January's Prayer

Each month we will learn more about the GROW mission and pray for the ministry in Thailand. Don’t forget to set a reminder to return at the beginning each month for the learning and prayer opportunity.

Read “Profile of GROW” here, get it from GROW folder, or click this link to download Adobe Acrobat (PDF) copy.

Profile of GROW

GROW (Grace Refuge Outreach Worldwide) was founded in 2009 during a trip Founder, Sumitra “Faa” Choemue (read about her personal story in “A FAAbulous Story of God’s Love”), made to the United States seeking training through an organization she affiliated with at that time. But God had other plans! He was about to bring Faa’s visionary dreams to reality. With the guidance and partnership of Pastor and Co-Founder Ivanildo Trindade, she began to put together GROW. A team was assembled, a board developed, and a ministry that was long just a passion and a dream of a poor, single, young Akha woman was birthed.

GROW began with the initial focus of rescuing at-risk girls from the Akha Hill Tribe. It was not long though for God to expand that vision as the need became evident to rescue both boys and girls from all tribes and nationalities in Northern Thailand who have been physically and sexually abused.

Today, GROW exists to rescue at-risk children and youth who do not qualify for an orphanage home. Our purpose is to support, educate, and provide them with a safe place to live, grow, and learn about Christ. GROW also seeks to impact the families and communities we are involved in.

In April 2014, GROW moved its home from a rented house in Chiang Mai to a 21 rai (approx. 9 acres) piece of property in Wiang Pa Pao, Chiang Rai Province. This move provided space to expand and rescue more children and a safe place for the children to run and play, learn the farming and agricultural ways of their cultures, and hold special community seminars to reach out to families around them.

GROW is strongly committed to healing children, families, and communities. Our dedication empowers others through education, encouragement, opportunity, and spiritual development. We consider sustainability in the design of our programs. We strive for excellence in all we do, resulting in a positive example to others and a faithful representation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Vision

“To see abuse of all kinds disappear from SE Asia to be replaced with God-honoring families.”

Our Mission

“To rescue at-risk children, restore their broken lives, and equip them to impact their families and communities.”

Our Core Values

1. We are followers of Jesus Christ.

2. We partner with those around the world who share our passion to rescue and restore children, families, and communities.

3. We value people because we believe all people are created in the image of God and therefore of high value.

4. We are transparent and accountable.

By estimates, there are between 500,000-800,000 trafficked children in Thailand alone. Read “The Hill Tribe Story: Why does Grace Refuge Outreach Worldwide (GROW) exist?”

Our Goals

1. To heal children and restore relationships.

2. To provide an environment where young people can thrive, dream, and have the ability to go after those dreams, becoming responsible citizens and lights for Jesus.

3. To change a country by changing the life of a child who can change his/her family which changes their community which changes their province affecting their country.

4. To develop an educated and dedicated professional staff and organization.

5. To have a responsible and supportive relationship with donors.

Our Plan

Sustainable Development Programs

1. Basic Health Care

a. Regular doctor visits, check-ups, nurse
b. Nutrition
c. Personal hygiene and sanitation
d. Dental visits

2. Childhood Education

a. Placement tests for school
b. Homework study time after school
c. Extra-Curricular Activities

3. Vocation Capacity

a. Prepare children for vocational training or college providing scholarship and job training opportunities

4. Social Safety

a. Child Protection Policy
b. Child-friendly and safe place
c. Non-violent discipline and instruction
d. Community classes on how to protect yourself (for children)

5. Church and Worship

a. Child involvement
b. Local church involvement as well as GROW home church
c. Daily Bible reading and prayer time

6. Family Education

a. Parenting classes
b. Vocational training

7. Agricultural and Husbandry

a. Rice field
b. Fish pond
c. Gardens
d. Chickens
e. Pineapple grove
f. Frog pond
g. Fruit trees
h. Ducks

8. Life-Skill Education

a. Money management – give, save, spend
b. Music, art, dance, Muay Thai Therapies
c. Employment/Business opportunities: ie jewelry, produce, outside employment
d. Social responsibility (drug awareness activities assisting local poor families)

9. Celebrating

a. Personal achievements
b. Restored relationships
c. Cultural backgrounds
d. Educational honors
e. God’s faithfulness
f. Birthdays and Graduations

Our Makeup

Where do our children come from? The children come from a diverse set of backgrounds. Their main backgrounds are:

Akha Hill Tribe

Mong Hill Tribe

Lahu Hill Tribe

Karen Tribe

Chinese

Thai

There are six different mother tongues are spoken on our campus.
Every child learns Thai in order to go to school. At school, students can study English and Chinese.
Children are often referred to us by the government, other ministries, local village leaders and pastors, family members, and schools.

From 2009 to 2021 GROW rescued forty children. Ten children reunited with their families because of health restoration and healing in the whole family.

Our Strive for Excellence

Accolades/ Honors/ Government Status

1. Recognized as the standard for Children’s Home Ministry and highly respected by the Thai government.

2. First Children’s Home in Wiang Pa Pao District (2017) to receive the government required Foster Care Home status from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security after a lengthy scrutinizing process. We now advise and help others.

Our Dreams for the Future

1. Continue rescuing to fill our campus capacity.

2. Purchase adjacent land to our current property.

a. To provide protection to our children from possible dangers of other landowners and occupants
b. To further grow and develop agricultural and food sustainability programs as our numbers grow
c. Build training centers
d. Community development
e. Church
f. School