Bum looks like now. A lot older and for sure crazier.

Jackie and I are really happy about all of this. It’s kind of like our going away gift I suppose. To see what God has done in Bum’s life the last 3 years has been incredible. She’s working on staff at the church and regularly translates for English speakers coming through and helping teams too. She’s really smart, though she says she’s a buffalo. Smart. Very cute and loves God—Glynn wins! Glynn is a man we’re really proud of too. He’s gone through a lot to live over here and go to school. It isn’t easy to be a full-time student and live on support and be involved in ministry. He’s done very well.

My last paid day of work is April 19^th so we were planning on being out of here as quick as we could to save money but then the wedding blessing exploded in front of all of us so we will be here until May 22^nd. Bum’s parents want Jackie and I to be something or other in this event so we get to go to their house, about 7 hours from here, with Bum and Glynn and do something in relation to the engagement. Marriage over here is kind of like what you read about in American history books: You gotta pay a dowry (they don’t want farm animals—they want cash!) and go through a few rituals before you get the daughter. So, we’ll be going over in April to help (if we actually can). Then we’ll go back in May for the 1^st wedding, which is a traditional Thai wedding.

There they go, Glen and Bum on the way to Birmingham, AL.

Herein lies the challenge. Bum’s parents insist on this type of wedding or it’s no deal. So, in a Thai traditional wedding you have lots of Buddhist-type things going on you have to navigate your way through. We are praying that God will change Bum’s parent’s hearts and allow us some freedom to kind of Christianize it. I don’t have a problem with the Monk praying a blessing over them. However, some of the other stuff is kind of strange and Bum’s really uncomfortable with it, but wants to honor her parents. So, please join us in praying. We are thinking that perhaps God could use this to minister to the parents and bring them to salvation. 2.5 years ago they disowned Bum but now she’s their #1 daughter and has led her middle sister to Christ. Seeing the parents come to Christ would just be so awesome. Please pray for that to happen. There are no Christians in Bum’s village.

The 2^nd marriage ceremony won’t be until December and that will be in the church and is the one Bum considers the real thing. We'll miss that one, which makes us very sad. Glynn and Bum are in America right now with Glynn’s parents in Birmingham, Nathan’s birth town by the way, visiting his family and church and they will have an “official” engagement party there.

Hope Prayer Update: Hope came home from the hospital in a cast that kept her sort of immobile. Unfortunately, the medical care here in our town is a bit sketchy at times and the bone setting didn’t actually work. So Hope has been taken to another hospital 3 hours from here and they will reset the femur and probably put her in traction for a couple of weeks. Or, if they are unable to deal with the problem, Hope will be taken to Bangkok where the health care is world class. Please keep praying for this little one. We were very fortunate that an American doctor “happened” by a couple of days ago and after looking at Hope took her to the hospital for more x-rays and discovered how wrong everything was. God blessed Hope. Pray now for more blessing and healing.

We are slowly winding down, though we still have about 3 months before we leave. Please ask God for His mercy as we try and separate ourselves from Thailand. Besides being home (2^nd longest place we’ve ever lived!), Thailand has a part of our hearts that will hurt to be removed. And, we gotta get ourselves and our household junk back to the States. We called a shipping company and they told us $2800 would do it, no problem. We laughed. So we are looking for boxes and are slowly putting stuff in them and will put them in the mail. It’s about a 3 month transit for the mail to get there via surface and each box is $90 so please pray they actually get to Leah’s apartment. She’s the collector of our junk! Often things kind of get “lost.” It would be cool if ours actually gets there.

Ever wonder what's going on in the mind of a cat? Probably nothing. But this one that moved to our house with her kittens a couple of years ago must not like her picture being taken.

So that's about all the news from our part of Thailand. Actually, there's more, but this thing is long engough and we just wanted to get the news about our "daughter" getting married out to the world--at least that part of the world that we know. Thanks for sharing with us your emails and stories. We love to hear from you and we also love praying for those in need. Be sure and let us know of any prayer requests. There's nothing better'n spending time with Father giving thanks and making intercession. Blessings to you all...