As I wrap up my first year of college, I’m excited to share about an opportunity God has opened up for this summer. Over the past couple of years God has been putting Thailand on my heart, specifically the orphans in Thailand. I’ve wondered why God would break my heart for a country I’ve never been to. This summer God opened a door for me to pursue that question.
I stumbled upon an orphanage that really caught my eye. The Family Connection Foundation is an outreach arm of the Chiangmai Christian Fellowship church. After seeing a glimpse of their passion for the orphans they work with and their heart for the Thai people, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had a Skype interview with one of the head guys and everything he shared got me more and more fired up for the opportunity to serve with them.
The way they run the orphanage is different than the typical setup. As a church, they support host families that bring kids into their home long-term. As I serve with them I am going to spend time simply loving on the kids, learning about the Thai culture, and serving the workers any way I can. They also expressed the need for good photography to share with others what is going on in Thailand, so I will be documenting my time through that avenue. One of the most exciting opportunities I have is to go on a four day trip with the director to one of the poorest cities in Thailand. Because of the poverty it serves as a hub for the sex trade in Thailand. This is another big area that God has broken my heart for and I’m excited to be able to love on some of the orphans there and learn what is needed there to break the sex trafficking cycle. As I prepare both physically and spiritually, I am sensing that God has some really big things for me coming up and I can’t begin to express my excitement.
I will be leaving for Thailand on July 6th and returning home on August 18th. Until I leave, I will be shooting senior portraits and a wedding which should cover my airfare there and back. The money I have left to raise is going to be around $3000. This includes all accommodations, on-site transportation, materials, and fees. This needs to be paid in full by June 21st.
This time is going to be an amazing opportunity for growth in my relationship with Christ, direction in my future, and a chance to love on the Thai people. Please pray for protection and a chance to pour Jesus out to these kids. I also ask that you pray about financially supporting me. If you feel led to donate, you can make tax-deductible donations to their US-based funds processing agency:
Circuit 'Riter Ministries Intl.
Attn: Ryan Dunnewold
P.O. Box 635
Kittredge, CO 80457
While I am over there, I will try to keep up my blog with both stories and photos on here.
Thank you for your prayers and support,
Ryan Dunnewold
