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This month we are working with an organization that adopts children that would have otherwise been sold by their families into the sex industry. There are about 150 kids total ranging from 4 to 20 years old staying in 4 large homes. The kids were chosen specifically because they come from a background that puts them at the “highest risk” of being sold.
A family that is absolutely desperate for money will at the last resort sell their child. Sometimes they will sell the child permanently never to see him or her again and sometimes they will sell the child out several days at a time. Either way, it is heartbreaking. Most families that are in economically desperate situations (usually ethnic minorities) are glad to sign off their child to the ministry here. One less mouth to feed and the assurance that their child will get an education and have a good childhood is enough for many Thai parents.
The culture here is quite different than in America. Children are expected to contribute financially to the family once they hit adolescence. Some girls may start off young doing unskilled labor but as they get older their family expects more money and a girl might “choose” to go into prostitution to make more money. Some girls are deceived into thinking a real job is offered but then taken to a brothel. Refugees can be blackmailed into the business. Drug dependencies can fuel the financial need to remain a prostitute. The entire industry, although it may seem to some as acceptable, is knit with evil.
The boys and girls that live with our ministry here are free from that evil. They can stay as long as they like supported by foreigners for 60/month/child, many stay through university and plan to eventually return to their villages. Most of the villages that the kids come from do not sell children anymore; incapable families send their kids here. About 80% of the kids have switched from Buddhism to Christianity and many will some day take their beliefs back home. The children are not orphans and some do not come from bad families, they visit home on holidays and stay connected with family. However, from what I can see their true family and community is here. The facilities are great, each of the four houses has a house parent and many helpers. The closest American phrase I can think of to describe this place is a boarding school, although it is quite different. As they say in Thailand; same same, but different.
My team has been here for about a week. We go 6 days on, 1 day off. Our days vary but about half our days consist of construction work on the new children’s home from 8-3, then a break, then when the children are home from school we go to one of the homes for dinner and games until 7. Long hard days, but it is so rewarding.
Spiritually I feel like I may at last be making some progress, although it’s hard to put words to it. I’m trying to think of my self less (which is maybe the hardest thing ever) and through that I just might be learning more about God. More to come on that later.
Pray that I will loose my sense of entitlement and that I will think of my self less and less while not neglecting my human needs. Pray that this phase of learning for me does not blow over but that it continues and really changes me.
Girls at the “orphanage” took my camera and made me do model shoots with them for 45 minutes. Their favorite was to make me do girly poses and put flowers in my hair. Then they started practicing their Muayi Thai on me and I ran away.
Helping with construction on the new children’s home.
Buddhism is very prominent in Thailand. It is a works based religion so followers donate generously to their local temples.
