ABOUT US
The Seed of Hope project provides a dormitory that currently houses 33 hill-tribe students from remote villages in Northern Thailand. The purpose of the dorm is to share the gospel & the love of Jesus, provide a safe place for the students to live while they attend Thai public & private school, teach them sustainable life skills and to take steps to apply for Thai citizenship if not yet acquired.
The story begins in 2012 when Ryan and Rebecca Stowell along with their two boys, Tyler and Caleb, moved from their small mountain town in Colorado, where they owned and operated a family style restaurant and a gift shop.
In the first year a friendship formed with a couple about their same age, Lawpa and Bairak. Lawpa and Bairak are from the Akha people group and the Stowells could see that their hearts were for the marginalized peoples of Thailand. They were housing 21 kids from their village and other surrounding villages on the outskirts of Chiang Mai in order for them to receive and education.
In 2013 Lawpa and Bairak had their first college graduates from highschool! These two students wanted to attend nursing school so the Stowells offered room and board for them while they attended college in the city. One of these girls was Lawpa and Biarak's oldest child and the other was from a neighboring village. They later found out that the other girl was stateless so the Stowells, along with International Justice Mission, helped her and her brother aquire citizenship.
Lawpa and Bairak were doing their best to take care of the students but it was a heavy load taking care of that many kids. They came to the Stowells and asked if they would consider helping their family provide a safe place for hilltribe students to board while attending school. After much prayer and consideration, the Stowells and Lawpa's family officially started the Seed of Hope project under the Family Connection Foundation in February of 2015.
GROWING
Paeng was one of the very first people the Stowell family met in Thailand in 2012. She was a patient and guiding light as the Stowells navigated a very foreign country and culture. Paeng went to Bible College in Bangkok and became very fluent in English before moving back to N. Thailand. She quickly became "Auntie Paeng" to the Stowell boys. Ryan and Rebecca observed her heart for children as they volunteered alongside each other at the dorm in the early years. After the dorm was official with the government, and had moved north to Phrao, she asked if she could join the SOH team. They had to wait a couple years as they still did not have enough funding to give her a salary. She waited patiently and during that time found a good job in the city and married her wonderful husband Plewfire. In 2018 the two of them moved north and became full time staff living on-site. In 2021 they took over directorship from Ryan and Rebecca so that they could start the Seed of Hope Coffee Co. (see "Coffee!" tab above). Paeng and Plewfire are affectionately called "mama" and "papa" by all the dorm kids. Plewfire serves the dorm with his many talents, such as maintenance, landscaping, electrical wiring and running the motorcycle shop on the grounds with the students. He patiently shepherds the kids alongside Paeng with his gentle and caring spirit. Paeng & Plewfire now have two beautiful girls of their own.
In 2023 Paul and Karyn Meier joined the Seed of Hope team. With the growing pains of 9 years in the making SOH was needing more and more help on many fronts. With 8 local staff on site, Ryan, Rebecca and the team were needing support as they tried to keep legal standing with the government, oversee the care of 33 students and had also started a coffee company in 2021 (see "coffee!" tab for that story).
Paul is the Seed of Hope "project coach" and helps with so many of the daily, monthly and yearly logistics. He not only coaches and supports the dorm directors but encourages the staff, leads visiting volunteer teams, has been seen doing land maintenance along side Plewfire and much more. He is a huge blessing when it comes to helping with all of the required government paperwork and legal issues that make a project run smoothly, not to mention all the details of child safety protocol, detailed dorm rules and the staff policies. Karyn keeps the Meier household together, taking care of their three children, volunteering at their kids' school and encouraging Paul in all he does. She is setting an incredible example to the local people of what a Godly marriage looks like and how a wife can support her husband and care for her children. We are beyond thankful for the Meier family.
In 2022 the Lord prompted a conversation between the Stowells and their dear friends/sending pastor from Colorado that led to much prayer and dreaming about how they could "partner" together with Seed of Hope, specifically with Seed of Hope Coffee Co. Their hearts were very drawn to Thailand and the ministry their son, Parker loved so much. Please see this story and read all about Parker on their site here:
It is a big part of why they are doing what they are doing now.
In 2023 they spent several weeks in Thailand. The Lord opened so many doors and clearly confirmed the direction He wanted them to go. Presently, the Lord has not called them to live in Thailand, but rather to serve and support Seed of Hope from the United States. It is with this vision that P-REX Coffee Co. came to life! P-Rex is an independent business that is mission and ministry minded. They import green coffee beans directly from Seed of Hope Coffee Co. in Thailand and have direct relationships with each coffee farmer.
In 2024 the Lord clearly asked them to take a step further and become full-time ministry partners. They now serve the Akha Hill Tribe families in Northern Thailand through the ministry and mission of Seed of Hope and P-REX Coffee. They have become the Stowells voice and champions state side, sharing about all the needs allowing the Stowells to stay in Thailand and really go deep with the people and focus on the ongoing needs on the ground. God is faithful!
