In the fall of 2004 God spoke to Diana’s heart about taking care of homeless, orphaned and at-risk children.  She prayed and asked God what to do and she felt at that time to wait on the Lord and see what He would do.

On 12 January, 2005 Pastor John Srivichai received a letter from a woman in a Bangkok prison asking him to care for her two daughters, ages six and ten.  He did not know who she was or how she got his name.   This woman’s husband is dead, their grand-father died two weeks ago and she is serving time for selling drugs to provide for the girls.  Their grandmother is already taking care of a male teenage relative and cannot physically or financially afford to take care of the girls as she has no income since her husband died.  As we drove to this nearby village Pastor John shared two other stories which occurred that same week.

A Burmese doctor had spoken to John about his concern for his two children.  As a doctor in Myanmar (Burma) he makes very little money and cannot afford schooling for his children and besides that the Myanmar government has new leadership and has mandated that all the tribes and separate political groups must come under the authority of the main government or the Myanmar Army will come after them.  He has asked Pastor John to take his children so they will have a good future.

The third situation which John became aware of was a nine year old boy who is living in  the streets.  His father drinks heavily, his mother left him in his grandmother’s care but she is too old and has asked Pastor John to take care of him. 

It seems as though all of a sudden people are coming to Pastor John, pleading with him to help their children.  Pastor John was praying what to do as he has only one spare room.  He shared these stories with me and when I told Diana she knew this was the time to provide a Home of Hope for children in these types of situations and Pastor John agreed.

Diana has named this home “Home of Hope” from Jeremiah 29:11.  Pastor John, Diana and I will be asking people to partner with us in this endeavor as God is doing something new (Isaiah 43:18-21) in Mae Sot.  Please pray about how you would like to be involved “for such a time as this.”  If you wish to join with us in prayer, finances, or coming to Thailand to help please email us at ndgthai@hotmail.com.

HOME OF HOPE BUDGET

Rice                                                     190

Rent                                                    417

water bill                                                 0

drinking water                                       26                                           

electric bill                                             35

cooking gas                                                                                

food, vegetables, etc.                          300

household and miscellaneous              165

spices, cooking utensils                       100

fuel & wash for vehicles                     145

Staff (May & Visanuk) Salary            250

                                                   $1,656 US per month

annual and other expenses (per month)

clothing                                                           17

medical                                                            33

school (books, tuition, uniforms, etc.) 267

truck insurance and maintenance                    83

Christmas (gifts, party)                                   17

                                                                        $ 417 US per month

Total monthly budget = $ 2,073 US

(revised 5 October, 2011)

When they move into their new building (under construction) they will no longer pay rent and will have a water bill to pay. They will also have some added expense initially to begin raising vegetables, pigs, mushrooms, fruit trees and fish to reduce their food bill. They have land near the new building to do these things.

 Construction breakdown

walls, paint, plaster, smoothing, etc. = $21,400 US
grout & ceramic tiles for floors         =   15,960
doors and windows                         =   18,000
water drainage & car park               =    10,500
electrical work                                =     2,000
                                    Total         = $ 67,860 US