March 19, 1998 10 PM

Dear Family,
I told you there would be no report today because we are traveling. Fortunately, our household goods didn't cross the bridge today from Laos, they are coming tomorrow and so we had to wait another day. The great news is we were in Udorn when the Deputy Chief of Mission from the American Embassy called.

LISTEN TO THIS:
1. The Laotian Embassy in Washington DC is receiving one hundred letters a day protesting the jailing of the Lao 13. They have never ever received that much mail about anything, anytime, much less everyday! The officials don't know how to respond or react to this kind of attention, not only from the American people, but from over twenty nations!
2. The DCM toured an Oklahoma delegation today that met with several important Laotian officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among the group was an Oklahoma preacher that talked at length about the 13 jailed Christians. He talked about Lao kids that his home church took in and the comparisons with the Lao 13. They spent 1 hour and 20 minutes on this topic.
3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs understands that under Lao law the authorities can hold the Laos 10 for 90 days before making a decision!
4. "A high-ranking official from the U.S. State Department arrives here tomorrow and will once again note the strong concerns of the U.S. Government regarding the 13 Christians during calls to the Ministry of Foreign affairs and Ministry of Interior."
5. No news about the Allisons and their approval.

Paul Lee, webmaster for the Laos 10 web site, reports that over 220 of you have sent emails from that web site, and almost 600 have been sent from the Religion Today page!

Jerry Canfield faxed a letter of commendation to the American Ambassador for the "professional, efficient diplomatic representation your staff demonstrated in this incident." Then he faxed her a three page letter expressing his concern for the Lao 13. After forty-nine days, his options will now be driven by loyalty and commitment to the Lao 13 rather than patience with diplomatic channels. "Grandmothers have been imprisoned for more than 45 days - we can not do nothing until one or more becomes sick from the conditions in the Thatdam prison."

Thomas & Kindy Kweekul, Lao Americans that work with the Partners in Progress Laos project, arrived back in Thailand today. They will soon add another avenue of support and assistance to the support network for the Laos 13 that literally stretches around the world.

Let's see....100 plus 220 plus 600 equals almost 1,000. Way over a thousand people have voiced their protest to jailing grandmothers for hosting a Bible study. 1,000+ folks have said "no" to jailing fathers for wanting more training to be spiritual leaders. Literally THOUSANDS OF YOU wrote the Laotian Government that it is absolutely wrong to put a twenty year old sweetheart in jail for forty-nine days because she taught kids about Jesus!

Don't quit writing, emailing, calling, talking and most of all praying! Thank you Lord, for thousands of folks that believe in religious freedom enough to express themselves for the Lao 13. Please raise up 10,000 more that will flood the mail boxes, jam the web sites, and blow the fuses on the telephone switchboards of Laotian Embassies and American Congressmen.

God bless,
Ken & Jean Fox