Glimpses of the kingdom

• God has done big and small miracles here in Thailand. On April 28, we finally opened the orphanage I’ve always dreamed of. The first five boys moved in with joy – and no tears about leaving their old home. They’ve settled in and are tearing around the Abundant Life Home (ALH) on their new bikes!
• One day I was praying for a Thai doctor to offer free consulting services, and that very day I met Dr. Aree in the hospital. She had heard about the ALH and asked me if she could volunteer. She and her husband are both pediatricians and want to help us. I’m praying for their salvation . . . the biggest thank you we could give them!
• Two public schools turned down a request for our five boys with HIV to study there. Every social worker and nun from their old home cautioned us not to tell the schools about their HIV status, so we were shaken and a bit scared. We called a meeting with our church and began to pray. We felt peace to tell the truth – that God would fight this battle on behalf of our boys. Within a week, a local pastor, Ajaan Boo, was able to help us get the boys into a Buddhist temple school for poor children in the city. Ajaan Boo had coached soccer at the school for free and had gained favour with the principal. Isn’t the family of God amazing when we work to bless each other for the kingdom’s sake?
• A church from Greendale, B.C. e-mailed us and asked if we could use a special offering. We had been praying for funds to buy a van, so we said, “Yes, we would love it!” After a goal of $10,000 was spoken out in faith, the Lord blew everyone away with more than $15,000 from the small country church! Once again, God confirmed that his heart is for the orphans and children.
• Our church went to the ocean for a late afternoon baptism. In a moment of personal “high” for our team, we baptized Ganiga and Ping. Ganiga was the first person Ricky and I met in Chonburi, and she and her daughter Ping have worked in our home for years. They helped us care for our daughters and have been like family to us. They both came to faith in Jesus last summer and helped at the tsunami site with Operation Rebuilding Lives. At their baptism, we saw the joy of the Lord on their faces. We recounted God’s faithfulness during our five years of praying for them. God is actively at work drawing the lost to himself!

Karen Sanchez is a missionary with MBMSI and lives in Thailand with her husband, Ricky, and their 4 daughters.