We started 2004 with a fresh resolve to find sponsors for every child who lost their sponsor during 2003. We ask our sponsors to commit for one year and then re-evaluate their situation, and continue their sponsorship if at all possible. Once a child has been sponsored, we do everything we can to find new sponsors for them if their sponsor cannot continue. It is important for them to know they can count on the sponsorship money to help with school fees, clothes and food. At the present time we are sponsoring over 200 children. We also have some other projects we have taken on. We have helped 7 young Karen men continue their education at a University in India. 5 have now graduated, 3 with Master?s degrees. We have no formal sponsors for the remaining 2, but rely on unspecified funds to pay quarterly tuitions. Both will take final exams the end of May.

Orphan Fund:
I was contacted by the head of the Karen Refugee Committee telling me of 6 orphans that had been brought to Noe Poh refugee camp and were living with a family we are very close to. This brings to 9 the children in this one household. IAG has committed to sending money to help support them until we can find sponsors for them.

Teacher?s Fund:
We also have a special fund to help pay teachers' salaries at a church run school in Mae Rah Moo refugee camp. The funds we have sent in have been greatly appreciated by the teachers and their families.

Gideon Memorial Fund:
We have one sponsor who sends money every month to a memorial fund for a young Karen boy who was murdered in his camp several years ago. These funds are also used to pay teacher's salaries.

Mu Aye Pu Hospital Project:
This little jungle hospital is across the river in Burma and treats over 15,000 villagers and soldiers. The hospital has a dirt floor, bamboo walls and leaf roof which leaks during rainy season. The patients slept on split bamboo platforms with no blankets, mats or nets. In 2003 we solicited funds to help supply blankets, mats, mosquito nets, clothing, eating utensils, cooking pots and personal hygiene items for patients at the little jungle hospital called Mu Aye Pu. We had a tremendous response and were able to buy 30 sets of the above items. A couple months ago the head medic at the hospital asked me if I could help them build a new permanent wooden facility. I put out the request for $1,700.00 they told me it would cost and within a month we received that entire amount! To date, $7,170.00 has come in for our hospital projects and $5,254.00 has been disbursed. A surgeon in California who has provided thousands of dollars worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Karen over the past 10 years has a dream of setting up a fully equipped surgical unit. I would like IAG to help fund that dream.

On Ben's last trip to the camp he took in 3 men from Hawaii with him. Between the 3 of them, they supplied land mine detectors and helped train men in the camp to find and safely remove them. Land mines are scattered in the jungle all around our hospital and many men, women and children suffer traumatic injuries from them. They have requested funds to purchase more detectors. Another project they took on was to pipe water to the hospital and camp. They personally paid for all the pipe, holding tanks and supplies needed to make this happen. You can check out the pictures on my web site. The nurses and medics were ecstatic to have "running water" in their hospital and camp. Our S.E. Asia director, based in Bangkok, installed solar generators, batteries and lights so our little jungle hospital now has electricity!

It amazes me to see how far the Lord has allowed us to come in the past year! Presently, we have over 60 children who have requested sponsorship. A volunteer from my church is right now making posters of them so I can display them when I speak in churches and schools. As I pray the prayer of Jabez everyday (1 Chronicles 4:10) I know that we are richly rewarded as we step out in faith, believing that God WILL answer our prayers for help. Donations so far this year have totaled $15,402 and we have disbursed $13,291.07

Many camps are in a crisis situation right now. The Thai now say that children 12 and under will get 1/2 rations. They used to get 1/2 rations only up to the age of 6. There will also be no food supplied for those not registered. There are thousands in the camps who have been waiting for the opportunity to register for more than 5 years. BBC (British Border Consortium) is no longer allowed to feed these people. There was a shooting incident in one camp, so the camps are now closed, no one can get in or out, which means no food can come in either. Please pray for this situation.

I had tentatively planned on returning to the refugee camps in April, but due to some physical problems, I had to change my plans. I am now hoping to be able to go as soon as Monsoons are over in October. Ben continues to go as often as he can, having made 2 trips already this year. He will be returning from his present trip June 8th and I would ask for your prayers of protection for him until he is safely home.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and think we shouldn?t take on any new projects, but then I realize that I would only be limiting what God can do through us and all of you! So, with the help of my wonderful secretary, my daughter Robin, we will keep pressing on and continue to help make a difference . . .one life at a time!

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