Hello everyone! I am back to blogging here after my trip to Asia. As some of you know, Faa was able to be with us during the time we were in Cambodia. It was her first time there and I believe she benefited a lot from observing the work of rescuing children in that part of the world.
Faa flew with our team from Phnom Penh to Chiang Mai. She had warned me about a surprise. When we arrived, we were greeted by her sister Ning, her niece Beam and the two newest girls who arrived at the home only on January 15. They gave us a flower necklace, which we immediately wrapped around our necks and savored the wonderful smell which was a harbinger of good things to come.
That night we had dinner at the G.R.O.W. home and then worshipped with the children. Ning had prepared a delicious meal and we ate it heartily. The worship time was so beautiful, with all of us sitting low on the floor, Faa playing her guitar and leading the singing, the children reciting Bible verses and a time of prayer of thanksgiving following. We had a little piece of heaven right there. During the sharing time Faa's sister shared her prayer to God from a few years back. She actually read from the piece of paper where she had offered herself to God and promised Him that if He chose to use her she would dedicate her life to rescue at risk children. She spoke very specifically of her dream, including the physical characteristics of the place where the children would live. Her dream includes much space for the children to play, homes for boys and girls, a learning center and a place to worship together.
As Faa was translating, she wept and for a moment couldn't continue because she never knew of her sister's prayer and was hearing about it for the first time. What touched her heart deeply was her sister's humble assertion to God that she was nothing, only a hill tribe girl with nothing to offer. Having lived daily the pain of being rejected for being Akha, Faa knew exactly what her sister was talking about. She could relate to the daring aspect of that sincere prayer. We were all moved beyond words. As I looked at Faa, I also realized that she was weeping because her dream was an exact copy of Ning's dream. It could only have come from God!
The G.R.O.W. home is a three story building located in a alley sided by other similar apartments. Admittedly, it is still a far cry from Ning's and Faa's dream. But it is a very significant step in the right direction. A few months ago they were only using a small space in this building because other tenants were also sharing the rooms. Now they have the use of the whole apartment. They also have added some "amenities" which they could only dream of until recently, like a refrigerator, water heaters for the showers, chairs, beds and a kitchen table, among others.
The children have no room to play outside. I saw the little boy pedaling his bike from the kitchen to the small eating area and back and it made me somewhat sad. It is a good thing that they are taken to a park nearby every couple of weeks but the children most definitely need more space to play. They end up running around the house, mostly chasing Faa or being chased by her, laughing her hearts out, screaming, occasionally bumping into each other and having little episodes. But overall they are doing very well.
Faa runs the home with a keen sense of organization, being careful to keep schedules, including what is being served for the different meals -- which the children hold her to religiously. She has them rotating between different meaningful activities after they come back from school and the children react very well to the structure. The two little girls are only learning now but Faa utilizes the two older kids to teach the new ones how things ought to be. It is a beautiful thing to watch.
I want to thank all of you who have contributed to allow us to plant this little seed which is already bearing much fruit. Without your help we couldn't have done it.
"With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade
G.R.O.W. President
P.S. I will be posting more about our experience with G.R.O.W. in Thailand here. Stay tuned.
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