A Family After God's Heart

2011-09-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

The FIRE Mexico Church

The worship which is lead by Mrs. Pricer is wonderful.... the Holy Spirit really moves in powerful ways during the entire service. The prayer afterwards is so awesome because the Lord comes down and touches so many people with healing and words of knowledge and just FIRE!!!
The picture to the right is of the FIRE TUNNEL...where you go through 2 lines of people and get prayed for...(it's amazing how the Lord moves!) The pictures below are of our little friends and the FIRE INTERNATIONAL MEXICO sign.

2011-09-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ou First Mexican Wedding!

I t was a very unique experience...

There was worship, preaching,food and games.

The pictures on the top right are of the cake and also the mexican tradition of pinning the money on the bride, which is like a wedding gift.... the pictures on the bottom are of the bride, Claudia, My parents,us girls and Julia.....

2011-05-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Happy 9th Birthday

Smith!!!

Pinata, Friends,cake time and presents......what more could a boy ask for?

In the pictures are smith and his pinata, and in the group picture are Smith, Summer, Jayce B., Jacob C., Savannah,Jacob S., Luke D., Joesph B, Kayla C, Ricki D, Hunter B, Adam C, Joseph M, Shiloh, Mr. Brian F, Todd, Carrie and Grandpa Gust.

2011-04-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great spring break!

We clowned around and even got to go horse back riding!( The trail was about one hour long and a lot of fun....)

2011-04-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

April Fools!!!!

It snows in April!!!!!

Here are is a picture of Todd on his birthday (April 18th). The other one is of Shiloh, Savannah, Summer and Smith playing in the snow and building a snowman.

2011-04-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

Todd's 43d birthday.... As you can see here he was really surprised!

It was a surprise party at a friend's house.

2011-04-19T19:09:00.001-07:00

Madison

Zoo....

We got to go to the Madison Zoo during Easter Break.It was a lot of fun!!!!

2011-04-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin Winter......

We are here in Wisconsin for a year getting to spend a winter with our Grandparents.

2011-04-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Curicavi, Chile....our next location

Christmas at Grandma's

2010-01-07T03:22:00.000-08:00

November 2009 found us at Grandma and Grandpa Gust's. We had the privilege of decorating their tree and of course the fun of playing cards with the best card player in the world (none other than Grandma herself)! Smith tried his best to win at Crazy Eights and all of the kids loved King's Corners.

Water Park with Wisconsin Cousins

2010-01-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

In October, my aunt Lisa planned a family weekend at an indoor hotel waterpark.

All of us cousins had so much fun so much fun. Even Grandpa Gust rode the slides with us. Uncle Mark, Aunt Lisa, Mom, Dad and Aunt Amy watched from the hottub. It was a great way to spend time together!

My cousins are Jace and Jordan Simonson, Katie Kolpin (Nathan had to work at the pizza shop)...

The Park

2009-06-04T04:51:00.000-07:00

It's walking distance from our cafe,

it has a walking track all around it,a fountain and a play ground.Plus nice shady trees.

Narathiwat beach

2009-05-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

Aow Manau: The beach just 15 minutes away from our house. There is a national park there with walkways where there is forest on your right and beach on your left. The water is beautifully clear and the beach lined with huge boulders.

The Great ans Mighty Chiefs!

2009-05-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Delicious and Nutritious

2009-05-21T00:54:00.000-07:00

This snake messed with the wrong Family!

2009-05-21T00:50:00.000-07:00

Mhhhh ttastes like Chicken!

Grilling it

2009-05-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

We had to put up a tarp up because it started raining a little.

Eatable

2009-05-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

Would you

eat this?

Snake

2009-05-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

We killed this snake in our chicken coop so hopefully our chickens will be happier and start laying eggs again! It must have been about 11 ft. long and 100 lbs. We grilled and ate it for Mother's Day.

The Lighthouse Cafe

2009-05-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

Being a light in a dark place.

Isaiah 9:2

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."

Our family has opened a small coffeeshop/bakery where we invite people to come and practice speaking English. We pray God uses this place and opportunity for us to be 'a light' to those who are interested to know more of the truth and love we have found in Jesus.

