The Piggies were returned with amazing results…  Students had contributed more than $3,000 to the Saving Grace Project!

God often chooses to work through unexpected sources.  The missionaries and children serving and studying at Grace is one example of people in need giving sacrificially to their own cause.

To see another wonderful example, be sure to read the story of little Eden — a young girl who has taken on the Saving Grace Project as her own special project!

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• Will you tell these stories of love and faith to your friends, family and church leaders?
• Who do you know that may be motivated and blessed, through your sharing this message, to become involved with SAVING GRACE?
• Consider starting a Piggy Bank project for SAVING GRACE at your school, Sunday school, church or business. Click HERE to request logos and brochures.
• Would you like to assist SAVING GRACE? Click HERE to send an e-mail with ideas of people you know who might want to join us.
• Click HERE to DONATE NOW!

The faith of a child is a powerful force — and can have quite an impact!  For evidence, just look at young Eden. She’s a USA pastor’s kid, who heard about our Saving Grace Project and decided to raise money for a future Grace International School (GIS).  She has a heart of gold, a love for missions—and Eden is an artist with Down syndrome. She creates whimsical handmade cards with fingerprint art, like a bunny, rose and platypus.

Eden’s plan is simple. People send her a check for any amount, written to Grace International Educational Foundation, or simply GIEF, which her parents send to the foundation office in Texas. Next, Eden’s parents help her send the donor two cards as a thank you. In only a few weeks, she raised $125.

Recently, a high school teacher friend and two school classrooms offered to help make more cards. We hope they have lots of business. What a great opportunity to encourage Eden’s efforts and support “Saving Grace!”

You can support Eden’s passion for prayer, missions and GIS, by sending her a check c/o South Bay Free Methodist Church, attn: GIS, 25514 Narbonne Ave., Lomita, CA 90717, USA.

Her family’s recent email quotes Hebrews 6:10: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him, as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

Likewise, God has not forgotten GIS. Be encouraged. He spoke to Eden. How is he speaking to you? What will your involvement in “Saving Grace” look like?

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First, we’re blessed to have superintendent Don Williams back in good health once again.  The physical difficulties he experienced in November have dissipated, thank the Lord, and he is much improved.

Second, Grace International School hosted a wonderful special event — Christmas in the Park — a ministry outreach to the Thai community attended by more than 1000 people.  It was a special evening during which attendees heard the Gospel in music, testimony and drama.

Third, we’re greatly encouraged as the children and families of Grace in Chiang Mai completed a fall “piggy bank campaign” to help generate funds for the Saving Grace Project!  More than $3,000 was contributed by school kids during this brief effort to raise awareness within the school.

Finally, we’re hopeful that, with the purchase of the property for the future campus of Grace International School, it will serve as a motivation for people across the world to see that God does, indeed, work in miraculous ways!  There is much yet to be done to raise the funds needed in the short term:

• Still needed are the funds to build temporary classrooms should the courts decide to evict the school from its current facility.
• Resources are needed to improve the property and prepare it for construction.
• Funds are needed to pay for the architectural services and property development plan.
• In short, we’re trusting God for more than $1 million still needed before the end of this school year!

If you can, please consider giving a special gift to help the Saving Grace Project.  No matter the amount, you will be taking part in a far-reaching effort that will affect the lives and ministries of hundreds of missionary families serving in SE Asia — and those of the people they are serving!

And please continue to pray for Don Williams, the faculty and staff, and the parents and students of Grace.  Thank you!

Don Williams, GIS superintendent, has recently suffered a series of physical ailments that have caused him and his family much consternation along with much physical discomfort.  A recent stress test resulted in surgery to place stents in arteries, a huge relief to growing discomfort Don was experiencing.  However, on a recent trip to South Korea, Don began to experience excruciating pain associated with a kidney stone and related infection.  This resulted in additional doctor visits, tests and diagnoses — always difficult, but made more so by being far away from home. And to further complicate things, this occurred while tensions were high following the shelling of a South Korean island by North Korea. Thankfully, Don is much better now and has returned to Chiang Mai.

Please continue to pray for Don and the Williams family as they all deal with these physical ailments in the midst of what has already been a trying ordeal — working through the court case against Grace International School and helping launch the Saving Grace Project to ensure the school’s survival.

Thank you for praying!

Thailand is underwater…the Thailand Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that from October 10 to 20, floods hit 6,814 sub-districts of 21 provinces in the North, Northeast, East and Central Plains.  Altogether 814,406 people were affected by the floodwaters and 15 people had died as a result.

The flooding was caused by heavy rain, the overflow from rivers and a release of excess water from dams and reservoirs.  Bangkok remains on flood alert because of water run off from the North and high tides that are expected to peak next week.

Relief supplies prepared by all sectors including the Christian church are being distributed to flood victims.  Local believers are working extra hard to bring supplies into unreached areas in the provinces affected by the floods.  Countless number of houses, buildings and about 200 temples were reported of being damaged by the flood waters.

