Note:  Exchange rate is $1=30  Thai baht

Note:  June expenses include a large transfer of a designated gift into the land-purchase account. The land purchase was completed in August 2011.

This week we’ll include a couple photos from our Christian Hostel in Mae Chaem (where 21 poor hill tribe children live while they attend school). In this wet season, the older children spend Saturdays trekking into the jungle to scavenge for fresh bamboo shoots. The shoots are cooked and used to supplement their diet. Learning how to find and prepare this vegetable is a part of their tribal culture, and it helps to hold down the cost of feeding 21 hungry and growing children.

Two older boys, from the hostel “Abundant Grace” in Mae Chaem, carry machetes as they head off toward a jungle stream.

This is Banya, who is proud to show off his find. In the background, another boy is cleaning the outer skin/bark from his bamboo to get at the white core that is edible.

Meanwhile, in Chiang Mai, our families continue to gather on Friday evenings for worship and fellowship time. Here the children and adults enjoyed a good laugh while learning a new song.

The boys from Home of Grace love to sing in their church. Here they are singing while house father Tom plays guitar in the background.

Sunday School activities for the children include time to color pictures that help describe the Bible Stories they’re learning.

Please pray for the poor children in Mae Chaem: Pray that they do well in school, and that they will grow & flourish in the Christian home setting.

Pray that all of our orphan families become the “birthplace” of mature Christian adults who will become the Salt-and-Light to influence this Thai culture and draw people to Jesus.

Grace and Peace to you in Christ,

Dave & Shirley Callahan

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dccalli1&aq=f%20

It’s Sunday afternoon in rainy Chiang Mai, and it is the time I spend reflecting on the past week of activities and sorting through many photos to chose which ones to publish. We pray you are all well and cradled in the love and redemption of Jesus.

This week we’ll share some recent images from Home of Grace. The 6 boys there are quite a handful! (5 are orphans and 1 is the son of the house parents). Please pray for this family home; may God comfort and protect the children as they grow physically and spiritually. Also, pray for house parents Tom and Phikun; may God keep them healthy and filled with loving-kindness and holy wisdom.

Here the boys are busy tending their small garden on a sunny morning. That’s Mark in the orange shirt.

The children have a full schedule of study, chores, devotion/prayer time, and play time every day. Here they are washing their clothes.

After washing, of course, come the ironing. The boys learn to properly iron their school uniforms, as Peter is doing while Mark waits for his turn.

Phikun, the house mother is a great cook and she sometimes will fry fish as a special dinner treat. Phikun and Tom are expecting a baby!

“Eating-out” is a very special treat for the family. Here the boys are having noodle soup with vegetables & meatballs! It may look strange, but it’s delicious.

Grace and Peace to you in Christ,

Dave & Shirley Callahan

http://www.faithfulheartministry.com/

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dccalli1&aq=f%20

Note:  Exchange rate is $1=30.3  Thai baht

We’ve had another busy week, and there were several days of heavy rain (I’m talking Monsoon!). But that couldn’t stop our Saturday music classes. The children love the lessons and we took some new family portraits too.  

Here Mark, from Home of Grace is listening intently as Corey teaches. Meanwhile, the other boys are lined up awaiting their turn on the keyboard.

All the girls from Home of Promise were learning about rhythm as they played home-made percussion instruments. It was LOUD and fun!

This is a sample of the individual portraits we take every year– Martha is our newest girl and she needs a sponsor. We rescued her from a hill tribe family involved with illegal drugs.

Jason had ladies on either side getting him ready for his new portrait. He’s about ready!

We took whole-family portraits like this one of Home of Comfort. It was NOT EASY to get everyone facing the camera!

Please remember to pray for all of our orphans, and for the family homes.

Grace and Peace to you in Christ,

Dave & Shirley Callahan

For short videos of the Saturday activities, click this links –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz1hUu7bN5o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgVHOXN1ebQ

This week we want to show how our children are studying music and guitar with our mission intern, Corey. On Saturday, Corey worked with each family to tailor music lessons to the children in their home. Through the week, he’s been teaching one of our college students, but the weekend is devoted to the younger children. On Sunday, all of the children came to our church to sing a special song. The young girls also recited several scriptures to show how they are memorizing God’s word, and keeping it in their heart.

Pray that our children learn to use their gifts and talents to serve God and give Him glory.

Click the YouTube link below to watch some of our recent video clips.

Joshua (left) was happy to learn more about playing his guitar.

Corey used our small whiteboard to explain notes and rhythm while the children took notes.

At Home of Promise, the girls had a great time and learned a new song.

Here they are practicing hand movements that match the words. (left to right: Paula, Sarah, Martha, Hanna, and Laura)

Our office/home was filled with music from the boys playing several guitars as they practiced new chords and music.

 Grace and Peace to you,

Dave & Shirley Callahan          

                                    http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dccalli1&aq=f

This is the season for gardening & farming in Northern Thailand, and all of our families and children are involved in the activity. This week we can share some photos of our children at-work to grow a portion of their food. Please pray that all of our families are blessed with strength and safety while they work hard. And, pray that God will bless the work of their hands by creating a great harvest. All for His Glory. 

Here Joshua is working the hard-packed soil (beside their new rented home) to make a vegetable garden.

On a steep hillside near a mountain village, young Timothy (blue shirt) helps prepare the ground to plant corn. 

Far north in Nan province our Mein hilltribe children (in Happy Hearts Dorm) help their house mother, Nui, prepare a vegetable garden.

Solomon (in the red shirt) also worked several days helping to clear the hillside for a corn crop.

Even the smallest children, our girls at Home of Promise, help to pull weeds in the garden at their home.

Grace and peace to you in Christ,

Dave & Shirley Callahan