The Fraker family- Josh, Jessi, Jeremiah (15), and Josiah (12), calls Cleveland, Tennessee, home. Josh and Jessi met as students at a boarding academy in high school, and even then they dreamed of someday doing mission work together. Twenty-three years of marriage and two boys later, God has opened the door for their family to take their first international mission trip together.

As a family, the Frakers believe faith is meant to be lived out in practical ways. Over the years, they’ve discovered that they work best as a family when they’re serving others. Whether they’re teaching, fixing something, working with kids, hauling and building, making music, or simply lending an extra set of hands, serving gives each of them a place to contribute and draws them closer together. Their family motto is “Do the hard things.” They want to be willing to step outside what is easy or comfortable when God gives them an opportunity to love and serve someone else.

In Mae Lah Klo, a central part of their time will be a Week of Prayer. Each morning, they’ll hold meetings with the students and staff, sharing worship, music, messages, and time together. In the evenings, the meetings will be open to the surrounding community, giving them the opportunity to worship and share with families and neighbors beyond the school as well.

But the meetings are only part of why they’re going. During the days, and especially on the days before and after the Week of Prayer, the Frakers plan to roll up their sleeves and help wherever they’re needed most. They don’t know exactly what all of those projects will look like yet, and that’s part of the adventure. Whether it’s building or repairing something, helping with the students, working around the campus, or tackling whatever project is most useful, they want to come ready to work alongside the people who are already there.

This trip to Mae Lah Klo is the fulfillment of a dream that began more than two decades ago. The Frakers are excited to see how God will use their family, not just through what they say during the Week of Prayer, but through their hands, their individual gifts, and their willingness to serve in the ordinary work of each day.

They’re going to give what they can, but they’re also going with open hearts, ready to listen, learn, build relationships, and live alongside the students and staff. They expect that the people they’re traveling so far to serve may have just as much to teach them.