Child Spotlight

She came to GROW seven years ago. Her home was full of abuse from her father. Her mother was one of seven wives. She grew up very confused about relationships in this situation. Her culture was confusing too as her father was Thai, and her mother was Karen and Akha. 

She saw her father drunk daily, and he was violent. One time her father hit her mother on the head with an alcohol bottle causing blood to gush forth. The child screamed and cried with her older brother. Her mother ran away many times, but there was no safe place to take her children. Left with no place to go, her mom sought refuge with her grandparents who were elderly and without income.

We heard about this child when she was not yet five and tried to help. The process was long. Meanwhile, her mother remarried a young man involved with drugs. Living together in one room, the situation wasn’t any better. The child was abused again for the next three years.

When she came to the GROW Home, she had no experience with the Bible, praying or worship music. Day by day she learned despite the great many challenges with her personality and background. Her health was poor from lack of food, and she couldn’t breathe very well. We took her to the hospital every couple of weeks. I had lots of tears seeing her suffer so. 

Then I bought a trampoline and asked her to jump with me. She said, “NO!” because she felt like a nobody and couldn’t play because of her health. I told her to try five minutes every day. At first, she wouldn’t, but as I prayed, I saw her trying. After six months, her lungs were healthier, and she no longer had pain in her chest when playing. Hospital visits became fewer. It took about three years for her to be completely healthy. Now she loves to play volleyball and do artwork. We sit together over artwork and listen to worship music, chitchat, and let the Holy Spirit do His healing work.

Two years after coming, she asked for a Bible of her own. We had to wait two months and drive two hours to get the right version and translation for her. Now she reads her Bible daily and is growing. 

She is thankful and grateful to God for all your support for her to be in a safe place, to have daily food to eat, to have a clean pillow and her own bed. She’s a fast learner and loves to sing as a part of our worship team. She loves to read her Bible and study hard. She has a hope in the future to be an art therapist to help others. You are helping to rewrite her future! THANK YOU

– Faa