The Rutledge Family

We had lunch with our friends Dan, Mam & Garuna last week, and they shared a bit of what they've been up to lately...
Mike knows Dan from when they were single guys on the Film travel team together... Now, Dan & Mam are a part of the Akha Outreach Foundation in Chiang Rai, working primarily with their home for Akha children (The Akha are one of the "hill tribes" of Northern Thailand). Along with their staff, they take care of over 100 marginalized children and help to run a Bible school there...
One of the most inspiring things about this family is Mam's story... here's a part of it in their words:

"When [Mam] was about 8 years old, her father started to become addicted to Opium... As his addiction grew, the family began to see their resources diminish. Her father would take and sell one of the cows, or pigs, for a small fee, so that he could go buy more Opium to smoke... Once all the livestock and chickens were gone, her father would take the money that her mom had earned working in the fields and use that to buy Opium... Soon there still wasn't enough money to buy the Opium, and so in an attempt to obtain the drug that was controlling his life, he sold one of his daughters (Mam's older sister) into prostitution. Shortly after she was sold into prostitution, she contracted AIDS and died. Mam was fortunate to be able to come and live at House of Grace, a home designed to help girls who are in danger of being sold into prostitution. She came to live at the home when she was 12 years old and during her stay at the home she was able to hear about Jesus Christ and eventually gave her life to Him... Her father was still addicted to Opium and their family was still suffering both financially but also in their relationships with each other... Whenever she would go home, he would be there smoking Opium and she begged him to think about what he was doing to the family. After many long years of prayer and hardship, Mams' dad finally gave up Opium... while he was fighting the battle to stay sober, he turned his life over to Christ, and since that time Christ has been working mightily in not only his life, but also in the lives of the whole family. Today the hatred that was branded into Mam's heart for her father has been replaced with love and forgiveness. Her father too has seen his life renewed and works hard to provide for the family he hurt for so long."

Dan & Mam actually met while he was with the travel team recording the Film in the Akha language. Today they serve Christ together by helping to rescue others from a fate similar to that of her sister's. The Bible school students they work with are busy translating the script of The Story of Jesus for Children. We hope to help with its recording during our time here.

If you are interested in hearing more about Dan & Mam's ministry and how you can be a part of it, please email: .