Introduction

Welcome
to The
Vernon Journal-online. Whether you have just found us on the web, or
if we have known you for years, we're glad you are here. This site serves
as a tool to communicate our experiences living and working with the Akha
Hilltribe of Northern Thailand.


If you would like to stay up-to-date with our lives in Thailand,
please email
us and we will add you to our email list. This list will keep you informed
with updates to the web site, to our journal, and to other personal updates.




Here is what you will find on The
Vernon Journal-online:

• If you don't know much about Lori and
  Paul, you can find out a little more in the section about
  us. We also suggest that you take a look at the links on this page for
  information on our
  Home church in Northglenn, Colorado as well as other churches, organizations
  and ministries we have worked with.



• Our Photo
  Gallery has a number of selected images of the Akha and our lives in Northern
  Thailand. Like everyone else these days, a digital camera allows us to take
  hundreds of bad pictures - and hopefully a few good ones.



• Don't miss our online
  journal which is updated as frequently as possible. This
  blog
  will give you a peek into our daily lives as we learn about living in Thailand
  and in an Akha village.



• You can visit our Newsletters
  section for our newsletter and other downloadable updates. Our newsletter
  is a quarterly update and gives a broad perspective on what we've been going
  through.

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A Note of Thanks

We want to thank you all for your support in
our lives. We have been incredibly blessed by friends, family and authorities
in our lives who really care about us and the heart that the Lord has given
us for Thailand and the
Akha people. Your support and encouragement has given us the freedom to
go where God has led us.

Although the task before us is overwhelming
at times, we are excited for the future - every step of the way God has been
challenging us and showing Himself faithful. There is no better place to be
than in the center of His plans.

Please continue to remember us in your prayers,
we can always use encouragement. Also, if you are interested in joining with
us in financial support would like to partner
with us in any other ways we would appreciate your support.

We love to hear from you all! Drop us an email
anytime.

- Lori and Paul

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The Akha Hilltribe

This
section will be updated more fully (in fact, it will likely become a page
or pages to itself) when time allows, but for now, here is a brief
overview about the Akha people.

The Akha Hilltribe originate from Tibet and
speak a tonal language classified as Sino-Tibetan.
An Akha will probably be able to recite their ancestry up to 60 or 70 generations.
Akha villages are generally located in the mountains, although (especially
in Northern Thailand) many are moving closer and closer to the cities, due
to economic, educational and social pressures. The Akha and the Hani-Akha
live in the mountain regions of southern China, and northern Laos, Myanmar
(Burma), Vietnam and Thailand. Although the numbers we have seen vary, there
appear to be approximately 60,000 Akha living in the northern provinces of
Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in Thailand. The typical Akha village is unique
among the hilltribes, distinguished by their hand carved wooden gates, raised
bamboo houses on low stilts, and hillside farming methods. Also distinguishing
the Akha from other hilltribes in Southeast Asia are the headdresses, adorned
in coins and other silver craft, worn by Akha women.

Unfortunately, there are other distinctions. The Akha are the most at risk
of being exploited by the sex industry and the drug trade. Of all the hill
tribes of Thailand they can be described as...

* The Poorest of all the Hilltribes


* The Least Educated


* The Highest Rate of Drug Addiction

* The Highest Rate of AIDS Infection

* The Highest Mortality Rate

some of this information courtesy http://www.akhachildren.org/people.htm

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Our Vision

We believe that Christ's Commission in Matthew
28 calls us as believers to go and make disciples of all nations.
Scattered throughout five countries in Southeast Asia, the Akha Hilltribe
share a common language and a common heritage, and we desire to see them living
vibrant and victorious lives in Christ. We have joined with a Thai Foundation
led by Akha staff in Chiang Rai, Thailand, who are teaching and discipling
Akha men and women for the building, strengthening and enlarging of Christ's
church.

We have a heart to exhort and counsel young men and women in their walks and
their lives, and to encourage them to be proud of their Akha heritage. We
are learning the Akha language
and script,
and spending time living in an Akha village, so that we might further understand
the Akha people, their culture, and the environment in which they live. We
are using this time of language acquisition and cultural study as a chance
to see what roles we might play as we look forward to our future and to the
future of the Akha people.

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