2009-03-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Our family farm has welcomed 3 newcomers to the group---Alamo Ramsey, Sheba Angel and Hazel Latte---three white goats we hope to raise for milk and cheese. Goat tending is always a fun job as our kids take fruit and vegetable peels out to greet the goats each morning and afternoon. Todd built this goat shed out of small trees he cut down on the property and scrap wood. He put a fence up to protect our goats from the landlord's dogs who are still trying to figure out how to visit our goats as they graze on our small 'goat peninsula.'

Pirates of no return stranded on a deserted island.

2009-01-25T21:23:00.000-08:00

Our kids along with their fierce leader Jeremiah Moore revived the bonfire from the night before so Little Chef Smith could roast a crab they captured. To be in the pirate club, they all had to eat roasted crab legs meat, for real, not joking...while taking a swim every now and then!

Our dog LADY!!!

2009-01-25T21:16:00.000-08:00

Lady lives on at the village and beaches of Ban Nam Kem, Thailand and always in our hearts and memories! We weren't able to take her with us when we moved but got a chance to visit her in December. She was healthier than we ever saw her and played with our kids just like old times as they swam in the ocean and made forts and bonfires on the beach.

Happy birthday to our very best Thai friend DR. CANDY!

2009-01-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

God brought this group of friends together for a special purpose and season in our lives.
(Dr. Candy-front, Carrie-left, Amy Pruett-back, Miss Phemia-middle right, Amber Garsee-far right)

Dr. Candy has been so faithful to 'sow the word of God' into all of our lives through frequent scripture text messages as well as her loving sweet spirit and care of all of us in Thailand. God also used Miss Phemia to speak words of life over all of us last year.

Thank you Jesus for good friends!

Our country-style Thai house

2009-01-06T03:33:00.000-08:00

This will be our home sweet home this year coming complete with extra bungalows, a river and kayaks, plus plenty of land for the kids to play and ride their bikes.

May God use this place for us to seek Him!

Smith, our little brother!

2008-12-17T00:19:00.000-08:00

Our brother Smith is a man of few words but he can sure act out a story!!! This was taken at the Chiang Mai night safari where Smith was reenacting a dying duck! We just wanted to make sure he had his face on our blog as he is definitely a very important part of our family.

Summer Snow, the next day

2008-12-17T00:17:00.000-08:00

What do you think?! Is she cute or what?

Summer's curls

2008-12-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

Yard sales, almost unheard of in Thailand, are alot of FUN! Our friend Miss Stephanie gave us some curlers and other games after helping with her garage/moving sale and we tried them out!

Overnight train from Chiang Mai to Hat Yai.

2008-12-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Savannah, Shiloh, Summer, Smith and I definitely had a more relaxing ride through the beautiful country of Thailand leisurely enjoying our lunch and a good night's sleep in our comfy beds with the 'chug, chug' of the train chugging us to sleep. We spent one day in Bangkok visiting Kipp and Anna Lor and their three kids, Josiah, Asia and Levi as they wait for baby #4 to be born within the month. We spent the day at Queen's Park playing with turtles!

Moving to Narrathiwat.

2008-12-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

Todd loaded our truck with everything we weren't able to send ahead in the mail. Jeremiah Moore drove 30 hours shotgun while Judah and Joseph Garsee were the elite passengers forever fondly remembered for his hours of "Ow nee, ow nee..." (I want this....I want this....)

Thank you Jesus for a safe, successful trip!

Savannah, my gymnast

2008-12-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

Savannah spent the last two months attending a British gymnastics program on Tuesdays in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is pictured here with her instructor, Miss Katherine. Savannah just turned 10 on November 23 when we had our family Thanksgiving with the Blakes and Ziebarts. Savannah shared this experience with her best friend in Chiang Mai, Alysha Tibbets.

Aunt Goldie Stick, 1919-2008

2008-12-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

Our family says 'goodbye' to my dad's oldest sister who we all fondly remember as "Aunt Goldie." She lived most of her life in Chicago, IL but in her later years shared a home with my Aunt Edie in Phoenix, AZ.

She was truly a part of my godly heritage, another grandmother to us all (she was 17 years older than my father, Walter Gust.)

Carrie

SHILOH, age 11 and Anabel

2008-11-19T19:57:00.000-08:00

God is so wonderful to have hand-picked Shiloh's piano teacher in Chiang Mai. Anabel Rulison's sweet spirit and personal instruction for Shiloh has made it a joy for Shiloh to learn piano every Thursday. Only after a month of lessons did we realize that she is Isobel Kuhn's granddaughter, a faithful and well-known missionary and writer having served in Southeast Asia!

