About Paul and Lori Vernon

U du ta ma de! Welcome to the Vernon Journal! We would love to take a moment to share with you a little about ourselves. We have been working with the Akha Hilltribe in the Chiang Rai province of Northern Thailand since February 2005, and are currently focusing our efforts on studying the Akha language, living in an Akha village, and learning about Akha culture.

During this long process of language learning and cultural adjustment we are seeking to be a blessing through a holistic ministry approach to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the Akha in alignment with our ministry vision.

We met one other November 1998 at a small coffee-shop concert at Cornerstone church in Arvada, Colorado. Immediately we shared our visions to make a difference in the world through international missions. After getting to know each other over the next year we started dating, fell in love and were married August 2000 in Salem, Oregon.

While finishing school, we received an opportunity to travel to Thailand to do some land planning for an Akha man who wanted to open an orphanage for Akha boys. Over the years the organization grew to a non-profit ministry in Chiang Rai that ministers to the Akha through leadership training, a Bible college and an orphanage called Akha Outreach Foundation.

As our relationship with this group grew, so did our love for the Akha. We returned with work groups and ministry teams over the next few years and finally felt led to move to Thailand to serve the Akha full-time.

We were sent out by our home church, Hope Chapel Northglenn, a small church located just north of Denver, Colorado. From Denver we went on to Los Angeles where we went through the Missions Encounter training at WorldBase, LA. Once our support had been raised from friends, family and partners in our ministry, we were off to Thailand.

Since then we have been incredibly blessed as the Akha have embraced us into their lives, their homes and their family. You can follow all of our adventures and updates of our lives with the Akha from the beginning of our jouney notes. Thanks for visiting!