Although a lot of people are suffering from the effects of the floods, the hearts of the Thai are glad once again to see “Thai helping Thai” after the nation has gone through severe political division in the past years.

Thank you for joining us in praying for the people and nation of Thailand.  [Joy Jitaporn with Bless Chiang Mai Prayer Network provides us with these excellent updates.]

Grace International School Educational Foundation (GIESF), the legal organization under which GIS operates, purchased 86 rai of land for our planned new campus last week. That’s 2½ times the space we presently have!

If all the necessary funds were available today, we could be at the new site within 2-3 years. More immediately, as the remaining funds come in for The Saving Grace Project of $1.2 million USD, we’ll be able to:

The property will need to be backfilled and improved because it has been used for centuries to grow rice ...

Significant Fundraising Remains…

Please note that we still need to raise more than $1.2 million just to relocate the junior high and high school classes from the current building.  The goal is to generate these funds by the end of this school year (May 2011).  Please pray with us that people in the United States and across the globe will rally to help meet this huge financial need in order to continue Christian education for the hundreds of missionary children who are students at Grace!

Make a Year-End Contribution to Help Save Grace!

You can make a contribution that will help preserve and expand the impact of Grace International School for hundreds of missionary families serving in S.E. Asia!  Simply click the button below to make a secure online gift today!

“The harsh reality is that Grace very likely has less than a year before relocation is necessary,” says Tom Matyas, GIEF president. While purchasing property is a very necessary step, you can’t hold classes sitting on the ground. Putting up temporary classrooms to accommodate all Grace students is a vitally important priority. That’s why we still need about $1.2 million for the Saving Grace Project.”

Recently, The Christian and Missionary Alliance voiced its concern about the school’s predicament and its support for Saving Grace. The Alliance has had dozens of families who have relied on Grace International School since it was founded eleven years ago.

Through an amazing course of events, The Saving Grace Project can celebrate the achievement of one of its strategic goals — the ability to purchase enough property for the relocation of Grace International School!

The school’s administration just completed a thorough review of the school’s assets and the obligations attached to those assets. As a result of careful financial management, Grace was able to release many of those obligations, thus freeing a significant amount of cash toward the future needs of the school. Combining that cash with the funds already raised for The Saving Grace Project, more than 50% of the goal of Saving Grace has been met!

The most immediate need for the school has been to secure property for the future relocation of the Grace campus. That process can now be completed — and the Grace administration has already begun steps to purchase a 35-acre tract that will be perfect for the school’s future needs.

Below is an excerpt from Grace superintendent Don Williams’ official communiqué regarding fulfillment of this significant goal and the property purchase.

I hope you will rejoice with all of us associated with Saving Grace. Please continue to work and pray in order that the remaining financial goal of $1.2 million will be reached in the coming months.

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Plans Go Forward to Purchase Property

Allocation of Cash Assets Reduces Remaining Need for Saving Grace to $1.2 million

by Don Williams, Superintendent

Grace International School

Are you ready for some exciting news?

I’m very pleased to tell you that Grace International School is taking the next step of faith moving towards our new property. God has truly blessed our school in a miraculous way. Let me explain…

During the past five years, we’ve met or exceeded our projected income. At the same time, our expenses have been lower than planned. At every level, faculty, staff, and administration have worked hard to keep costs low without sacrificing the quality of education we provide. The result is that we’re in an excellent cash asset position – so good, in fact, that by using some of our cash assets along with funds that have come in so far from The Saving Grace Project, we can purchase land for our new school site –IF negotiations currently underway are successful!

Here’s the additional good news… With the purchase of the property, Grace’s total asset position will remain unchanged. Cash assets will decrease, but land assets will increase. We’ll have cash to meet required deposits for employee retirement, utility deposits, and foundation accounts. We’ll also have sufficient cash to meet the school’s expenditures until the inflow of tuition in the middle of August. And we’ll keep adequate funds to cover other situations that might arise.

You should know the Board of Trustees has affirmed this course of action. We anticipate that, besides allowing us to move forward with architectural plans for the new campus, our owning the new site will also help potential supporters of Saving Grace and our future building campaign see our commitment and be encouraged to partner with us. And, by making this move now — and counting funds already raised or committed — we’ve reduced the remaining financial goal for Saving Grace from $2.5 million to just $1.2 million!

That means we still have a long way to go…but God is opening doors in the U.S. and elsewhere to new opportunities to gain both friends for GIS and funds for Saving Grace.

Keep in mind that we are still in negotiations. To quote U.S. baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Please continue to pray and to share with others what God is doing to continue the ministry of Grace International School here in Chiang Mai. Encourage them to become partners through The Saving Grace Project so the immediate needs can be met.

We thank God for His faithfulness and you for your prayers, and look forward to many more opportunities to celebrate His goodness together!