MISSION STATEMENT

In the past, we have taken doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, pastors and every day lay people willing to step out and make a difference in someone else's life. We not only visited the refugee camps, but traveled across the border into the jungles of Burma to offer aid to the internally displaced persons who had to flee their homes and villages in the wake of fighting between Burmese government troops and the Karen freedom fighters.

Since 2008, it has not been possible to take teams into the refugee camps. Because of the continued fighting along the border, the Thai authorities are much stricter on travel in the area. It is a challenge for just Rick and I to get into the camps on the Thai side of the border. We are no longer traveling across the border into Burma.

Our goal now is to find as many sponsors for the children in the refugee camps as we possibly can. The $10.00 a month it costs to sponsor a child makes a tremendous difference in the lives of these precious children.

We go on each trip expecting to bring hope to others, and we come away so touched by their courage and love that we will never be the same.

---

GET TO KNOW US!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~

Betty Stribling - Founder of International Assistance Group, Inc.

Originally from Oregon, Betty lived in Alaska for 8 years and Hawaii for 18 years where IAG was formed and incorporated.
She married Rick Stribling in Feb 2009 and moved to his home in Dothan, AL in May 2009.
Betty made helping the Karen refugees on the Thailand/Burma border her life's work.

Her earthly life came to an end in March 2023.
She is greatly missed, but her work will continue through the dedication of friends and family who are committed to her mission.

~ ~ ~

Colleen Stanley - President

Colleen Stanley was raised in Florida.
She spent her professional life in the Electric Utility Industry where she retired as the Director of Administration for an Electric Co-op in Tallahassee, FL.

She received her education from the University of Florida.
After retirement, she and her husband Jon moved to Dothan, AL and began attending a local church where she began working on staff and serving in many other positions.
This is where she met Betty Stribling and quickly became the best of friends.

Colleen states that it is one of her deepest honors to have been asked to carry on Betty's legacy by serving in this capacity with IAG.

~ ~ ~

Jon Stanley - Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer

Jon Stanley was born and raised in Florida.
He served many years in law enforcement where he received deep satisfaction from serving in various communities throughout the State of Florida. Jon is now retired, however, remains busy serving in his local church alongside his wife Colleen. He also enjoys hunting and fishing in his spare time.

Although deeply grieved by the loss of Betty, Jon is committed to carrying forward her memory and honoring her life's work by serving with IAG.

~ ~ ~

Mike McKenny - Assistant Vice-President

Mike Mckenny is a retired army aviator who served 30 years in the military.
He specialized in fixed wing and rotary-wing operations.
He spent a considerable amount of time traveling oversees throughout his career.
Most of his time was spent in Europe, Asia, and Central America.
He has been a supporter of the Karen Refugees since 2011.
Mike and his wife live in Dothan, Alabama where they both remain active in their church and local community.

~ ~ ~

---

~ ~ ~

This is a picture of Sandy Beckham, Betty Stribling and Dr. Jim Borden in the back of one of the trucks they took to get to the village in Burma they were heading for.
The Karen held area was very hard to get to prior to 1995.
The first leg of the trip was a long 17 hr. plane trip to Bangkok, Thailand. After spending one day and night there, the team boarded a night bus and rode all night to the border town of Mae Sot.
After buying food and more supplies in Mae Sot, they would be loaded onto a truck and taken to the river boat landing.
At the river, all the footlockers full of medicine and supplies and personal gear would be transferred from the trucks into long boats.
The boat ride was about 3 hours long and it was the highlight of the trip to that point. The lush jungle and mountains rising up on both sides of the river did not even hint at the suffering and atrocities being carried out just a few miles away.
The boat would take us to our host village and we would take day trips by boat to outlying villages to conduct clinics and visit the schools and churches.
We would also take the boat across the river into Burma for day trips by truck to some of the villages on the Burma side.