With the house sold, 100% of our departure expenses, and 54% of our monthly budget covered, we’ve never been closer to transitioning to Thailand. We’ve heard “the closer you get, the faster it goes” and we’re praying for exactly that.

Our final pre-field training with Pioneers was amazing — really. We were reminded of God’s goodness in leading us to Pioneers. Passion for God and His glory among the not-yet-reached saturated every aspect of our time.

Lord willing we will close on the sale of our home within 30 days. We’re in the place where the rubber meets the road. With a deep breath we continue parting with most everything that won’t fit in a suitcase. Certainly a few special items will be stored with parents, but other than that, it’s on the chopping block.

Parting with possessions from 19 years of marriage and 9 years of children is hard — due to volume, sentiment, and sin. The thoughts of getting all dressed up for the prom and being left on the front porch are stressful. “What if we get rid of all of our stuff and the support doesn’t come in? No home, no stuff, what then?” Whew!

With each thing we let go, we are purposefully stepping out in faith and joy, praying to see the kingdom of God more clearly. It is truly a treasure hidden in a field and a pearl of great price!

So keep praying friends! And thank-you once again for your unwavering financial partnership!

Our team-mates, Dayn & Mandi Arnold await our arrival, and we’re ready to join them. If you know of someone with a heart for the unreached, please pass this along and encourage them to get on-board as a financial partner!

Grace & Peace,
The LaBombard Family

Thai5, that’s us! With 5 members of our family and Thailand as our destination it’s a fitting moniker.

And though we’ll always be Thai5, the name of our team in Thailand is CommNet. At this time there are four adult team members and another in the pipeline.

So what is CommNet all about?

Take a look at the video above & read on!!

Psalm 96:3 says it well, “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

To ‘declare among’ is very different than to ‘shout from afar’. Being among those we desire to see reached is vital and in the case of unreached peoples, a desperate need.

In three broad strokes, we endeavor to:

• Make disciples of Jesus in our own neighborhood and community
• Capture and share what God is doing among unreached peoples in the surrounding region (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, etc.)
• Be a voice for the voiceless and advocate for the unreached

So you see, CommNet is about stories. God’s stories. It’s about capturing what God is doing among unreached peoples and sharing it so that others can get a greater glimpse of Him. It’s about letting creatives with a heart for the unreached invest their talent in that which impacts eternity. We’re dedicated to communicating God’s work among the nations, networking with our brothers and sisters in the field to provide international audiences with real-time stories that mobilize workers, intercessors, and financial partners.

As a Pioneers initiative born through over a decade of prayer, a straight up media team simply wouldn’t cut the mustard! Pioneers mission is to mobilize teams to glorify God among unreached peoples by initiating church-planting movements in partnership with local churches. This is at the heart of CommNet. Without a passion for God, for the unreached and for church planting, media capabilities alone are not enough.

It’s our prayer that through our work – a work which you make possible – we will be your feet to the unreached in Southeast Asia and encourage others to pray, give and go themselves that the Great Commission may be fulfilled.

About our Teammates:

I am blessed beyond measure by our teammates, Dayn and Mandi Arnold. They are a young couple, choked full of faithfulness, talent, passion for God, and a deep desire to bless and serve the unreached peoples of the world.

Dayn is a mad scientist of myriad media skills with a specialty in all things video. He has an easy going style and refreshing depth of character. His talent is matched only by his humility, and his love of the Lord points me to Jesus. I love this guy – he’s solid, top to bottom, through and through.

Dayn’s bride, Mandi, has a heart of gold and a smile that lights up a room. Joy and compassion seem to well up within her and spill out into the lives of those in her midst. To me, Mandi is tough as nails and tender as a lamb – a force for change by the power of Christ in her life.

This month, we’re stoked that the Arnolds have their boots on the ground in Thailand! We can’t wait to join them and take our next steps together!

Though our road ahead has another mile or so in North America, this last month has been a flurry of activity. Since our last update, we have sold many of our possessions and have a buyer for our home! It would be reasonably amazing if we aren’t homeless for very long before transitioning to Thailand

Along with educating our children, Kim has been cranking out college Bible courses with ferocity and straight A’s! Jason has taken on some extra freelance work to make sure the ‘financial house is in order’ before the big move, and we’ve just completed an application for missionary support with another church here in Michigan – your prayers that we are accepted would be fantastic!

We are edging closer to the 50% mark for monthly support as we head to our final pre-field training in Orlando with Pioneers and though heading to Florida in April will be awesome, it continues to be unseasonably warm here in Michigan. Good thing I haven’t sold the mower yet!!

In closing, thank you for praying for our family and taking action in the Great Commission. Our send and support team blows our minds with sacrificial giving and continued prayer. We are blessed, humbled and honored to serve our great God with you.

Grace & Peace,
The L. Family

To join our Send & Support Team, follow the giving links in the side-bar or click here to give now. Our account number is #111283

It’s possible. In 4 months, commitments for 60% of the monthy budget can be raised. Yes! Lord willing we will depart shortly after Pre-Field Training in April.

So we’re counting on you. We must, absolutely must, bathe this in prayer. The bottom line is that we need additional financial partners.

There is no contract, no minimum, no hassle. There is a real opportunity to take practical action and see God glorified among the unreached peoples of South East Asia. Being a Sender is vital. Go’ers can’t go if Senders don’t send.

If you’ve thought about joining our team as a financial partner, I want to encourage you to go for it. Follow the giving links in the side-bar or click here to give now.

Those of you on the team are answers to prayer in our lives – and that’s no fluff. We are continually blown away by your sacrificial giving, fervent prayer and very real encouragement. It’s crazy good to be on this road to Thailand, and share the blessings of the Great Commission.

Below is short video clip (less than 2 minutes). We had a blast putting it together. Did you know that Kim has a secret agent name? Check out the video, and thank you for reading!!

Grace & Peace,
JBL

We wonder what those memories will look like next year in Thailand and are full of hope.

Reflecting on the gifts that God has lavished on our lives, and the direction that He has led our family, we’re blown away. Crazy good stuff.

It is with a deep sense of gratitude, humility and awe at the grace of God, that we wish you a Merry Christmas this year.

We thank God for those who have walked with us, have prayed for us and with us, and stepped out in practical action through financial partnership. It’s a privilege to see the Body of Christ at work in the midst of great adversity.

Looking forward to 2012, we will be attending our final pre-field training with Pioneers in April – just 4 months out! We’re praying to depart thereafter. 100% of our one time departure expenses are covered and we’re just over 40% of our monthly commitment.

Together we can close that gap and we hope you’ll join us in continuing to fervently pray us through to Thailand for the glory of our King in Southeast Asia.

May your Christmas be blessed beyond measure and the moments you savor draw you ever closer to Christ – the greatest gift of all.

Merry Christmas,
THAI5