April 20, 1998           Monday          7 P.M.

Dear Family,

We don't have the time or the computer power to report all that has happened since April 9th when we left Udorn for Songkla, Thailand.  We will write a complete report when we arrive back in Udorn late Tuesday  evening.

The exciting news is that Tommy & Mary Alice Allison are here in Bangkok with us!  We have spent the last  five days together preaching in Songkla, visiting the 500 people at the Songkla Bible Camp, rejoicing over the eleven that were baptized there, and then driving 950 kilometers together to Bangkok.  We talked and discussed the Laos situation continuously during the two day trip.  Tommy preached for the Bangkok Somprasong Church of Christ Sunday morning, and then that evening I challenged them again with the experiences of a jailed Christian in Laos. 

Today  the good news is that both the American Embassy and the Laotian Ministry of Foreign Affairs report  that visas and meetings are ready for the Allisons in Vientiane.  Bill & Marie Claire McDonough are due in Bangkok tonight at midnight.  We will meet them in the morning at 6 A.M., and then they will fly to Vientiane, arriving at 11:30 A.M.  They will be met by Phonsawan, taken to Jerry Canfield's house, and then begin official meetings at 2 P.M.  Meetings are set with both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Health and the Laotian official that Tommy talked to today said that things looked very promising.   They have a meeting Wednesday morning at 9 A.M. with the American ambassador.

Please pray for the following important topics:

1. That the McDonoughs and Allisons will have the wisdom to successfully deal with the Laotian officials.
2. That the Laotian government will allow the Allisons to continue the project.
3. That the Laotian government will discuss  the issue of the jailed Christians.                                                  
4. That Tommy & Mary Alice will have the opportunity to share your love and concern with all the Laotian Christians.

81 days now we have prayed for the jailed Christians, for relief from government persecution for the Phon Kheng congregation, and for leadership in Vientiane to help the church recover from the January 30th arrest.  God has prepared a talented, experienced, loving couple to help accomplish His will in Vientiane.  His will be done, not ours.

God bless,

Ken & Jean Fox
Bangkok, Thailand