Day 7: The Big One!!!

Day 7 The Big One: Sponsor a Classroom for our New Building

Here’s the big one. The one I’ve been praying about for over a year and still don’t know what to do. The one that started this week long project. The one that I’m almost afraid to ask for because I know most of you can’t afford it. However, I have to trust and pray that maybe just maybe someone may read this and know of someone who does have the means and the desire to help with a project like this. So, that being said let me explain what this project is, and the urgency of finding funding for it.

The school is currently trying to apply to extend through ninth grade. This would give us an opportunity to minister to them for an extra 3 years when they are at a very impressionable age, and would be likely to make a decision for or against Christ. This would literally change many of their lives. However, the government is hesitating because we don’t have enough classrooms, and I’m hesitating to ask for money until we have a for sure ok so that people back home don’t think that I lied. So, I had to come to the decision that I need to ask for so that the new building can help the extension be approved, and if it isn’t that we will still need more classrooms in the future, as some of the current buildings are over 30 years old.

At the school so far, they have a lot of one story buildings that have 3 or 4 classrooms in them. If they continue building like this, they will run out of land and places to build. So, the plan this time is for a 2-story, eight classroom building. This would have 2 classes for each grade 7-9, a teachers room, and the other room would be designated for one subject to use for example, science, computers, etc… The cost of this building they have estimated to be 2 million Baht, or around $200,000.

They have already raised over $20,000 for the project so far, and are looking for the rest from alumni, local people, churches in Thailand, and internationally. Proposals have been sent to Singapore, Korea, and a few other countries, and now I’m sending this to you, my friends and family back home in hopes that you can help find people to donate.

Here’s my ideas for how to donate.

First it would be really great if someone heard of the project and knew of someone who was interested in funding all, or a large portion of the project. That would be the biggest blessing, but also the least likely to happen. So, I’ve come up with some other ideas.

The second is that maybe you know of someone that could sponsor one classroom. If we have an 8 room building and it is $200,000 to build, sponsoring one classroom would be $25,000. We already almost have one classrooms worth, so if 7 more people or organizations could each sponsor one room, we would be able to work together to get the building built. If this were the case I would make sure that your name or organization had a plaque or something recognizing the donation of the classroom.

I remember back to the days as a child when they would have PBS fund drives, or fund drives on the radio stations. You know where one person promises to give a big donation if so many others will give a smaller one. This is something I would like to find people back home to challenge the school here. I’m sure it won’t be an even match, and probably not even close, but something that will motivate the school and others here to donate or find donations. You know maybe you or someone you know can give $5,000 if they give 50,000 Baht. It’s really up to you and what challenge you would like to place before the people. I think this could be an effective way to get the community involved as well as partner with people overseas.

I’ll be honest, this is a big project, as are all of the ones over the past week. It’s hard to ask for money because many people won’t respond, and maybe no one will respond at all. Many people will think its someone else’s job to help, and will continue to go on with their lives. I’m praying however, that the right people will read these messages and be interested. That you will talk to your friends and family and brainstorm ways to help. As I’m typing this today I’m watching as children are out playing and enjoying life on a Saturday morning. These children and this place have blessed my life, they’ve taught me about so much in life, that love and happiness doesn’t come from money or material things, they’ve showed me love that I didn’t earn or deserve. I’ve spent close to two years here getting to know them and learning from them. I’ve prayed and feel like God is calling me here for the time being and into the future. As part of that decision, I’ve also decided its ok to start asking for help for them. At first I didn’t want to be seen as a funding source. One thing that I have to teach them is that I can’t magically get funding for every project every time, but I can make projects known to people back home and pray that they will accept the challenge.

I’m planning on coming home in October through the beginning of January. I haven’t been home for Christmas since 2010, and I look forward to spending the holidays with family and friends. However, I will also be looking for funding and support for projects. Maybe it will be these same ones, maybe I’ll have new opportunities back then. The goal of this Christmas in July project was to make the needs known, to invite you to pray and begin thinking of your involvement in these various projects. If you aren’t sure, or would like more information, please contact me. I would love to chat and see what God is putting on your heart to do for this community.

God Bless You!!!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!