Dear Friend:

Here is a brief update as to what has been going on in the hills.

Lack of funds and lack of required repairs have finally caught up with the Toyota Four wheel drive truck I use here going through all the villages.

It now has no shocks, needs the shock mounts repaired, needs two tires, two front fenders which fell off, welding to the fender wells which are all that is left, and have broken in half, leaving the battery and such hanging. Also a new front bumper and registration after an inspectoin would not be bad. It also looks like one of the front leaf springs will need replacement. Repairs will cost $2,000.

If you would like to donate to help get the truck rolling again, since it isn't now, you may use the credit card secure link below or the bank methods listed.

While the truck doesn't roll, there isn't much of a project going on.

******

Two volunteers just left from Huuh Mah Akha where they were helping teach in the village. Huuh Mah Akha is still under pressure from various people "investigating" in the village who are Thai and foreign who will not give their names.

We do know the identity of one, a German Missionary from Huai Krai who is part of an attempt to split the village. No missions came to save the village, but now that it is saved for the moment, they would very much like to own it. We think the Akha should be left to own their own village.

We hear increasing comments from various places in the world that our efforts on behalf of the Akha are being heard just a little.

A story about the Akha we did with friends from Isreal made it to the Canes film festival, not so bad.

Waiting to find out what the results from that were.

*****

We are distributing more vegetable seeds to the beleagured villages and are hoping to see more come in soon.

*****

Another video is nearing completion for Italian National TV, and that should be very nice as well, looking forward to seeing the results of that as well. Will probably air in May.

*****

Some missionaries have noted photos of their churches up on the web, the ones they pushed into traditional Akha villages, and are complaining quietly about that.

It is about time.

*****

The Taiwanese Baptists are still bent on splitting Mae Chan Luang Akha Village. Not sure what is going to come of that till I get back up there. The church was built without permission and the army was discussing wether it would be torn down or not. It was not built by the Akha in the village but by the Taiwanese people.

*****

There is still one Akha woman with a serious abdomen problem. She went to the government hospital and even though this is slowly killing her, taking all of her weight, they told her it was just a stomach ache and to go home.

I will have to take her to a private hospital when the money is available. She is 32 years old.

*****

I went back out to the village where the girl lives who had her eye removed and she is doing fine.

*****

Someone requested that I find a inexpensive replica of an Akha Head dress, I have, drop me an email.

*****

We have developed a new line of t-shirts in Thai language that request missionaries from the US and Taiwan to quit splitting Akha villages. Seems they are a hit.

*****

A new large church is being built up in an incredibly impoverished village on the Thatong Highway.

The goal appears to be a church in every village, the culture forbidden.

One villager in one such village told us that he had moved new to the village and that he wanted to continue his traditional ways but the village pastor forbid it.

But the Christian Missionaries accuse of of "oppressing" the Christian Akha in the villages.

Funny how their door doesn't swing both ways?

Freedom of religion for themselves only it would appear.

Course this was the story in the US before it was totally taken over by Europeans as well.

*****

We have a few projects that are just inches away from completion, which when we get the funds and finish them I can not wait to tell about.

Matthew