For the month of December I’ve spent my time becoming part of a family; But all the members of this family have really only been together since April. That seems like an odd statement but let me explain.
Our hosts Pii Sri (pronounced PC) and her husband Pii Aaron have two children of their own, age 3 and 5, and have adopted Pii Sri’s niece, age 7, and nephew, age 11; this has been the family for about 5 years. This past April the family gained some new members, they have adopted 4 more children, from age 8-13, from hill tribes they visit frequently.
Now those of you reading with children, that have worked with children, or those who’ve been around children will know 8 kids all under the age of 13 can get a little crazy. Why would a couple adopt 6 children on top of raising two of their own?
That question brings me to the Fountain of Hope Home. The house that Pii Sri and Pii Aaron have graciously opened to all of these children and our World Race team of eight girls. All of these kids have different stories about being pulled out of some awful family situations and being brought to the Fountain of Hope Home where they are starting to learn about the love, grace, and protection God can gives them, freely. I’d love to share with you how God has rescued these children.
Disclaimer. To protect the kids I’m giving them American names, they all have Thai names but I’m not going to use their real ones.
Alvin and Hope: age 11 and 7. These two precious gems are brother and sister and are Pii Sri’s niece and nephew.
Alvin loves using my camera (or any camera really) and being a typical preteen boy. He calls himself Monkey Al, Dinosaur Al, and Monster Al all while pretending to be such things. He’s got a soft side while giving out hugs and a rowdy side that loves to say a phrase we taught him,”rock on!”
Hope tries the very hardest at learning English. She fits the stereotype that Thailand is the “Land of Smiles” she smiles all the time and it’s genuine and contagious. She also loves her shirt that has fairy wings sewn on while running around singing “firefly, magic.”
You would never know these sweet kids were left alone after their parents divorced and neither of them would take the kids, not to mention their father is a drunk. Their parents are trying to reconcile but the kids have known this loving, accepting home for 5 years now.
Christina: age 11. This is my “partner.” All the Racers have a buddy we’ve been paired with to help do chores in the morning and afternoon and teaching them English after school. My buddy loves to share hugs, tries to mimic all the things I say in English, go to bed early, and share her sodas with me.
You would never know that her family would send her out to buy them drugs. Her parents are so addicted and apathetic they would send their 11 year old daughter out to buy drugs from the dealer and bring them back. She has even shared with Pii Sri that she was even tempted to try the drugs she was buying and delivering.
Amanda: age 11. She is the shyest out of the group but the first to laugh out loud when anything is funny. She likes to help in the kitchen, build small fires for everyone to stay warm by , and has the sweetest, timid smile around.
You would never know her parents divorced and just left her. Her grandmother took her in for a time but has bad knee problems and her age and condition prevents her from providing good care for Amanda.
Randy: age 12. This little one is also pretty shy. He puts so much effort into learning English, is small for his age (because of malnutrition) likes to start fights, and is usually the dirtiest of ’em all from playing around.
You would never know his dad is a raging alcoholic. His dad would get drunk and beat Randy up; it even went so far that his father would wake Randy up in the middle of the night to beat him and then throw him out of the house. When Pii Sri first brought him In he was scared of almost everyone and had a hard time sleeping.
Melissa: age 13. The moment I walked through the door she clung to my side and gave me so many welcome hugs. She saw some of my ankle bracelets and needed one the second she saw it. She loves giggling when I talk to her in English because she doesn’t understand a lick of it. Melissa is a typical young teenager with such a joyful spirit.
You would never know she was rescued from an issue the whole world is dealing with; sex trafficking. Melissa used to live in the hill tribe with her mother. Her mother needed money and tried to sell Melissa off to a trafficker; this is a normal occurrence for tribe families with daughters in Thailand. The first time Melissa was almost sold her Aunt took her in, saving her. Then she went back to live with her mom and it happened again. Melissa overheard her mother talking about selling her in the other room. She woke her younger brother up from sleep that night and they ran to a neighbor’s house. That’s when Pii Sri was able to step in and bring Melissa back to live with the rest of the family.
All these kids have overcome some tough obstacles and experiences they were born into. No choice of the environment they were born into just a situation they needed to survive in.
After hearing each of these stories and getting to know the kids Pii Sri knew that she could help them. In their own way they were abandoned by their families and needed a place to call home.
These kids have flourished here. They get three meals a day, a good education, new brothers and sisters, and new parents that have a deep love for them. Most importantly that get to hear about the love Jesus has for them. In a country that is 1% Christian all they’ve ever known is worshipping the gold statues of Buddha. Pii Sri and Pii Aaron read the Bible to them everyday, have worship and have church at the house every Sunday; in which we put together this week, that lasted about two hours. The kids were very confused when they first came and heard about God because they couldn’t see him, there was nothing to pray to. Overtime they have been able to see what God can do and feel His presence during worship.
How incredible, right?!
These kids didn’t have much hope until Pii Sri came along and offered them a new hope. In Randy’s case he packed his bags to leave with Pii Sri before she even agreed to it. All they wanted was a new place to live.
What they didn’t know was they would gain a sweet, deep love from new parents, siblings, and their Heavenly Father. Just seeing their precious faces you’d never guess what God has helped them through. Bad choices from their biological parents created a hard start to life, but they have new lives created for them to thrive in.
I really hope this gives you as much inspiration as it does me. Just one couple has gone against the main stream in so many simple ways. They worship our God so fervently and live out what God asks us to do so honestly, and these sweet children were saved because of that! We don’t have to live seemingly extravagant lives to please God and save others. Let your love pour out in the community you live in and God will bring the life change.
Meet my new younger siblings!!
