Ruth has worked for many years with the approximately 100,000 Akha hill tribe people living in Northern Thailand as well as with the Chiang Rai International Christian School. Her ministry has been focused on education, development and women’s ministries.

She writes – Greetings! I write with great news! International Ministries (IM) is continuing my assignment as an IM missionary! And I still need your prayer and financial support! Chuck and I have been going through a massive transition since responding to God’s prompting to return from Thailand in October to care for Chuck’s parents. …

Chuck has now been called to be the pastor to the First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh and has been serving there since mid-October 2017.  Adjustment to this new ministry takes time, but Chuck seems to be adapting to his new situation at the church well.  …

My role with IM for the coming year is now confirmed. While I shared in the decision to return to care for Chuck’s parents, I did not sense an ending to my call to ministry and particularly in the area of education and the role that a Christian worldview plays in educational programming. I am very passionate about the need for quality education for all children and young adults. I currently see a need to re-evaluate some of the educational practices used in the past and, with the advances we have in technology and communication, the need to also work more closely with others to achieve new “best practices”. The data gathered will help provide the foundation for others and me to be proactive in bringing positive change and innovation to educational systems/ programs in which International Ministries is involved. IM has asked me to serve on special assignment as a Regional Missionary and “Champion of Education” in the following areas:

• research IM’s education-related ministries globally (to potentially include site visits to India, Hungary and other key locations) to establish baselines as well as develop strategies for achieving Respond to the Call targets in education;
• initiate planning for the colloquium on education, scheduled for 2019;
• assist Vocational Development to identify global opportunities for educators and help with the recruitment of teachers for our global partners.

While IM has supported wonderful educational ministries over the years, we need to document the work of the past, define which of our current ministries include educational components, develop statistical information to evaluate the efficacy of the work we are doing now, and help determine the need to make changes in programming. It is my goal to help address these areas, hoping that the information gathered will significantly assist others and/or me to move forward in this area in the years ahead. I will also help in areas of empowerment of our partners and the recruitment of teachers to raise the quality of and bring more sustainability to our educational ministries around the world.