May 2026 Newsletter
- Dallas Vaughn
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
One of the greatest privileges of my life has been in being a dad. And it has been a wild adventure raising both Theo and Mary Ella in Thailand.
Both of them have made me proud in so many ways. They have both adapted well to a mixed culture, where we are very American at home, then step out the door into the neighborhood to spend time with friends from Chiang Rai, Bangkok, South Korea, China, Texas, Myanmar, and Israel. (Yes, these are all places represented in our little neighborhood here in Chiang Rai.) One of the things we have tried to do as a family is to be salt and light to kids and families all around us, no matter where we go. In fact, I think our kids are better missionaries at this point than I am.
Theo’s Birthday Party
Theo turned 2 on April 10th, but the smoke was so bad for an entire month here in Northern Thailand, that we had to wait to have his birthday party. Nonetheless, it was a great time and he had a blast.
Trip to Kentucky
I was invited by a church in Kentucky to come speak to them. This was a great honor for me and I was very impressed by the hosts' hospitality. They put me in a sizable Airbnb cabin in the woods of Kentucky, and stacked the fridge full of protein shakes (at my request) and food so that I wouldn’t have to leave the house other than to preach.
Unfortunately, the sound didn’t record well, so it’s not the best quality, but you can still listen here if you want to:
Saphan Siam Conference
After getting back from Kentucky, I got hit with some gnarly jet lag. Then I had a wisdom tooth removed, then we slept on a night bus traveling 12 hours down to Bangkok! As heavy as that all sounds, it wasn’t really that bad (well, the tooth part wasn’t fun, and I think I lost half my wisdom). But Liz had the honor of helping lead worship for a conference of missionaries and Thai ministry workers that we were invited to, called Saphan Siam.
They are helping create resources in the Thai language and the conference is a way to build networks and help get the materials out. The kids had a great time and it was almost like a VBS for them. A team came all the way from Kansas to work with the kids, which I was very impressed by!
Translation for PhD Project
A fellow worker here in Chiang Rai is working on his PhD, and his project involved interviewing Thai ministry workers, in order to help missionaries understand Thai culture better. I was honored to help him translate for this project. Pray for him as he finishes his PhD.
Weekly Meeting
I just started meeting weekly with an old friend from West Tennessee who is struggling financially, in order to help him build a budget and get some things in order. This is what we might call “being an accountability partner.” I always love these opportunities to share what I have learned, but to also gain new perspectives from others that I can utilize in my own life and work.
Bonus: Doug & Paulette’s Video
I wanted to share this video that Doug & Paulette Piper put together this month. They have been serving with us in Chiang Rai and doing language training for the last 2 years, and they just moved to the province south of Chiang Rai to start a new church and language center. I love to share these types of videos because it reminds me, even as someone who has been in Thailand for 10 years, of the great need for gospel workers in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Prayer Requests:
Some old friends that have had 5 miscarriages are pregnant again. Please pray for the baby’s health, as well as the mom’s health. Her doctor has her on some new supplements or medication and so far the baby has made it longer than any of the others, which is good news.
Liz’s mom, Hope, will be traveling back to America soon.
Some old missionary friends we met at the conference this week are going through a time of major transition.
I met with the young man who I mentioned in one of my previous newsletters this month for lunch, and heard some of his story. He’s a smart and driven young guy, and he has some friends who are sharing Jesus with him. Please pray for him.
THANKS FOR BEING PART OF THE TEAM!
By God's grace, we have witnessed many lives transformed, and some family legacies changed forever. But the story is not over yet, and we are anticipating and believing for even greater things moving forward. Consider becoming a financial supporter so you can play a significant role in sharing the gospel, serving those in poverty, and creating Christian resources.
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