regional tensions

Last weekend, I returned from Thailand to Cambodia. I had been in Thailand for regional meetings. Last week, relations between the two Kingdoms, Thailand and Cambodia, started to heat up. The day before we were scheduled to leave Thailand was threatening to close the border between the two kingdoms. We had some staff scheduled to return to a base office by bus, so we bought them plane tickets instead to avoid any hassles if threats became reality. Our team flying in to the capital city experienced no problems in our travel plans due to these tensions.

We have no idea the impact these tensions will ultimately have on our work or staff in the border areas. Last year, we did evacuate the staff once due to imminent military action. In such cases, we have an evacuation plan - though we hope it never comes to that. I anticipate tensions will continue and my prediction is they are likely to escalate. The king in Thailand has lived a long life and his health is failing, power struggles are inevitable during such a transition and after such a long reign.

Please pray for our staff doing work in this difficult area. The people who migrate to the border are desperate and live in some of the poorest conditions in our country. We will not abandon them, but we also want continued safety for our teams.