Brainstorming the Asian Hub Concept 

Greetings from Chiang Mai. Our trip to Hong Kong to join Team ministry area leaders (MALs) was intense at times. Leaders from all over Asia met in conference to wrestle with ideas on how best to globalize mission resources and services to better serve workers spread throughout Asia. Because member care resources (that's us!) have already been re-located to the various regions of the world, our member care team was often held up as an example of how decentralization can succeed. Team hopes to develop a concentration of services and resources here in Thailand to serve the Asia region. Pray for our ongoing interaction with leadership with the end result that a strategic hub will develop.  From this hub workers will be better prepared for the field and better cared for on the field.

Ilokano Hong Kong Connection

After our conference concluded we took the liberty of contacting a number of Filipino friends from our 'barrio' (village) days who had since become OCWs (overseas contract  workers). We connected with five of them over the weekend before returning to Thailand. One had worked for Bethany as a secretary, one had been a domestic helper in our home and another had been an elder of a Bethany church. Regardless of our relationship, it was a joy to renew our friendship and minister the love of God to these Ilokanos who were far from home and lonesome for fellowship. 

Other prayer requests:

1. Pray for our Filipino friends and their families that God would keep their families strong while they are apart.

2. Pray for strength and endurance for Heather and Krista in the thick of their play production "A Christmas Story". The finale is on Dec. 20. 

3. Pray for the final details for the girls' trip Jan. 12-22 to come together including decent weather for the airlines to fly! 

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta