After much consideration and search for wisdom... we have decided to come to the states to have the baby due to the time frame on our visas, the dicey political situation, and the risk of being stuck here with a new baby with no passport for him if anything should get worse. We don't expect it to deteriorate much more but it is better to cover the bases and be safe, especially with a coming little one.
We have bought round trip tickets from Chiang Mai to the States. We will be there from May 23 to Aug 12. We will be spending about a week in California and arrive in Indiana on June 3 early in the morning.
Please pray for peace for our family as we are having to leave our home and family in Chiang Mai for longer than we would like at this point in time. We are excited to see you all but didn't really expect it would be under these circumstances. Any way we will be seeing you soon! It will be great to see all of your faces and be able to give you big giant HUGS.
Please also pray for Diane as she will be staying to hold down the fort :) She is not in any major danger at this point and shouldn't have much of a problem handling her visa stuff. Mainly, just keep her safety and spirit uplifted as life is going to be changed a bit for her at our departure. She will be looking forward to our return and seeing baby Jet! The Chinese students will also continue to rent, so she will not be alone.
Last thing to keep in prayer specifically for our family is our flights and the smooth operation of the airports here in Thailand.
Of course in general,
Pray that the issues in this country can be peacefully resolved with a movement forward for the better of the whole nation.
We Love You All!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Lee Update
Hello everyone!
*I have put in bold prayer requests for those of you without much time. This set is quite urgent ;)
Once again we have been delayed in our updates! We have much to cover ;) First, let me thank you for all of your prayers as they are being answered and in the same breath remind you to continue to pray. Daily life continues to be challenging as the cultural frustrations are mounting into an everest of obstacles; some to be overcome only by faith, others by hard work, and all creating a lasting lesson of shall I say... PATIENCE. Also please continue to pray for health, safety, and covering in all areas.
Our family is growing or should I say... namely me. Jet is doing well, though he is proving stubborn to turn into the correct position for birth. We are fervently praying that he does as there is no other option here besides a c-section for delivery of a breech baby. Those of you that know me well will also know my position on that subject :) He still has 7 weeks. Please join us in praying that Jet will turn and any obstacle preventing him from doing so will be removed. IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
Jodi, one of our original housemates has officially been accepted into Chiang Mai University to pursue her masters in International Business. It has been a long wait as she has had to go through several testing phases. She has truly become a part of our family and a best buddy to Maya. We are glad that she will continue to stay with us during her studies. She is a blessing to our family. Jodi is often a breath of fresh air when we need one. Right now she is visiting her family in China for 2 weeks. Please pray that the student visa process goes smoothly for her. Also pray for her growth in the Lord as she continues to press in though there have been some rough patches along the way.
Our new long-term housemate is Candy. She will be rooming with Jodi. Candy will be studying for her masters at Payap University here in Chiang Mai. Candy is growing on us also. Though she is a bit more shy. Please pray that Candy's heart will open to the gospel and that we will have increased opportunity to talk to her.
Good news... Diane has been blessed with the perfect job for her. She has been employed at a language school ran by two christian ladies. It is part-time and fun. There is also opportunity for more hours in the future as their business is growing. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray that Diane finds a good option for her visa.
As far as Jared's job.... right now the job situation he is currently in continues to go from bad to worse. There have been a couple of job opportunities that we have recently heard about that he will be pursuing. Both of these job opportunities are at good schools and are known to treat their employees better. This evening for you.... Jared has a scheduled interview at one of the schools and will be stopping by the other to drop off his resume. Please throughout the day and week for favor and clear direction for any doors that may be opened. Also, a quick response to whether he will be hired or not as things can drag out here. We are in need of a breakthrough in this area.
We love you all so much and I personally wish I could give you all a big hug. I know I do not write often to many of you on an individual basis. Please know you are always on my mind...
You are special to me. I can't tell you enough. Just knowing you are all there blesses me.
With LOVE,
Amber, and Family
*I have put in bold prayer requests for those of you without much time. This set is quite urgent ;)
Once again we have been delayed in our updates! We have much to cover ;) First, let me thank you for all of your prayers as they are being answered and in the same breath remind you to continue to pray. Daily life continues to be challenging as the cultural frustrations are mounting into an everest of obstacles; some to be overcome only by faith, others by hard work, and all creating a lasting lesson of shall I say... PATIENCE. Also please continue to pray for health, safety, and covering in all areas.
