Greetings from Thailand, where our family is beginning preparations for our upcoming visit to the States. It is hard to believe that in less than 8 weeks, we will be boarding a plane which will carry us to Idaho where we will be able to reconnect with our family, friends, and faithful supporters. Even though the time allotted for visiting with everyone will be short, we are still grateful for this upcoming trip. 8 weeks may seem like a long time from now, but those days and weeks will pass quickly and before we know it, the time for our departure will suddenly be upon us. So in order to help prepare as much as we can before March 5th, I wanted to share with you our tentative schedule of dates and locations where we will be visiting during our travels. I mention that the schedule is tentative because there are still many details we need to work out before we can set a firm plan. This is where your help will be greatly appreciated, since a lot of our plans will revolve around the desires of those who would like to meet with our family and hear about the work of Hearts Redeemed Ministry. We desire to meet with as many people as possible during the 9 weeks we are in the States, and in order to do that we need to begin arranging meeting times and locations as soon as possible so that we can firm up our travel destinations and dates. As of now our current schedule includes our arrival in Boise, Idaho on March 6th and then our family leaving from LAX heading to Thailand on May 10th. So from the 7th of March to the 2nd of May we will be in Idaho and would like to begin scheduling time to visit with not only our family but also our friends, supporters, and local church bodies. So if you or your church would like to arrange a time to meet together, then please email me at dan.rutledge@gmail.com or heartsredeemed@gmail.com as soon as you can. Also we are in need of some people to serve as contacts in the different locations we are currently planning on visiting. Currently we are looking at spending time visiting the Boise area, the Twin Falls area, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and Salt Lake area, and also the Wood River Valley. So if you live in any of those areas and would be willing to help serve as a contact person for us, then please let me know. Also if you live in any of those areas and would like to try and schedule a time to visit together, then please email me soon. Finally, if you live anywhere outside of those areas, and would possibly like to meet together, than please contact us and we will see if it is possible this trip to connect. Over the weeks leading up to our departure I will be updating information on plans and travel locations, as well as speaking times if you would like to come hear about the work of Hearts Redeemed Ministry and how you can be a part of connecting the hearts and homes of Southeast Asia with the redeeming truths of God's Word through the ministries of biblical counseling and discipleship. So be sure to keep an eye on the this blog and also our Hearts Redeemed Ministry page on Facebook. You can check it out at https://www.facebook.com/heartsredeemed/.
In addition to updates on our travel schedule, we will be listing specific needs which we are looking for people to help meet so that our family will be able to successfully visit as many people and places as possible during our short visit. Currently the two greatest needs are for transportation and housing for our family during our travels. We are looking for a vehicle to use during our time in the States which will help make it possible for us to drive to most of our destinations and also save money on the cost of renting a vehicle. So if you have a vehicle which can sit at least 6 people, and you would be willing to let us borrow it during part of or all of our time in the States, then please email me ASAP. Another need of ours is for housing in some of the different locations where we are traveling. We are in need of lodging during our time spent in the Boise area, the Wood River Valley, the Salt Lake Area and also the LA area during the week we are in California for my graduation at the end of our time in the States. So if you have a house with an extra room or some extra couches and would not mind hosting a crazy bunch from Thailand, then please let me know. We enjoy staying with others, as it gives us a chance to connect and fellowship together, but I also understand adding 6 new guests to your normal routine is a lot, so please let us know if you would like to host us or have an empty house which we can stay in for a few weeks. The benefit of hosting us is always an opportunity to enjoy and learn how to make some of Mam's amazing Thai food (hint, hint, hint). Would you please join with our family as we pray for these two specific needs as well as other ones which I will update in the upcoming weeks.
For now this is enough information and I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to read this blog post. If you would not mind, after you have read this, would you please contact me with a short message if you are going to continue to follow the updates on this blog as we share about details of our upcoming trip. We want to make sure as many people who would like to read about our upcoming plans for our time in the States are receiving our updates. So if you would please email me at dan.rutledge@gmail.com or heartsredeemed@gmail.com or like and comment on our Facebook page?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I ask you to please pray for our family as we work extra hard to prepare for our upcoming travels as well as keep up on our daily responsibilities here in Thailand. I also ask you to please be in prayer for my family as my mom has been in the hospital now for over a week. She is suffering from a MRSA infection as well as some other serous health problems. The doctors told my dad that they do not know when or if she will fully recover and that she will have to spend maybe up to 2 months in the hospital and even after that she may have to be placed in a full-time care facility. This is hard news for all of us and especially as we are preparing to come back with the kids having lots of plans to spend time with Grammy. So please pray for wisdom for my sisters as they are in the States helping my parents during this time, Also pray for my brother and I as we are here in Thailand, praying that we will be able to make it back in time to spend time with my mom in case her condition does not improve. Also pray for wisdom and finances as we look at how to provide the best care for my mom both currently and in the future. Most importantly pray for my dad as this is extra hard on him and that he will turn to God and find the hope and strength to trust in God's sovereign and loving plan. I will update you on the status of my mom's health as well in upcoming post, but for now, please pray for her as well as all those who love her.
I look forward to counting down the days to our departure, and also to hearing back from you as we arrange times to connect together during our times in the States.
God bless and may you continually hold to the true hope promised only in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand." Proverbs 19:21
