It is spring and promising to be summer quickly. The mangoes are coming on and the kids are starting to talk about being out of school. I saw a neighbor getting bamboo ties ready for the rice planting but that is still a couple of months off.

In this break period between harvest and the new planting people are looking for work and our Income Generation committee sees more action. We have started another sidecar selling steamed buns and another ice cream one as well. The original ice cream project is now producing work for 6 people representing 4 different families and Chon, the primary producer, is considering expanding. The problems we hit are still mostly dealing with people and their understanding of what it takes to run your own business. The joys are also in seeing people develop and learn to handle new things. Praise God that the Joys outweigh the problems.

We tried something new with a team that came through early this month. We did home stays. At first we thought we would be working really hard, between the church, English students and friends, to find enough houses for everybody but we approached the church first and soon they were fighting over the chance to host one of the team. Eventually we had to ask people to separate so that each family could get one. Both the team and church members seemed to enjoy the time together and neighbors of church members that we later visited asked if they could be included in hosting next time.

Schools have again expressed their appreciation at the visits by teams and lately our village headman / mayor has gotten into explaining how the village system works. We often rent our neighbors van to take people around and the hospital has given tours. The community is getting involved and the response by both sides has been positive.

** As we look forward we want to share with you that we will be in the U.S. this August to December for 'home assignment'. We are looking forward to seeing as many friends as possible. For our friends at churches across the U.S. if you would like to have us come and visit this is the way it is done. (Actually, since this is a new system we are not experts in this, but this is how we understand it works.) Your church needs to contact the regional minister of mission support and make a request for us to come to your church. That person will then make the contact with the appropriate folks in Valley Forge. I know that it seems for many of you that contacting us directly is easier, but this way we avoid double bookings. Also, if you go this way, they pay part of the transportation costs. I know fall and winter are a long way off, but sometimes it is good to plan ahead.

Prayer Points
*Please pray for the Income Generation Projects that people will learn how to handle money.
*Please pray for our contacts in the community that they will bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
*Please pray for us as we get ready for home assignment starting in August of 2002.