Our family is growing or should I say... namely me. Jet is doing well, though he is proving stubborn to turn into the correct position for birth. We are fervently praying that he does as there is no other option here besides a c-section for delivery of a breech baby. Those of you that know me well will also know my position on that subject :) He still has 7 weeks. Please join us in praying that Jet will turn and any obstacle preventing him from doing so will be removed. IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
Jodi, one of our original housemates has officially been accepted into Chiang Mai University to pursue her masters in International Business. It has been a long wait as she has had to go through several testing phases. She has truly become a part of our family and a best buddy to Maya. We are glad that she will continue to stay with us during her studies. She is a blessing to our family. Jodi is often a breath of fresh air when we need one. Right now she is visiting her family in China for 2 weeks. Please pray that the student visa process goes smoothly for her. Also pray for her growth in the Lord as she continues to press in though there have been some rough patches along the way.
Our new long-term housemate is Candy. She will be rooming with Jodi. Candy will be studying for her masters at Payap University here in Chiang Mai. Candy is growing on us also. Though she is a bit more shy. Please pray that Candy's heart will open to the gospel and that we will have increased opportunity to talk to her.
Good news... Diane has been blessed with the perfect job for her. She has been employed at a language school ran by two christian ladies. It is part-time and fun. There is also opportunity for more hours in the future as their business is growing. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray that Diane finds a good option for her visa.
As far as Jared's job.... right now the job situation he is currently in continues to go from bad to worse. There have been a couple of job opportunities that we have recently heard about that he will be pursuing. Both of these job opportunities are at good schools and are known to treat their employees better. This evening for you.... Jared has a scheduled interview at one of the schools and will be stopping by the other to drop off his resume. Please throughout the day and week for favor and clear direction for any doors that may be opened. Also, a quick response to whether he will be hired or not as things can drag out here. We are in need of a breakthrough in this area.
We love you all so much and I personally wish I could give you all a big hug. I know I do not write often to many of you on an individual basis. Please know you are always on my mind...
You are special to me. I can't tell you enough. Just knowing you are all there blesses me.
With LOVE,
Amber, and Family
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Sorry for the delay in updates... the internet is a bit faulty... hopefully we will have one out soon. Here is a quick one for now. Thank you all for your love and support. We really appreciate it.
Maya is growing tall and beautiful. Jet is kicking like crazy. Jared has one week left of summer school, followed by a two week break. He resumes his normal school schedule after all of that. Diane thinks she may have secured a part time job, and I am being pregnant :)
The heat has been very intense, and debilitating. We can't wait for the rains. Though it won't get much cooler, at least there will be some freshness to the air.
Most specific prayer request other than covering spiritually, physically, mentally... is Jody.
She will be taking her final examination to get into Chiang Mai University. The test is specific to writing skills followed by an interview. Please pray that God will give her peace and the ability to remember all that she has studied and the wisdom as to what to study. She isn't exactly sure how the test will be formated. She only has one shot. If she fails she will have to return to China. She does not want to go back to China. She wants to study to get her masters degree and loves staying with us as she is growing in Christ. God knows what is right for her.
That's all for now. We love you so much
Maya is growing tall and beautiful. Jet is kicking like crazy. Jared has one week left of summer school, followed by a two week break. He resumes his normal school schedule after all of that. Diane thinks she may have secured a part time job, and I am being pregnant :)
The heat has been very intense, and debilitating. We can't wait for the rains. Though it won't get much cooler, at least there will be some freshness to the air.
Most specific prayer request other than covering spiritually, physically, mentally... is Jody.
She will be taking her final examination to get into Chiang Mai University. The test is specific to writing skills followed by an interview. Please pray that God will give her peace and the ability to remember all that she has studied and the wisdom as to what to study. She isn't exactly sure how the test will be formated. She only has one shot. If she fails she will have to return to China. She does not want to go back to China. She wants to study to get her masters degree and loves staying with us as she is growing in Christ. God knows what is right for her.
That's all for now. We love you so much
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
New Update
Hot off the press! Finally, our update! For all of you who were intently waiting :) Just so all of you know.... If it's been a while since we have written an update and you have any questions or are wondering how we are doing please e-mail us. We love to hear from you. Also, we do have skype capabilities. So, for all you skypers out there we would love to video conference with you! Our skype name is amber-jared. You are all so important to us. Even though we live so far away we want to know what is going on with you and would love to see your faces.
