Serving God in Thailand: The Humphreys and the Xiongs

A Letter from Sharon Bryant, serving in Thailand

March 2020

Dear Friends,

It seems like just yesterday when this new year began, and it is already March. I am preparing, once again, to return to the U.S. for a brief visit and am hoping to see all my friends and supporters on the East Coast this time. It has been three years since I traveled there to share stories of my ministry with Christian Volunteers in Thailand (CVT). I saw many of my Texas friends and supporters in October and November last year. I hope to get back later this year to visit those on the West Coast and to spend Christmas with family there.

There are two stories that I would like to share with you in this newsletter. The first is a story that, too often, is ignored or forgotten. It is the story of a wonderful couple who came to Thailand to serve. Larry and Bussarakum Humphrey, American citizens from Greenfield, Massachusetts, came to Thailand in 2018. They came intending to visit relatives, yes, as Bussarakum grew up in Thailand, but they also decided that they wanted to stay for a time to serve the church here. Deeply committed Christians, they met almost 30 years ago, when Larry was teaching in Thailand, and Bussarakum worked at the Central Office of our partner church. Now married 25 years, retired, and wishing to serve those less fortunate, Larry and Bussarakum returned to make a difference in the lives of Thai children.

The second story is about Vern and Kao Lee Xiong. Vern and Kao Lee arrived in Thailand in 2016 with three children in tow. They left their families and cozy existence in St. Paul, Minnesota, to come to Thailand to serve God in new ways. Only Wesley, the eldest child, was of school age. Vern and Kao Lee settled in Chiang Mai, assigned to serve The Prince Royal’s College (PRC), a K-12 school belonging to our partner church. Wesley started second grade, and Wheaton went to kindergarten, learning the Thai language as they went. Kao Lee taught English at PRC, and Vern worked online from home, watching over Waverly, the youngest.

So, what makes Vern and Kao Lee Xiong so special? In the spring of 2018, they completed their two years of service in the CVT Program. However, they have not returned to the U.S. In the two years they served in the CVT Program, they started a Christian ministry with Thai young people in the community. This ministry continues to grow. Kao Lee continues to teach at PRC, while Vern, supported by his church in the U.S., teaches Bible and counsels young Thai Christians. Vern is now completing the requirements to become ordained as a missionary. All three children are enrolled in a nearby international school, which offers a discount to missionary families so that they can all be together while serving God in Thailand.

• Please pray for me as I plan my travel, for we do not know how the COVID-19 virus will change all of our plans in the future.
• Please pray for Larry and Bussarakum Humphrey as they return to life in the U.S.
• Please pray for Vern and Kao Lee Xiong and the work they are doing in Thailand.
• Please pray for our United States of America and the things that divide us as a nation.

Once again, thank you for all you do to support me and my work in this ministry. Every day, I see lives that are changed by volunteers who come—often not knowing what to expect—to serve God in this place. Those volunteers are changed, and the lives of Thai children are changed by them as well. None of this could happen without your prayers, your letters and emails, your care packages, and your contributions to PC(USA) World Mission. Thank you.

Blessings, Sharon L. Bryant