Preach

For two Sundays in April, we had the privilege of visiting two local churches to talk about IJM's work and what our part will be with the Thailand office. It was great to meet lots of new people and reconnect with some familiar faces. Scott also gave the sermon at both churches, and he did a wonderful job! If you would like to listen to his sermon from United Methodist Temple, you can do that here. (The sermon starts around 12:20.)

Before talking about our work with IJM, we played an introductory video at each church we have visited. If you're curious about what, specifically, IJM does, this is a good brief introduction. Their YouTube channel also has several videos that relay stories of survivors that are really moving. Below is the brief (less than 2 minutes!) introductory video:

SOLD

Great news--we sold our house! Pending some details, we should close the week of June 13th. This is a huge blessing, since we won't have to move to another location for very long before leaving for Thailand. We had several showings, but these buyers were perfect for us!

It is definitely bittersweet. We have lived in this house longer than any other place in our marriage. We brought all three of our kids home to this house. We have a lot of great memories here and have loved living in this neighborhood surrounded by some awesome people. However, it is a huge relief to not have the sale of our house looming over our heads while we finish our preparations for Thailand. It's also nice to not have to keep cleaning the house every couple of days for a showing. We'll cherish our memories, but are looking forward to making new ones in Thailand soon!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It's official--we bought our plane tickets this week! Our official leave date is June 27. We were fortunate to catch a dip in flight prices, so we didn't pay as much as we had anticipated. It's starting to feel real now that we have just over two months to go!

Last week we visited Faith Southern Baptist in Clay City, where Scott preached and I shared about International Justice Mission. They welcomed us with open arms and generously gave to our fundraising effort. On Sunday we'll be visiting United Methodist Temple in Terre Haute. This is our last church visit, so if you'd been hoping to hear more about our work in Thailand come see us this week! We'd also love to talk with you in person over dinner or coffee about International Justice Mission and the important work they are doing around the world.

The next items on our to-do list are immunizations and visas. Fun! Hope to see as many of you as we can before June 27th!

The Locust Effect

We first heard about International Justice Mission several years ago through one of our favorite artists, Sara Groves. We didn't know much about the specifics of their work, but knew that they worked with victims of trafficking and other forms of injustice. Once we heard about a fellowship opportunity with IJM, we started to research more on how they go about seeking justice for these victims.

Gary Haugen, the founder of IJM, released a new book last year called The Locust Effect, which we read last summer. It's a good but intense read, detailing why there is such a great need in many countries to strengthen justice systems, and why so many people are still living in poverty even though billions of dollars have been donated globally. The locust effect refers to the ability of a swarm of locusts to devour everything in their path. Similarly, unchecked violence can destroy a family and send them right back into the cycle of poverty, despite any charity they may have received previously.

Each of the churches we are visiting will be receiving a copy of The Locust Effect for their libraries. We highly recommend reading this book if you're drawn to global justice issues.