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Protect a Child

Category: Blogs

BAGS OF RICE SENT WITH LOVE

RESCUED CHILD GIVES UNSELFISHLY

Niki* (name changed for protection) is a quite and beautiful 13-year-old girl who once had to dig for roots and beg on the side of the road to survive.  She was at high-risk for being exploited or trafficked. S&A reported that terrorism caused her family to flee far away from their village of origin. There was gunfire all around.  When S&A learned about Niki’s plight, with her parents permission, they invited her and her younger sister to live with them in their home. Niki* is not an orphan in the true sense of the word; however, her parents struggle with heavy drug-addiction and poverty in this volatile area of Shan State and were unable to adequately provide for their children.   Niki*, who had never gone to school prior to living with S&A, proved herself to be such a good learner that she won awards in school.  Most important of all, over the past 5 years living with S&A, she has come to know Jesus personally and about God’s tremendous love for her.

Recently, Niki’s* mom gave birth to twin girls.  These babies, too, could be at high risk.  What does Niki* do to help? She saves a major part of her hard-earned allowance to send bags of rice back home to her family to help them survive. This beautiful and selfless act of care shows the type of compassion we read about in Matthew 25:35.  We are called to live out our faith and Niki,* under S&A’s care, has learned how to do this very well.  Praise God for this beautiful example!

Judy’s “Miracle 21” Race Success / Rescue of Joy

Faithful to the End of the Race 

On August 6th, Judy ran a half-marathon in Invermere with our children.  She managed to get through most of the hilly course in good shape but around the beginning of the final (21st) kilometre, her CRPS pain set in to the point of being unbearable.  At that point, our grown children held her up and helped her finish the run on her own two feet.  It was a precious site to watch them all cross the finish line at the same time to the cheers of the crowd.  Here she is with Jon and Amber holding her arms and Amanda, Sherri and a friend Kelli running alongside.  Our grandchildren were cheering Gramma on.

The Apostle Paul compared our journey of life to a fight to be fought and a race to be run. For many, it’s not easy, but it’s so good to know that we are not alone.   Paul could say:

“2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”  

Along the way, we need to encourage one-another to finish this race of life!  Let’s all be sure to keep our eyes on the prize of following Jesus!

In Myanmar, our partners Steve* and April* rescued another little girl earlier this week.  This five-year-old was living with her drug-addicted step-father and was in a high-risk situation.   When it became apparent the little girl was about to be trafficked, Steve* & April* stepped up and took her in.   So now we have another precious little one in our fold.  

 

The five-year-old’s head was shaved to help clean up a lice infection and she has a bad rash from not being properly cared for.  Steve and April wanted to give her a new name to mark her new beginning in life. Judy suggested the name Joy, from the passage “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). This is now her adopted name.

Please pray for Joy and her two dozen siblings in the Uncountable Grace Myanmar home.  Many parts of Myanmar (Burma) still face huge challenges today due to the military coup but praise God we are still able to keep this life-giving ministry going. May God bring the joy of Jesus into this little girl’s life and may she find safety in the LORD all the days of her life.

Thank you for your partnership in helping us run the race.

Rob & Judy

The Miracle 21 Campaign

Is Jesus calling you to “take up your mat and walk?”

Judy Griffioen has suffered with an intensive neurological condition (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) for four years.  CRPS brought some significant life changes and a truckload of intensive pain into Judy’s life.  The neurological pain travels throughout her body, attacking her nerve sheaths and making life a huge challenge.  What has got her through this is her deep faith in God.  She is also deeply grateful for the team of medical experts God has placed in her life.

One thing Judy loves is running.  For her, running is a total release. When she runs, she worships God and finds it is her optimal time of prayer.

In 2009, when we were serving in mission in Thailand, Judy ran a half-marathon in Phuket with her team-mates, Becky and Cynthia.  However, in the past years, the nerve pain made it impossible to run. At times, she could barely walk 100 feet without the pain locking in.  Even a few short months ago, we had to turn back on short walks.

 

Not long ago, Judy read the passage of the lame man that Jesus healed at a pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5:1-9).

  • Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (ESV).

What struck Judy were the words: “Do you want to get well?”  She said “yes.” Jesus spoke powerfully into her heart to “take up her mat and walk.”  With this, she asked her medical team for clearance to start running again.  These professionals coached her on how to do this and how to prevent further injury.  Even though her pace is very slow, Judy is once again running and worshipping God as she does so.  Now Judy has a new goal.  She wants to run a half-marathon this summer (in Invermere, BC).  As a special “60th” birthday wish, she asked each of our grown children to join her, and they are in!  Even some of our grandchildren and supporters plan to join in as well.

 

The Miracle 21 Campaign Goal

21 weeks to train for running a 21 km (half-marathon) and raise $21,000 for our ministries in Thailand in Myanmar.  These ministries help us counter human trafficking and keep kids safe, provide full care with loving families and give the kids a “future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).    

Reaching our campaign goals will help us meet these needs:

  • Our Thai partners, John and Ann, will be moving their “Family of Blessing” home to a new location in Chiang Rai next month (April). They have five vulnerable young girls in their care and also provide for several other young ladies. They are all flourishing under John & Ann’s care. At present, not only do they need funds to help make the move, they would love to have musical instruments and provide music lessons for the girls. We also want to bless them with supplies and further training in sewing and other skills (John is taking training in biblical counselling).  We want to help see them succeed in school and in life, as they grow in relationship with Jesus.
  • Our partners in eastern Myanmar *Steve and *April (names changed for safety) have a home (called Uncountable Grace) with 25 children in it. Some of these children have been rescued from human trafficking and all of them are being kept safe from many other atrocities going on in their country.   We wire full funding for this home every month at just over $4,000 per month.  That provides for 25 children and three leaders!
  • For the first time in 2 1/2 years, GNI leaders Rob & Judy Griffioen are scheduled to travel to Thailand in April. Their aim is to encourage our national partners and engage in deeper ministry development. They also want to spend quality time with Pia, our partner in South-Western Thailand.  Trip costs are higher than normal due to COVID restrictions.  They plan to be there for two months this time around, with a follow-up trip later this year.With the hope that COVID will no longer prevent them from traveling, they are anticipating great new things for the future. To learn more about Rob & Judy, click here: https://gniministries.ca/people/rob-griffioen/

What about you? Is Jesus challenging you to, in some way, shape or form, to take up your own personal mat? Here are some ideas:

    • You could challenge yourself to memorize a section of Scripture that you’ve always wanted to hide in your heart.
    • You could challenge yourself to do a “Daniel’s fast” or abstain from foods that aren’t good for you for several months or a full year.
    • You could challenge yourself to a physical goal, like doing a race, or just doing those exercises you’ve wanted to be faithful at.

Changing Communities for the Better

Sometimes, as a donor, I wonder what difference the money I give really makes.  Let me assure you that the quarterly reports that come to Good News International from our overseas ministry partners make me excited that much is being accomplished!  Let me share a few highlights from Thailand.

Your funds are used for daily life, school, meals for the kids both at school and home.  These parents build up and disciple the children so that when they return to their villages, or wherever they go after graduation, they will have a good impact in their own communities.  We see this with our first girls who are sponsored to go to university or have graduated from nurse’s aid training. 

I am also amazed at how generous our partners are when they have so little.  They have been known to help cover costs for a grandmother with kidney disease or help a family send their children back to their school dormitory so they can continue their studies.  Sharing Christ with others is their focus as they travel to several villages for Christmas outreaches and weekly ministry.

It’s hard to place a monetary value on the relationships that our ministry partners form with others as they teach guitar to those who want to serve on a worship team.  Other times they counsel individuals and celebrate when they see people freed from addictions.  Their hearts break when, sometimes, the temptation proves too great and some stumble back into their addictions.  The fight also continues as our partners pray for people who have been trafficked and teach others how to stay safe, to protect people around them as well as their families from being trafficked. 

While the cost of a meal for one child may only be a dollar or two, seeing a child grow in her faith or a grandmother venture forward to receive prayer and inquire about God is priceless!