ThePines
s HELLO
Thereisatime foreverything, andaseasonfor everyactivity undertheheavens. Ecclesiastes3:1
Greetings friends and family,
I write this update with joy and grief in my heart. In every wonderful change in life, there is the sadness of goodbyes and the loss of a part of ourselves juxtaposed with the joy and anticipation of what’s to come. While it breaks our hearts to leave The Pines, we are secure in the reassurance that going back to Bangkok is the direction God has asked us to walk in.
I start my new role as the High School Counselor at the International Community School of Bangkok at the end of July. Tum will be pursuing his Masters of Divinity at Bangkok Bible Seminary in August. Deep in my soul I’ve missed working with teenagers, and after a couple years away, I’m ready to jump back into High School Counselling. Tum has grown in a desire to strengthen his pastoral skills in order to help others grow in authentic relationship with Christ.
As we settle into our new life and reflect on the past 6 months at The Pines, we wanted to share with you some of the highlights God brought our way since our last update. Thank you for your love and support. We hope you enjoy seeing what God has been doing!
Love, Natalie & Tum
This is Why We Do What We Do
The Pines is home to many ‘M’ families who are constantly in transition. “Where are you from?”
AnoteI found writtenby a missionary kid
This seems like a simple question, but for many cross-cultural workers and their kids, this question fills them with anxiety. “Well, my passport country is this, but I’ve only visited it a few times, and we’ve lived in two different countries since I was born...but I’ve been in Thailand for four years, so I guess I’m from here?” For these families The Pines is a safe place that stays consistent. One family even told me they offered to take their teenage daughter anywhere she wanted in Thailand this summer, and she chose The Pines over all the pristine beaches and trendy hot spots! The Pines was where she felt the most secure and free to be herself.
As managers we have walked along families as they faced war, political evacuation, natural disasters, family emergencies, births, miscarriages, family reunions, burnout, crisis, abuse, threats to their lives, spiritual/emotional/physical fatigue, and many more life changing circumstances. Daily we had the honor of listening to their stories and providing them a safe place to find peace with God. We laughed and cried with them over meals and throughout our daily routine. This was so much more than just managing a guesthouse. We truly shared our lives with our guests and helped carry each other’s burdens; especially the unique challenges of sharing the gospel around the world.
Our time at The Pines was an incredible experience, and we will treasure it in our hearts forever.
God’sGoodness
April April
May May May June June
Celebrated our Celebrated our Celebrated our 10 10 Anniversary Anniversary Anniversary th th
March March March
At the beach the At the where where we got married! married! we got married!
Songkran ( Thai New Year ) Songkran ( Thai New Year )
Our goodbye gift from goodbye OMF our last week. our
4th of July 4th of July in BKK in BKK
Lucy enjoying Lucy the smell of the of the durian! durian!
Thefirsthalfoftheyearwewere Thefirsthalfoftheyearwewere blessedtohostfamilyfromTum’s sideandmyside! sideandmyside! sideandmyside!
This year Tum has been branching out to do ministry with OMF’s Adventure Camps! These camps are for Thai teenagers to have fun and hear the gospel. All participants are then plugged into a local community of believers. It’s been such a blessing for Tum to get back into youth ministry and see the next generation inspired to follow Jesus!
www.reallygreatsite.com
LookingAhead
Uprooting again is daunting, but God has been so good to us in the midst of it all. We know He is calling us to a new season of ministry and life. My new role at ICS lets me openly share about Jesus unlike my same role in Pattaya. ICS is a mission minded international school. Teachers and staff are considered missionaries because our purpose is first and foremost to share the gospel in Thailand. Many cross-cultural workers in other provinces and countries send their kids to ICS specifically to receive a high-quality Christian education. However, only 20% of the student body are Christians, which is where our mission field comes into play. ICS emphasizes building community, so we are able to impact lives outside of the classroom as well. Families are encouraged to play an active part in community building and cultivating unique ways to build relationships. It’s a huge honor to be part of this school.
Likewise, Tum is still doing ministry. His MDiv program is a 3-year fulltime program that requires him to apply everything he is learning to practical experience. He will have internships and his ministry will be guided by the school for a short time. We discovered in Pattaya that if he just shows up and starts looking for ministry opportunities most ministries were wary of him because there was no one to introduce him. Thailand is all about networking and relationships, so taking this time to focus on BBS will also help him plug in long term into a ministry that’s the right fit.
Prayers for the Laojuns
Tum
Wisdom and grace as he starts seminary. He’s feeling pretty nervous, but he’s excited to go back to school. New friendships and mentors.
Guidance as he explores ministries through school and through our connections in the city. Seminary is fulltime, and active ministry is built into the curriculum.
Natalie
Thanksgiving that my gallstones and gallbladder removal surgery went well. I was super nervous, but praise God I felt like a new person the first day after surgery. It’s been 2 months, and I went back to normal within a couple weeks!
Grace and mercy as I learn the ropes of a new job and go back into high school counselling.
Pray for my students and ICS as the school year starts. New friendships and community.
For the relief managers covering The Pines until August and for the new manager, Fern.
Special Prayer Request
It has been incredibly painful to leave behindWags, Lucky, and LuLu. Please pray for our hearts and that the dogs will adjust well to the new manager. They will have a happier and healthier life by the beach instead of stuck in an apartment in Bangkok.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Philippians 1:3-5
Thank YOU for your love, prayers, and support as we start another season in Thailand. Without you on our team we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. THANK YOU and may God bless you abundantly!