From:	The Williams Family
Subject:	Update from Seth
Reply:	donewms@gmail.com

Williams' Weekly Prayer 'n Praise Points Chiang Mai, Thailand Volume 3 Edition 30

Dear Don and Kathy, Arrived in Thailand this morning. Received the following update from Seth we thought you might appreciate reading. This is long but well worth it to read how the Lord shapes a young man's faith as only He can. Please continue to hold him in your prayers as he trusts God to be able to return to Thailand and teach at Grace in a couple weeks. Hello all, Well, I've been back in the States now for just over a month and wow what a month its been! I've been a groomsman for a best friend, a best man for my brother Tad's wedding, I spent a week working in LA selling markers over the 4th of July weekend, found a place to call home till September (since sleeping on couches only lasts so long) and I've been seeing friends whom I don't see enough of and love deeply! Now being back for 30+ days I've had ample time to think about what the future holds for me .... and well .... I've narrowed the options down to three and will explain them as follows 1. Going back to Thailand for another year of teaching high school PE and Health classes at Grace International School If this option is to be considered though I will need to raise at least $6,000. Now some of you might be asking why do you need to raise money to work a job they should pay you for and my answer is that none of the foreign staff at the school are paid of which there are about 80 or so. I am in all ways of speaking a missionary when I teach at Grace, and just like a missionary ministering to hill tribe people I am required to raise my own support to buy my airline tickets, food, and living expenses. The good news is that of the six thousand needed I have already received pledges of two thousand leaving a very achievable $4,000 left to raise. 2. Staying in Seattle working and going back to school to get my Teaching cert. / Masters of Education Had I thought ahead more I would have already applied to programs and be well on my way to picking a school .... however and fortunately for Grace that is not how I operated and so teaching at Grace is still an option. 3. Teaching English in Japan I thoroughly enjoyed teaching in Thailand in fact I loved it ..... I took to teaching like a Williams to wandering (which we are quite adept in - think along the fish to water line). And the thought of being "paid" to teach, well, now fancy that, and to boot living in a country that I love "Japan" ... but it hasn't panned out quite how I thought it would. I was over in Japan for two weeks on my way home form Thailand and talked with some friends who teach over there, they sounded very up-beat about the possibility of teaching but since then I have not heard anything from them and so again not the most promising of options! -AND NOW FOR THE CHANGE IN PLANS- The above was what I was planning on sending out .... letting people know what I've been up to and what the future was looking like. That is until yesterday when I got an incredible offer from the Athletic Director's brother-in-law offering me a free ticket to Thailand on the 12th of August. This e-mail was right on the heels of one from the acting superintendent while my father was in the US. Both of these e-mails are included below: (I've included them so that you can see the need that my going will fill and how God is providing a way for me to go) *the underlined text in the e-mails are my additions to give you a better idea of the context* From: Jennie Garcia (acting superintendent @ Grace international school) Date: Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 8:22 PM Hi, Seth I don't use the word "desperate" often - I don't find it theologically appropriate for common use. BUT I'M MIGHTY CLOSE. If you don't come, we're going to have to clone Matt (currently the only PE teacher for high school students) and the process is not pretty. Really, we have seven high school students still on the waiting list and four teacher-less PE classes in the schedule. At this moment, the PE shortage is the deal-breaker in admitting more students. I'll add that as tough as this is, we're not interested in moving to the Warm Body Theory of staffing. We want someone who relates to the kids in healthy, God-honoring ways and who provides a great role model. As best we can tell, you're the man. From: Tim Skoog (Sonny Thweatt [Athletic director @ GIS] brother-in-law) Date: Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 3:26 PM seth. this is tim skoog,,,,sonny thweatt's brother in law. i have helped your dad with some tickets in the past. if it would be of help to you, our company has a free ticket on NW to BKK that i would be willing to release to you. the space is very restricted. but i found space Seattle to BKK on the 12th of august. please advise if we can help on this! With these two e-mails .... my mind is changing, and as a Bob Dylan song goes .... "Don't think twice, Its all right" and by Golly its going to be all right. So here is what I'm thinking, now! So far I've raised close to 2,000 of the 6,000 I will need to survive financially for the year. With a ticket to Thailand for free and a motor bike (transportation) waiting for me in Thailand the only expenses I'll have are college loans, cell phone, and living expenses (clothing, food, etc.) My parents who have lived / served in Thailand the last 4 years have offered to house me while I'm there, which takes care of housing expenses. I lived with them last year and it worked out quite well. Now I'm sure you're wondering "Seth, what can I do to help?" There are a couple of ways ..... just like some of you did last year when I went to teach, you can make financial donations which will be tax deductible. I have access to a 501(c)3 account through a ministry organization where you can send checks and get a tax deduction. I also want to assure you that if you send money I'll tell you exactly what it was spent on. For instance, if you send 5 dollars I'll let you know what meals it got me just as an example. I'm not looking for donations in the hundred dollar amounts although those would be nice, I know in these tough times people don't have much to spare ... but anything helps and will be greatly appreciated, at this point even a couple of dollars here or there, would be amazing. Let me reassure you I will not be lounging around on your dime. While I taught last year, I was at school 6 days a week teaching, coaching, prepping and supervising various classes, sports and activities. The athletic department runs by far the most extra-curricular programs at the school as well as a variety of camps to serve both National Thai's as well as children in refugee camps which keeps the team busy year round. Now with my return they will only be short one teacher instead of two...! You could also help by keeping me and the school in your prayers and if your not down with prayers then in your thoughts .... I would appreciate all the positive-ness I can get! I'll be honest, I'm scared out of my mind, not with what I'll be doing in Thailand, last year was such an incredible experience and I loved it. But I'm scared to death to trust my finances to GOD .... which I know some of you won't understand but I trust with great faith comes great power... or happiness I'm not sure how that quote goes but I'm looking forward to seeing how I can serve this next year at Grace. I could go through and describe what Grace is, to bring you all up to speed but instead ..... check out this web-site. There are great videos and info concerning the school, its mission and what it provides : Grace International School Here's the contact info for the tax deductible receipt should you decide to make a contribution to my teaching at Grace and want or need a tax receipt: Rita L. Camden, bookkeeper IDES P.O. Box 60 Kempton IN 46049 p. 765-947-5100 f. 765-947-5394 Thanks for praying for Seth. We love his faith to trust God beyond his comprehension. Pray the Lord will encourage his faith and relationship to Him to grow even more throughout this journey. Seth with the rest of the family walking off in the background Blessings, Don and Kathy Williams Serving Grace International School and the Thai National FM Churches