April 28, 1998   Tuesday evening, almost day 90

Dear Family,

After living out of a suitcase for six weeks with trips to Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Israel, Bill & Marie Claire McDonough made a special trip back to Vientiane to assist the Laos Ten and restart the Partners in Progress project that was shut down January 30th by the arrest of the whole PIP staff.  Here is Bill's report after four days in Vientiane:

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Vientiane, Laos - April 24, 1998 . . . We depart Laos with mixed emotions. For four days we have been meeting with government officials who have been most cordial but have failed to answer the ONE BIG QUESTION, "When will the ten Christians still being held in prison, be released."        

We introduced Tommy & Mary Alice Allison who are replacing deported Ken and Jean Fox, to the Ministry of Public Health officials who warmly received them as the country directors of Partners In Progress activities. The Foreign Ministry  welcomed them and told us, before we even inquired, that the two vehicles that were confiscated at the time of the Christians arrest would be returned to them and that they would be given a visa to allow them to stay and work in Laos. The Ministry of Public Health officials followed suit by welcoming the Allisons to continue the work that the deported workers had been engaged in.  Mary Alice will begin the teaching of English which Ken Fox was engaged in and Tommy will continue to be a liaison with the hospitals and clinics PIP was assisting.         

Our group was given a tour of two of the sites where the Fesh Water Well Driling team, that had been headed by Jerry Canfield, has built sanitary latrines and drilled wells for primary schools in villages outside of the capitol city.  The community health officials expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the work that had been done and asked when work would begin again.  We informed them that as soon as the Allisons were settled, the vehicles returned, and the well drilling crew (five of the group of ten Christians are still in jail) were released from prison work could begin.

The American Ambassador requested a meeting with us and we spent an hour in that office discussing the arrest and imprisonment as well as the deportation of our workers.  The Ambassador explained in detail the actions being taken by the US Government to get those released who are still being held and ask that we keep their office informed of our progress, promising to keep us informed of anything they are able to learn through official channels.  The Ambassador sent a representative to our hotel last night to bring us up to date on the case and to inquire as to what progress we had been able to make with the officials.        

We will depart in the morning for Thailand where we will spend the day with Ken & Jean Fox going over what happened eighty three days ago that might have brought the arrest about and try to learn how those mistakes can be avoided in the future.  They are anxious for a report from us as well and will continue to stay in contact with the Allisons via telephone as they work on the release of the prisoners and the continuation of the work in Laos.         

Please continue to pray for all those involved because He Cares!  

Bill & Marie Claire McDonough
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Bill & Marie Claire should arrive back in Little Rock, Arkansas today.  God has used them in wonderful ways this past week to reopen doors in Vientiane. The acceptance of Tommy & Mary Alice by the Laotian government and restarting the project has now been accomplished. That BIG QUESTION is still being answered by the ONE in charge. When you reflect on the last 90 days, James 5:16 takes on wonderful meanings, "the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  Your prayers keep Phonsawan sparkling, Bounlerth singing, Khun Sy recovering, Khammieng helping, Vilaphone visiting, Tommy talking, Mary Alice helping, the Lao lawyer writing, the Lao government thinking, and your Udorn servants working.

Ken & Jean Fox
Udorn, Thailand