Thailand spring 2009
It is so awesome to see God's hand at work with TEAM Thailand. God has supernaturally lead the team into areas of ministry unplanned... Read update by clicking on the following link: Team Update
Sia is a local woman who has committed her life for the last two years to taking care of at-risk children who come from Burma into Thailand. They roam the streets and beg for money and food. This ministry takes these kids into a "safe house."
This safe house is an amazing ministry to young people who would not otherwise know Christ or even hope in this life. Thank God for heroes like Sia. She is pictured here with Alli, a cute refugee who's life will never be the same because of the love of Christ. He never used to smile... Now he is a boy who is loving and has a sweet, tender heart. The love of God is changing his life.
This woman's husband left her and married another woman. She is left with her little boy, they have no money, no shelter and have to rely on the generosity of anyone who will give.
When Pastor Tim met this lady, he was with Milk, our team member from Thailand. This Burmese woman was so concerned about her son who had diarrhea and other medical problems. Milk insisted that we minister to her right away. We were able to get her over the counter medication to help her son. The next day Milk saw her on the street and her son was feeling better. You can see in her eyes a hopelessness and despair that most of us will never know. The few dollars for medication was a drop in the bucket for a woman who may have slept on the streets or made her way back into Burma.
Imagine a life of sacrifice for others. This little restaurant in a dilapidated market area is used by one of the local ministries to feed street kids... For about 10 baht (30 cents) each.
The relationships that are built by feeding these kids and playing with them does two things: 1. They are fed a hot meal each day and 2. The kids are screened to see if they would be a future fit for the safe house. The relationships are forged and the fit is determined. However, the resources are few and the need is great. Money and staffing are the two biggest needs.
When these kids do make it into the safe house they experience the power of the Christian influence and it changes their lives.
The woman who runs this food patio lives upstairs in the cramped space with her family.