Living in Laos for a week proved to be quite the adventure... after spending a day at an English center in the capital city, our team moved in with a native family in a small village.  We slept on a semi-enclosed porch, showered in an outhouse, and ate fish and rice every day.  We dug holes for the foundation of a schoolhouse, chopped grass, and planted rice.  We spent time with the children, observed the culture, and practiced incarnational living.  We gave our hearts away to the people of that small village. Observing a Buddhist funeral and the people's denial of grief proved very gripping and we left with a deeper love and burden than ever before.  My prayer is that we may have left the smallest glimmer of the Father's love in that place!!!

 Our stellar team - Dru, Emily, Christine, Beth, Shelley & Ryan

       Our home away from home away from home...                                                         The shower room...       

      Got milk?                                                                                                      Hanging out in our little bungalow...

     Digging holes (or digging ourselves into holes) with the villagers...

Planting rice...and wading in mud

Mowing the grass (that the cows missed) in front of the hospital with machetes

Hanging out with the kids...

 The tragedy of a Buddhist funeral...

A Collage of Happiness and Hopelessness