Prayer Calendar - August

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.

GROW just celebrated on July 29^th, the retirement of two of our staff members, Aja and Knee. They served faithfully for many years as the property manager and cook. We thank God for their hearts for the children and years of service. We want to include them in this month’s call to action as we celebrate and encourage the awesome staff God has brought to GROW. They are in the trenches working 24/7 with these precious children. This month, please send them an encouraging word.

Left to Right Back Row: Kwan, Volunteer, Ning, Aja, Eric (Volunteer). Front Row: Knee, Faa, Former Staff.

Ning Phurichaya Phuriwanich

I am number 11 of my 12 siblings. I am the first one born in the village where my parents lived and passed away. Asa young teenager, I went to live in an orphan home. I graduated from vocational school with a certificate in Fabric and Dress Design. After vocational school, I continued my studies and received a two-year degree in High Vocational Certificate of Fabric and Dress Design. I most recently graduated with a four-year degree in Social Work.

My first job was in Bangkok where I worked in a Fabric and Dress Design Department as a supervisor for about three years. I moved back to Chiang Mai to serve in women’s ministry. God was calling me to work with children and families. I worked in different ministries from 2008-2012. I joined the GROW staff in 2012 and today serve as the Guardian of Welfare.

GROW Job Responsibilities

Plan daily activities of the children including devotional group time every morning.
School Coordinator (Meeting with schools, managing school uniforms, school supplies, etc.
Accounting and finance of the GROW Home.

Kwan Anong Choemue

I am a single mom of three children with five grandchildren. I owned a small hair salon from 2004-2016 in Chiang Mia to generate income to support myself and my children. I became a volunteer to help GROW in August of 2017. I cut their hair and helped with sewing projects. God showed me His love for me and gave me a love to care for the children who were without parents to care for them and who had suffered many abuses. I began to pray and contacted Faa about how I could be a part of helping these broken children at GROW. Faa took time to pray about this. I began to think she had forgotten about it, but she didn’t God has been leading me to serve here with the GROW family even until today. I stay in the girls’ home. During my time working with GROW, God really helped me to understand more about parent’s hearts and why the children are here. Also, I grew a love for these precious children more and more. I pray to God for healing for these children like He did for my own personal broken heart. He gave me a place to seek God each day and experience Him each day through the GROW ministry. I used to see no way, have no hope, and not know what to do, but God’s timing is perfect. I always have access to Him, and He has big plans!

GROW Job Responsibilities

Daily cleaning and care of the girls’ and boys’ homes.
Laundry – bedding, towels, school uniforms, and clothes for children under grade 4.
Weekly hair cutting for the children.
Plant and tend to the flowers and vegetable gardens.
Weekend meal preparations.

Faa Sumitra Choemue

I am just an ordinary girl from an Akha tribe from Northern Thailand. I am from a big family of 12 children of which I am the youngest. My favorite animal as a child was a horse. It was the first big animal that I saw. I used to ride a horse that my parents had on the farm. Today my favorite animals are dogs. I believed at age 15 when I received Jesus in my heart while at the orphanage, that He was everything and enough. Then I began to pray to God for two things. First, I asked that God allow me in the future to open a children’s home. I would like children to know Jesus and invite Him into their hearts. Second, I asked for the children in that home to have the opportunity for an education so they could learn to read and write, being able to support themselves, their families, and others. While in college, I volunteered with different ministry organizations across both SE Asian and Western cultures. I was involved with children’s ministries, missionaries and the local church. In 2004, I began working with street children going fulltime in 2007 working with children and families in the redlight street district. In 2009, with the help of others in the U.S., I founded GROW. I currently work fulltime with GROW while a student of a master in Christian Ministry Administration at the Bangkok Bible Seminary. Since two of our staff just retired July 29^th, I have extra responsibilities at GROW until we can hire new staff.

GROW Job Responsibilities

Coordinate with staff, volunteer, college and university students.
Yearly Planning for the GROW campus and the GROW ministry.
GROW office.
Coordinate with the government for GRPW Foundation and home.
Coordinate with both the U.S. and Thai boards.
Yearly and monthly government reporting.
Property development and construction manager.
School bus driver, transportation to market, hospitals, etc.
Agriculture manager (rice paddy, corn field, vegetable gardens).
Discipleship for GROW’s church and outreach coordinator.
Health plan for children and staff.
Family Programming.

Eric Meier

Eric worked in children’s ministry at his church before moving to Thailand in 2020 to learn Thai and volunteer with GROW. This trip follows an earlier visit to the GROW campus in Thailand. His background in web design, graphic design, writing, photography, and video work has been a huge help to GROW both in Thailand and on the U.S. side. He was instrumental in helping us with the Live Virtual Event in 2021. His woodworking profession has allowed him to volunteer in the woodworking shop on campus. He is currently teaching the children how to make guitars. We greatly appreciate the huge heart and the time our volunteers give that keep this ministry functioning with excellence.

Send a message to one or all of the staff. Enter your name and email address with your message to send your message.