THE OAK by Shiloh Pruett

2008-11-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

THE OAK
by Shiloh Pruett

Strong and bold,
Mighty but old.

Stands against the sky,
what divine.

Etches a picture,
Bold like a line.

Great giant,
What made you so reliant?

Newsletter - November 2008

2008-11-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Friendship/Experience
Our time in Chiang Mai is coming to a close and we have been very thankful for all of the varied experiences we have gained here and especially all of the lasting friendships we have made. Savannah has finally been able to attend a weekly gymnastics program while Shiloh has regular piano lessons and has gained confidence in her high school level public speaking class.

Smith and Summer gained ground in reading and truly enjoyed memorizing the Bible, Phys Ed, music, and art with other kids their age. I have developed a long‐lasting friendship with my Christian Thai teacher, Kruu Bin, as well as made other friends in the Thai homegroup and home school co‐op I was a part of.

Savannah, our gymnast and the soon and coming birthday girl! (10 years old)
Making ‐‐Being Disciples (Todd) God sent Jeremiah Moore to serve in Thailand with us and he has become an invaluable asset to our family helping in home school, playing soccer with our kids, helping our Thai boys feel at home and worshipping and praying with our family. (He will also help us move.)

Also for the last several weeks I, Todd, have taken Shiloh to piano lessons. We met her teacher, Anabel, at a friend’s wedding. Her father, Don Rulison, is 94 years old. He has been a missionary in Thailand for the past 57 years. I have been hearing story after story of the faithfulness of God. It’s wonderful!!! His mind is amazingly sharp.

He can remember sermons that he preached. He will tell a story with great detail of how he would hike up into the mountains preaching from village to village. Come to find out that he was married to Isobel Kuhn’s daughter. (Kuhn was a famous author and missionary from 20s, 30s, and 40s in Southeast Asia.) It is such privilege to sit with this general of the faith. I asked if the struggles of life got easier. He said, “No… it’s just Shiloh and her piano teacher, Anabel Rulison
Jeremiah Moore and the kids! harder in a different way.” Thank you Jesus for this opportunity.

TYPHOID/JUNGLE FEVER!
The last month of October I (Carrie) contracted typhoid fever that offset our entire family for about 10 days. I had 5 sleepless nights of very high fever, chills and body aches while Todd took care of me plus all 7 of our children, making meals, supervising chores, entertaining, teaching, etc. Many were called on to pray for me and from that point plus a doctor’s visit and a week’s supply of antibiotics; I rested another 5 days in bed before returning to ‘active duty.’

Family MinistryNot only did we have Bang and Judah Garsee with us, we also took care of 2 year old Joseph for the past 10 weeks as well. He is also being adopted by our friends who needed to spend a few months in the USA. These three children have all been from abusive, neglectful Thai home situations or from living off of the streets. We were happy and privileged to serve in this way showing these children the love of God as we opened our home to them. Our children have truly stepped up to help in every way with Joseph, making bottles, helping with baths, playing with him and giving him naps.

94 year old general of the faith, Mr. Don Rulison (son inlaw to Isobel Kuhn) As we spend one last month in Chiang Mai homeschooling, taking care of Judah and Joseph, studying Thai, please pray for us as we continue to make plans to move south in early December. Todd will drive our vehicle the 30 hours while I (Carrie) will take two overnight trains as we split the seven children between us. We will try to mail some of our things ahead. We will spend a few weeks in Hat Yai during December as we renew our one‐year visas and spend some of the Christmas/New Year’s holidays with a few other FIRE missionary families there. Pray we find the perfect house to move into!

Prayer needs:
1. From November 24 to December 1, Todd will join a ministry team on a special survey trip to Vietnam with a good missionary friend‐‐‐please pray for a successful trip, health, and safety for the team.

2. Pray for our upcoming move, safe travels, for us to find the perfect house to rent for 2009 in Narrathiwat.

3. Pray for grace for all of our children as we make this transition.

4. Pray for God to open up new doors of opportunity to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.

Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Jesus Christ.”

Thank you for your faithful prayers for us as we continue to serve the Lord in Thailand,

Todd, Carrie, Shiloh, Savannah, Summer and Smith

First Post

2008-11-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

Todd and Carrie Pruett

Pictures

2008-08-29T10:27:00.001-07:00