We all love gifts—especially when they are expensive, rare, or desired by others. Gifts can make us feel special and loved. This Christmas Eve, I received a meaningful gift from my friends in Burma: a list of people affected by war to keep in my prayers.

This life is about Suffering!  In his song, “A Human Touch”, Jackson Browne writes:

You can call it a decision.  I say it’s how we’re made.  There’s no point in shouting from your island, proclaiming Only Jesus Saves!

There will always be suffering, there will always be pain.  But because of it, there will always be love and love we know, it will remain.

And on this trip, I met them. War Widows with young children, Buddhist friends of Believers, Muslim friends of Believers, a poor pastor and his wife and 3 children living in a shack with holes in the floor, 1000 desperate refugees living in the jungle with no electricity running from the army, no jobs, no land, no food, little hope.

It has been a hectic, action packed couple of weeks since our last newsletter. I have traveled to Indy for the “Farming God’s Way” Conference and then Sacramento for a business meeting and then Vegas. Projects include a 3 Wheel Basic Utility Vehicle by BUV that pulls 3000 lbs helping poor famers transport to market, an English Second Language Launch to our Refugee Camp in Burma, and a Crisis Flood Relief project for our poor flooded friends in Kathmandu.

Our dear friends on the river in Kathmandu suffered another flood on Wednesday. My Sister Asangla notified me with these pictures and video. Lover of the Least has been working with these very poor people for 2 years now and we have great love and concern for them.

For the last 25 years, over 1000 Hmong Refugee children have lived at Kathy’s Home while attending the local high school. We feed, clothe, shelter, provide medical treatment and educate them from ages 5 to 18. Over 35 children and teenagers have received college degrees throughout Thailand. One of them is this young man, Ponphet, who was an engineering student when I first met him over 20 years ago in a Hmong village.

Speaking, reading and writing English is a game changer in Burma. Children with English skills get better jobs and have a greater chance of seeking higher education. We are truly blessed to have an incredible servant teaching our children English for the last several months. She teaches our children online and also travels to the camp once per month. In addition, we are currently working on a plan to conduct online training with GOE (Gift of Education) for 12 advanced students.

Today, on this Memorial Day, I think of my father, Lt Col Jack D Yates, Jr. A Korean War Veteran and 4 tour Vietnam War Veteran with 2 Purple Hearts, 1 Bronze Star and 1 Silver Medal.

Do you see the poor? I often miss them…… in my town and neighborhood, at the grocery store or convenience store, on the street or bus stop, even at a church building or a prayer meeting.

In the last newsletter I briefly mentioned the undercover Rock Stars I have met over the years. No, this is not Sir Michael Philip Jagger, who at 80 years old struts across the stage shouting “You Can’t Always Get What You Want!!” But, to finish the lyric, “but if you try sometime you’ll find, You get what you need.”

My visit to ECHO in Ft Meyers, Florida was an amazing experience that I will never forget. They truly offer "Hope Against Hunger" in Jesus name! David Strong and his team of mentors and interns are growing some of the most amazing plants, vegetables, herbs and fruit that will offer real nutrition to the poorest of poor in third world countries throughout the world.

Our trip to ITEC was “over the top” successful with a 6 hour visit. We met 25 people in various specialty areas including eye care, dental care, drones and wings, mechanical design and repair, training, media and farming. The tour of the facilities was awesome and we were very impressed with the dedication and commitment from the ITEC servants.

The next two weeks are very critical for our ministry to the Least, especially in Burma. I traveled to Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 3rd to better understand the processes of teaching English online through an organization called GOE. I had two meetings with the Board of Directors to understand their Vision and Mission and discover how we can collaborate.

Five of our children have received positive tests for Hepatitus B. They will need to take medicine every day of their lives for the next 6 years. Please pray for these children

In the United States today, it seems popular to be called a refugee. 10 Million people in the last 3 years have crossed our borders claiming to be Refugees or Asylum-Seekers. It has become the #1 political issue in the US today!

Our second newsletter brings worse news from Burma than our first from last week! The mandatory conscription law (Draft) was implemented last week to be effective in April. My friends are in a panic and three have left the country already.

Our first newsletter is not a letter of Good News for the countries we work (Burma, Thailand, Nepal). And in fact, most of our newsletters will not be the warm and fuzzy Christmas letter or sweet Missionary letter you may be accustomed to.

Most of you know that I steal.  I steal the “good stuff” that I read and ponder………………

But I do try to give credit to the writer, although I wish I had written it!

It started over 5 years ago during a book read, “Halftime”, with several Brothers…

Money is referenced over 140 times in the Bible for a simple reason, IMO.

Your Life comes down to how you deal with money.

It has really, really bothered me over the last few years…….not just about others and their love of money.

My opinion, my pastor, the media, Donald Trump, Republicans or John 17:17??? ……”your word is Truth.”

A question that everyone is asking these days!!  And…….
Many people are claiming they know it or have it or speak it…….
Pilate asked this question to Jesus 2000 years ago!