The Family Learning Center

WANTED: Individuals interested in a grand adventure and serving Christ in Northern Thailand. K-12 school is looking for teachers in all grade levels to teach in various subjects.

The Family Learning Center was formed to “serve the servant” in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Our school was established to support the many ministries and outreaches in the North of Thailand, by serving the children of those called here to serve. We began as a ministry formed under YWAM (Youth With A Mission), and have recently moved under the Christian Education Foundation of Thailand (CEFT).

We are a K-12th grade school, and instruction is English-based. We have students from around the world including America, Australia, Thailand, Holland, Taiwan. Our teachers come from around the globe as well!

In order to “serve the servant” well, we are looking for others with mission to “serve the servant” though education. Would you consider volunteering to serve in Chiang Rai? We are looking for people to help in several areas, including teachers (all levels and subjects) and administrative staff. Whether you want to come for a semester, a year, or long-term, the Family Learning Center has a place for you to serve!

Please e-mail me at william@thaihaynes.com to start talking about the possibilities!

Pongprabaht Church Update #2

We are SO thrilled to see the progress at the Pongprabaht Karin Church. We have a DTS team from YWAM Montana working there this week, so we'll post more photos at the end of the week.

When we arrived this morning, it was wonderful to see that bright blue roof already installed! Walls are going up on the downstairs rooms and the flooring is complete on the second story. The villagers were excited to show me the progress that had been made. Here's a slideshow of photos we have taken this week:



The old building was wooden and the Simpsonville team used planks from that building to help create the forms for the concrete on the new building. The team this week will be helping renovate the old building into an open air "sala", or roofed seating area.

The church leaders asked me to preach and I did the sermon on following God's vision. I'm excited for the YWAM Team getting to spend time working with this church. The team is sleeping out in the village and they've been assigned to houses of villagers in the church. Tonight is their first evening in the village, so it will be fun to hear the stories.

Pongprabaht Church Progress

Cindy and I rode out to the Pongprabaht Church today to see the progress that's been made on the church building. Simpsonville First Baptist Church came and helped with the initial construction. In the last month, the second floor supports, flooring, and the roof supports have been added. Some of the walls downstairs have been done as well. I'm thinking within the next couple of months, the building will be ready to use!

Vacation Bible School

We had a VBS yesterday in a nearby Karin Hilltribe Village. It went great and there were about 40 kids there. Andy Clark, from Simpsonville First Baptist Church, did a great job presenting the plan of salvation using the evangicube and about 10 children accepted Christ as their savior!

Here's a slideshow:

Or you can click here for the web album of pictures.

The crafts were very popular and each children was thrilled with the gifts that they got to take home. We will see frisbees and yoyo's for years in that Karin Hilltribe village.

Simpsonville First Baptist Outreach 2008

Here's a slideshow of some pictures from the team's time here in Chiang Rai. They have been such a blessing to many, particularly the members of Phomprabaht Church where they have been working.

I thought I'd share a slideshow of their time here so far.



Or you can click here for the webalbum.

Simpsonville First Baptist Church Team

The Simpsonville First Baptist Church team has arrived and is hard at work helping a local Karin Church build a new building for Sunday School and outreach. We're thrilled to have them here with us and the building is coming along quickly.

Introduction to Primary Health Care School

Cindy will be developing a IPHC school with the base staff here in Chiang Rai. In February of 2009, YWAM Montana will run this school in Chiang Rai. Cindy will be taking the course then. Cindy will then need to staff the school the following year before she can help start the school in Chiang Rai during 2011.

Yes, that means we're planning to be here for quite awhile longer! Here's some background information on the course taken from the YWAM Montana website:

This school is an entry-level course designed to help those with or without prior knowledge of health care. You can have an impact on nations, communities, and individuals by learning to be equipped as primary health care workers. Students benefit from the expert instruction of practicing professionals including physicians, nurses, physician assistants, dental hygienists, social workers, and health educators.

Lecture Phase :

The three (3) month lecture phase includes:

• Fundamentals of anatomy and physiology
• Basic knowledge and function of the human body helping students to understand the disease process.
• Strategies in primary health care
• Topics include immunization, the most common diseases in developing nations, malnutrition, dehydration in children, and assessment and care of sick children. (Millions of children die each year from diarrhea and dehydration.)

Practical clinical skills:

• Basic physical assessment
• wound care
• bandaging
• sterile technique
• medication administration
• vital signs
• emergency childbirth
• first aid and managing medical emergencies.

Cindy's excited about the possibilities to impact the remote areas of Northern Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. William is working with the Chiang Rai base where the course will be held. They're quite excited about working together in this important mission.