SETTLING IN
We have been in Thailand for almost seven months. Time flies! As with any move it takes time to get the family settled, especially in a new community. Not to mention a totally different culture! I am so happy to say that with much help we are finally there. Our house is filled with pictures on the wall that Maya has drawn, a few photos, and we are making some fun memories as we meet new people and make new friends. Many of the people Jared works with and that we come across do not have kitchens where they live. This is a normal thing. We invite people over quite often just to enjoy a home cooked meal. It's been an awesome way God has been using us to build relationships. We are also in a central location for people to meet so Diane and I have become hosts for a womens Bible study. Maya has been blessed with a new friend that comes over with her grandma to play while we meet for the study. God is truly blessing us and it has been so fun and exciting to start taking steps in reaching out to others now that we are finally stable. Most of the things that were so awkward to us are normal. The sound of Thai is becoming as familiar as English, though we still only know bits. Baby steps :) I love going to the open air market to buy our fruit and vegetables. We still go to the regular super market for meat. Especially now that it is beginning to get warm. The motorbike has become just as normal as hopping in a car. It is actually quite a luxury for us to get the chance to ride in a car. It's going to be interesting once the rainy season comes as far as motorbike travel.
JOBS
It looks like Jared is going to be able to sign a contract to teach next year at the school he has been working at. He teaches history, English, and computer. The job only requires him to work 4 days a week which is a total blessing. It allows more time to do ministry outside of work which was a big concern. The school is working on the paperwork for his work permit which will enable us to get our visas for the next year. Please be praying that all of this goes smoothly! Paperwork in Thailand gets a bit sticky sometimes. I have been done working for about a month now. Gladly, as I was losing weight and constantly ill. Diane is still job searching. Please be praying that the right opportunity comes along and that she clearly hears the direction of God in this area. It has been a bit discouraging for her.
PREGNANCY
This pregnancy has been going better since I've stopped working. I am 20 weeks along. The baby moves around quite a bit. We found out about a month ago that we are expecting a boy. Both of us are very excited and can't wait to meet him. We took Maya to the ultrasound and when the technician showed us that he was a boy Maya responded with “NO.. NO... it's a girl!” She's slowly getting used to the idea of a brother and has informed us that she is going to teach him to walk, how to make funny faces, and about God. Please continue to pray that the baby grows well and that I stay healthy. We are also having some difficulty figuring out details surrounding the delivery. It looks like we are going to have to have the baby in the hospital...for me... this is going to take a bigger leap of faith than delivering at home. We need to find the right doctor and the right hospital. It is very difficult to get straight answers here in Thailand. I need some clear direction and honest answers from doctors and hospitals. Please keep all that in prayer as well. I can't wait to much longer to figure this stuff out ;)
ROOMATES
Nancy and Tracy have moved back to China. Jodi has decided to stay and pursue her masters degree. She is very close to accepting Christ as her Savior. Please keep her in prayer as there is an obvious battle going on for her life. She has been hit with one thing after another. Right now she is trying to get accepted into Chiang Mai University. She has passed one test and has one later in May. If she passes the test in May she will then take a test 2 days later. However, she just found out her visa ends the end of March instead of August. She has to figure out a way to stay until she can take the tests and be accepted into the school. Please pray that all of this works out for her. God is really ministering to her here and we know that Satan is working very hard to distract her and draw her away from God. We have come to love her very much and care for her deeply.
BLESSINGS
Recently some of you helped us out financially. This was a total surprise to us. Thank you so much. We had been praying about our situation for quite some time. We were able to pay our bill in full and had money left. We were also praying for the finances to replace our laptop that was stolen as Jared needs one for work, and also, the finances to provide Maya with a bed. We had just enough money after tithe to meet all of those needs! God is good and you have blessed us so much. We cannot thank you enough. Jared makes just enough money to cover the rent, motorbike costs, utilities, and groceries. We new we had to rely on God to work it all out as we have no extra money left at the end of the month to save. Thank you so much.
