We are deeply grateful for your partnership in ministry! Your heart to equip at-risk women and their families honors God's desire to keep families together, even when circumstances are tough. Our ministry is made possible by your commitment to sharing the gospel and caring for the marginalized. Your prayers and support encourage us all and make a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.
Even as we engage in this new discipline of personal distancing, we want to stay connected with you and help you stay connected with us and our ministry partners. We recognize that for some of you this is a time of unexpected financial stress. We seek only to keep you updated on what God is doing and ask for your continued prayers. Others may still be able to generously give and so we also want to share opportunities for continued financial support. We are thankful for each of you as our mission friends.
Due to the global COVID-19 crisis, numerous families in our community are out of work and/or struggling to feed their families. During this time, we have visited many of these families with "survival bags", each of which included 5 kg of rice, 10 small cans of fish in tomato sauce, 30 eggs, kitchen staples such as fish sauce and cooking oil, milk, fruits and vegetables, and protective face masks for each member. We shared how they can stay safe and healthy during this time and spent time in prayer with them.
One man had just 40 baht (about US$1.25) left before we came to help. He had asked God whether He still saw him; he had asked God to provide food and he wondered whether God had abandoned him. He continued to pray. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, we were en route. When we arrived with a survival bag, he praised God for answering his prayers! God was able to meet his need even when he had so little remaining. When we followed up with him, he still had some of the food we had shared.
When you pray for our ministry or support our work financially, you help the mother (or parents), our brand new Baby Bird Ministry, which provides extended hours care for kids (thereby offering additional job opportunities for parents),and Home of the Swallow - encouraging all of us to persevere with a sometimes difficult, but always worthwhile endeavor: strengthening and keeping families together.
One single mom, "Anya", has a job as a night nurse for a local orphanage, caring for children with HIV. She also has 4 kids, including two teenagers and two younger daughters, ages 3 and 5. The girls' child care expenses are US$100 per month per child, but with Anya's salary of about US$300 per month, she cannot afford care for both daughters while she works.
Another mom whose family has recently struggled with domestic violence has a job during this uncertain time, for which we thank God! However, when "Sonia" leaves her two young daughters at home with her husband, he favors the little one (who is his biological daughter), frequently criticizing and raising his voice at her older sister when their mom isn't present. This family of four living on a single income already struggles to make ends meet, so placing the elder daughter in our care, which would cost US$70 per month, is not a viable option. However, we have witnessed noticeable improvement in this family's relationships when she is in our care. We have about 8 other children who are in similar situations to these and would love to help ease their families' burdens during this time when many are struggling relationally, with limited opportunities for income and little to no margin.
Would you prayerfully consider, as God leads, a regular gift of any duration or amount?
Prayer Requests:
Please pray for our women as they have been at HOS almost all the time for the past two months.
Pray for God's grace and patience to be evident in their interactions.
Pray for our staff as there have been many "firsts" during this pandemic.
Pray for God's wisdom as we try to discern and follow His leading.
Pray for health. Thailand is slowly beginning to re-open with many social distancing measures in place.
Pray for God's provision to continue the ministry to which He has called each of us - and you!