Friends and Family,
Allie and I are going to Thailand!!!
Thailand has been a passion of Allie’s family for many many years with Allie’s father and grandparents having served there, as medical missionaries, for over ten years of their lives.
Several years ago our church began offering short-term mission trips to Thailand. Allie jumped at the opportunity and in 2007 spent several weeks in Laos and Thailand serving. Since that time Allie and I have continually pondered whether or not we should make this trip together. Finally, with the prodding of the Lord, we decided that God was calling us to get out the bleachers and get into the game. Little did we know, at the time, but a large handful of our very close friends also felt the Lord’s nudging and will be joining us on this wonderful adventure. Our team consists of over 25 individuals who will be investing almost three weeks into tiny villages in the mountainous country of Northern Thailand. On December 31st, 2009 our team will be making the long journey in order to construct a school for an unbelievably uneducated and impoverished portion of Thailand.
Allie and I would love to elicit your support in this wonderful adventure. First we are asking for your prayer. We both firmly believe that short-term mission trips generally impact the participants of the trip far more than contributing a long lasting spiritual impact on the people of Thailand. We know that our purpose is to help support the long-term missionaries who are committing their lives to this challenging and yet rewarding region. Because of this knowledge, we specifically ask that you pray for God to work through us and to shape our own hearts. That he might reveal more about himself to us and that we might leave this experience changed and closer in our walk with the creator.
Second, Allie and I have decided not to ask for financial support for this trip. Therefore, in lieu of direct contributions we would love for you all to consider sponsoring one of the Thai children that we will be directly serving. For just $40 per month you can help provide education, food, clothes, lodging, health care and informal education for their parents (including sanitation, gardening, language and microeconomics).
If you are interested in supporting one of these children or would like more information, please contact Allie at alliepenner@gmail.com or visit www.nextlevelmissions.org. Also, on September 13th at the Well Community Church, there will be an opportunity to choose a child to sponsor.
We very much appreciate all of your support and prayers. Thank you!
The other day at family dinner night, Cherie gave her crayons to draw with while we ate dinner... she ate the crayon!!! It was so cute, we told her they weren't to eat, but couldn't resist a picture. The sad thing is she was sitting at a table with 5 adults and got as far as she did!
Recently we went to the park at the elementary school by our house. She was so impressive! First, she calls the park a "due, due" which is weird because that doesn't sound like "park"... anyhow, she runs all around and climbs up everything! We took her to the top of the slide and she wanted to go down by herself, so, she did... the slide was huge. We were so impressed! 