PRAYER REQUEST OVERVIEW
Job for Diane
Healthy pregnancy and general health for everyone
Smooth processing of paperwork for Jared's work-permit and visas
Jody's salvation and visa situation
Finding a good doctor and hospital for the delivery of our baby
Continued prayer covering of safety, health, guidance, and direction over our family
SETTLING IN
We have been in Thailand for almost seven months. Time flies! As with any move it takes time to get the family settled, especially in a new community. Not to mention a totally different culture! I am so happy to say that with much help we are finally there. Our house is filled with pictures on the wall that Maya has drawn, a few photos, and we are making some fun memories as we meet new people and make new friends. Many of the people Jared works with and that we come across do not have kitchens where they live. This is a normal thing. We invite people over quite often just to enjoy a home cooked meal. It's been an awesome way God has been using us to build relationships. We are also in a central location for people to meet so Diane and I have become hosts for a womens Bible study. Maya has been blessed with a new friend that comes over with her grandma to play while we meet for the study. God is truly blessing us and it has been so fun and exciting to start taking steps in reaching out to others now that we are finally stable. Most of the things that were so awkward to us are normal. The sound of Thai is becoming as familiar as English, though we still only know bits. Baby steps :) I love going to the open air market to buy our fruit and vegetables. We still go to the regular super market for meat. Especially now that it is beginning to get warm. The motorbike has become just as normal as hopping in a car. It is actually quite a luxury for us to get the chance to ride in a car. It's going to be interesting once the rainy season comes as far as motorbike travel.
JOBS
It looks like Jared is going to be able to sign a contract to teach next year at the school he has been working at. He teaches history, English, and computer. The job only requires him to work 4 days a week which is a total blessing. It allows more time to do ministry outside of work which was a big concern. The school is working on the paperwork for his work permit which will enable us to get our visas for the next year. Please be praying that all of this goes smoothly! Paperwork in Thailand gets a bit sticky sometimes. I have been done working for about a month now. Gladly, as I was losing weight and constantly ill. Diane is still job searching. Please be praying that the right opportunity comes along and that she clearly hears the direction of God in this area. It has been a bit discouraging for her.
PREGNANCY
This pregnancy has been going better since I've stopped working. I am 20 weeks along. The baby moves around quite a bit. We found out about a month ago that we are expecting a boy. Both of us are very excited and can't wait to meet him. We took Maya to the ultrasound and when the technician showed us that he was a boy Maya responded with “NO.. NO... it's a girl!” She's slowly getting used to the idea of a brother and has informed us that she is going to teach him to walk, how to make funny faces, and about God. Please continue to pray that the baby grows well and that I stay healthy. We are also having some difficulty figuring out details surrounding the delivery. It looks like we are going to have to have the baby in the hospital...for me... this is going to take a bigger leap of faith than delivering at home. We need to find the right doctor and the right hospital. It is very difficult to get straight answers here in Thailand. I need some clear direction and honest answers from doctors and hospitals. Please keep all that in prayer as well. I can't wait to much longer to figure this stuff out ;)
ROOMATES
Nancy and Tracy have moved back to China. Jodi has decided to stay and pursue her masters degree. She is very close to accepting Christ as her Savior. Please keep her in prayer as there is an obvious battle going on for her life. She has been hit with one thing after another. Right now she is trying to get accepted into Chiang Mai University. She has passed one test and has one later in May. If she passes the test in May she will then take a test 2 days later. However, she just found out her visa ends the end of March instead of August. She has to figure out a way to stay until she can take the tests and be accepted into the school. Please pray that all of this works out for her. God is really ministering to her here and we know that Satan is working very hard to distract her and draw her away from God. We have come to love her very much and care for her deeply.
BLESSINGS
Recently some of you helped us out financially. This was a total surprise to us. Thank you so much. We had been praying about our situation for quite some time. We were able to pay our bill in full and had money left. We were also praying for the finances to replace our laptop that was stolen as Jared needs one for work, and also, the finances to provide Maya with a bed. We had just enough money after tithe to meet all of those needs! God is good and you have blessed us so much. We cannot thank you enough. Jared makes just enough money to cover the rent, motorbike costs, utilities, and groceries. We new we had to rely on God to work it all out as we have no extra money left at the end of the month to save. Thank you so much.
PRAYER REQUEST OVERVIEW
Job for Diane
Healthy pregnancy and general health for everyone
Smooth processing of paperwork for Jared's work-permit and visas
Jody's salvation and visa situation
Finding a good doctor and hospital for the delivery of our baby
Continued prayer covering of safety, health, guidance, and direction over our family
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