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Tag: children

Children’s Rights and Protection

House of Blessing is located in an area rife with abuse, drugs and human trafficking.  Since the children at HOB come from vulnerable home situations and many of them return home briefly for the summer school break, it is great to see their leaders take the initiative in training the children to know their rights and learning how to protect themselves from others who might try to abuse them.  This training session took place at the HOB meeting room and was led by Think Small Foundation, a Thai non-profit foundation who teach from a Christian perspective.  The children are now more aware of what is happening around them and can be a positive influence in their town and school, helping to protect themselves and others.

Furthermore, the adult leadership training event in February also focused on the topic of Child Protection Program and how to do outreach in the school and communities.  There were 22 leaders who attended (10 churches and 2 foundations).  This session taught leaders who are working with children to be aware of child rights and protection so they will know how to protect both the children they work with as well as themselves.  This would be like many of our churches who implement a safe place policy for child and youth workers.  Children are a gift from God and are to be protected as they learn to glorify God.

Community Blessing Foundation Children’s Outreach

The Community Blessing Foundation (CBF) is the new foundation under the Thai government, under which the House of Blessing is included.  CBF also works in training leaders in surrounding areas, works to help families as well as fights against human-trafficking.  So many exciting things are happening with Community Blessing Foundation’s children’s outreach!

First of all, the children at House of Blessing are mentored and trained to lead the outreach.  Several of the older teens are leading the teaching and Bible study.  Many of the tweens are leading worship with the teens and are busy praying with the other children and interacting with them.

Please pray for the outreach teams as they go to a few villages where Satan works hard to keep them out.  In one village, Satan has closed doors so the team has had to find a third location within the village to meet and share the gospel with the kids in the village.  Praise God that He is bigger than Satan and gives grace to this team who is faithful in spreading His Word!

Secondly, many leaders in surrounding areas are being trained and mentored by Josh in starting their own children’s outreach ministries.  One young lady who was an intern at HOB last year, is now beginning her own outreach.  She is raising poor kids to follow Jesus and they have begun to memorize Scripture in both English and their native tongue.  Some kids heard God’s voice as He said, “Believe in me and trust in me.”

Join us in praying that God will continue to open doors for outreach and pray for leaders to be faithful in sharing His truth.  Pray for leaders and children alike to hear God through Scripture and hear the Holy Spirit.  Let’s claim the promise in Isaiah 55:11, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

The Life of a Child in HOB

What does a typical week look like for the children in House of Blessing? During the week, from May-March, the children go to school. Amber helps them with their homework, especially their English homework. The children enjoy going to Amber’s to bake cookies but it’s also a time where only English is spoken and the kids have fun learning and laughing.

Saturday is outreach day when the kids from HOB help Josh lead kids ministry outreach in various villages and communities. The older kids are leading the Bible teaching and the younger kids like to get involved in leading worship! Sunday evening, the team gets together to plan what will happen on Saturday. Friday evening they meet again to make sure everyone is prepared before going out the next day.

Sunday is a day for Bible study and worship at church. Even after the church service is over, sometimes the little kids like to stay up front and sing their little hearts out as they continue in spontaneous worship of their risen Savior! Some weeks, they go to the local youth worship service as well. When with youth from other churches, Josh and Julie see the leadership abilities shine amongst the HOB kids.

Proverbs 22:6 says to train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Let’s continue to pray for these children to grow in God and for the leaders as they train them.