Restoration through the eyes of a child

Have you ever wondered what it means to a child for us to step in and serve their family? 

This month’s story might give us a little window into how a child might experience our help. 

Due to the ongoing pandemic in Thailand, our early childhood development program has continued to operate with a lot of flexibility. When we have been unable to hold programs at our center, our team moved our program right into local communities. 

On one of these visits, we came upon a family living in the warehouse of a corn farm.  Their home was in bad shape with holes in the roof and a constant threat of potentially dangerous critters, from biting insects to snakes. 

This particular mom and dad were doing their best to navigate a perfect storm of really tough circumstances for their three children.  They were new to the area and didn’t have a net of people ready to help catch them. 

Making matters even more complicated, this dad was fleeing Myanmar as he did not want to be a part of the Burmese army that is currently destroying their home.

So leaving a war-torn home, they had chosen to make this current corn-warehouse their new home.  It was all they had, and they were making do and trying to sort it out. 

Their middle child falls right into the age range and eligibility for our ECDP, so our team joyfully welcomed him to our programs. 

Understandably, he was not initially thrilled.  While the warehouse wasn’t actually safe, the people who live there are his home base.  Where the ECDP actually presents a new way and a safe haven, its unfamiliarity made it seem unsafe to him.  He struggled through this first week, not talking much and finding it difficult to ask for help, even help to know where to use the restroom. 

While he was learning to rest with us, we were working to restore his home to a place of rest.  Our community team began training the parents on how to spot clean water and how simple steps could make their current home safer for their children.

Meanwhile, this little boy began to flourish as our teachers walked patiently with him.  He started learning how to name animals and colors in pictures, even reading along with teachers and beginning to understand how words look.  He began enjoying coloring and even learned to brush his teeth properly.

It’s now been several months, and this beautiful family was able to find a small house to rent.  Safer by far, it is truly a miracle. We’re left wondering which miracle is most exciting!

Is it the safer roof? Less bugs and critters?  Access to cleaner water? 

Or could it be the little boy who now asks his mother for a story every night at bedtime?  A little boy who has learned how to dream in color again, who now has hope for a future and a full belly.

Good thing we don’t have to choose!  We can celebrate all the miracles at once. 

Your continued support to GCA means we have the freedom to go looking for families like this.  We aren’t waiting around for an emergency to strike or merely responding after a family is torn a part by poverty.  We get to search for families who might be right on the brink and we get to safely support and restore them with joy.