Challenged. If there’s one word to describe our first half of 2026, this is it.
We’ve learned that facing challenges requires acknowledging them while choosing to appreciate the beauty and goodness of God right in the middle of them. With a team of 9 young staff and a growing community of kids, youths, and adults coming through our gates, we’ve been learning to multiply ourselves, empower others, and loosen our grip on control. Through it all, He is faithful and multiplying the work of our hands!
We are thankful for our staff team, our supporters, our prayer warriors, and our ministry partners for serving faithfully together as a body of Christ. Here’s the work of all our hands, across the past 6 months of this year:
January: Growth & New Beginnings
Family Orientation: Hosted new families who joined us after attending our 2025 Christmas outreach—many invited by current families and children in our program.
Setting the Stage: Kicked off a season of unexpected, rapid numerical and relational growth across all our ministries.
February: Family
Grandma’s 80th birthday: What a special occasion it was to have Sheryl’s grandma and the entire extended family over in Chiang Mai for grandma’s 80th birthday!
Family CNY: Celebrated Chinese New Year with Jason’s parents in Chiang Mai, serving together through home visits and praying for the sick.
Refugee Ministry Partnership: Hosted partner pastors from the border (a 6-hour drive away) who shelter over 300 children, despite once being refugees themselves. Through generous donors, we continue funding their school and boarding home, which is now transitioning to a sustainable co-payment model with their students.
March: Serving through the haze
Hazardous Weather & Community Relief: Faced severe, toxic citywide haze that turned the air yellow – this photo has #nofilter! Our team stepped up to distribute donor-provided masks during home visits, while generous partners gifted air purifiers so kids could study in clean air.
Annual Staff Retreat: Took time away with our team for intentional rest, reflection, and spiritual alignment.
April: Inaugural youth camp
A Big Milestone: Successfully ran our first-ever youth camp! We had a clear discipleship focus for this camp, challenged our youth people to commit their lives to the Lord, and step out in faith to serve.
May: Walking with New Believers
4-Week Discipleship Class: Launched a new believers class following up from camp, witnessing an growing hunger for God’s Word among the youth. Celebrated seeing our youths learn to read Scripture, practice personal devotions, and discern God’s voice.
June: Singapore Trip
Ministry in SG: Travelled to Singapore with Mot and Tawan—our two Thai leaders! We had a packed schedule connecting with friends and supporters, hosting our very first missions event, and going to places of interest.
Youths Stepping Up: We have been most excited about seeing 8 youths being interested in taking a next step in their faith journey through YWAM’s Discipleship Training School! Many youths have also been stepping up to serve and give back in various roles in BDR even without prompting.
Building lives in the likeness of Christ
Without actively pushing for numerical expansion, our pool of children naturally grew from 80 to 172 (with about 100 attending regularly). God is clearly moving, and we are preparing our hearts and facility to receive these families well. On top of that, we are celebrating that one of our married staff couples is expecting a baby!
The history of missions is the history of answered prayers… We ask for your prayer covering!
- Leadership Development Course 2026: We will be attending a six-week YWAM course in New Zealand. We are so grateful for this opportunity to be retooled in our leadership and spiritually renewed. Pray for us to experience God in a fresh way and be strengthened for the next chapter of our missionary service in Thailand.
- BDR staff team: We have faith that our team will continue to flourish even in our absence. Pray for our Thai leaders to shepherd the team well in this period when we will be away.
- BDR community: Give thanks for the youths who have been rising up and pray for God to continue protecting the seed of faith in their hearts, that it may bear more good fruit in due time.
- Personal fundraising: Praise God! We have received 54% of our financial needs for 2026! Pray for God’s continued provision as we serve Him.
Thank you for serving the nations together. This is the shared fruit of our hands.