August 2023 - Thailand & Myanmar
Written by GCA’s Global Director, Ashlee Heiligman
Since 2009, I have had the immense privilege of visiting our teams along the Thailand-Myanmar border every year. And every single year I am in awe of all that God is doing through them. Our programs grow in excellence and impact year after year while the individuals on our team deepen in their understanding of who God is and His heart for the most vulnerable.
It is the honor of my life to lead and represent them.
Groundbreaking Ceremony at GCA’s new property where construction has just begun. The goal is to finish the building in November so we can host a Christmas celebration in the brand new center. Please pray that the rainy season will not cause delays.
This year was no exception. Last month, I visited the two new child protection centers that GCA launched this year. Both are right on the border and a fourth GCA center is the works. Our team held a groundbreaking ceremony with the community members to share why we are opening the center. Children and families walked from miles away to join the celebration. The relationships I watched forming between the community and our teams are vital for building trust. The warmth between the community and our team is written all over the sweet faces of the children and mothers we serve.
This relational foundation makes GCA a trusted ally when a child is in danger. Through this approach in the highest risk communities, GCA has served over 19,000 kids to prevent them from being trafficked in the first place. With that, the potential impact at these new centers located right on the border is huge.
Thank you to all of our investors in this project!
Meetings with Gold Rain and the artisans at Sojourn Studio were marvelous. Watching her beautifully balance both business and mission is extremely impressive. It was also refreshing to see how the business is thriving as a healthy, safe alternative for women who could be easily targeted by traffickers and scammers.
During our meetings we decided to double our teen apprentice program to bring more girls into this safety net in response to the increasing threats in the region. Noonday Collection also just funded a full year of trauma counseling for 20 artisans so we made plans for making that accessible. We are truly grateful!
Our last meeting in Thailand was with the leaders of our newest social enterprise in Myanmar which is fully underway. They had sent gorgeous samples for me to bring back to the U.S. with hopes of selling our very first wrap skirts and caftans “Made in Myanmar” this year.
With the deep impact we have seen dignified work create, our team is already dreaming up new ways that social enterprise can combat trafficking in this region. In light of all the increasing threats to children, we believe God is leading GCA to continue expanding our reach in the region.
We are grateful to partner with you in all of this work. Your investment this year can help our teams prevent more children from being trafficked in the first place in 2024.
In Thailand we celebrated 15 team members who have been with GCA for over 5 and 10 years. So many of these godly men and women endured huge losses during their own childhoods due to severe oppression in Myanmar. Still they choose to pour out their lives daily on behalf of vulnerable kids in order to give them a safe childhood which they never had.
GCA’s new Operations Manager, Robin Hogan, led a finger painting activity with kids in our Early Intervention program. Later she trained our staff on positive parenting, early childhood development and then responded to all of their questions with expertise and grace.
Increasing Threats of Trafficking & Exploitation
In the aftermath of COVID lockdowns and the military coupe, foreign investors have capitalized on the fractured foundation of Myanmar. Since 2021, many large casinos have opened along the borderline where GCA works. They are targeting vulnerable youth in Myanmar and Thailand in poor communities for sex work and illegal gambling schemes.
Needless to say, GCA’s work along this border is vital for keeping kids safe. Thank you for investing in us!
One casino pictured from the Thailand side where boats cross over to Myanmar daily. Illegal crossings happening in plain sight of authorities.
The casino pictured is one of many with a grand entrance of steps leading directly down to the river where customers cross illegally by boat.
Many scamming centers have opened up inside Myanmar which traffic people from all over the world. 2023 US Dept. of State Trafficking in Person’s Report.
