Grace and Peace Children's Home

A troop of laughing little boys run by, chasing and roughhousing with each other. Two more careen past pushing a third in our garden cart. And that one is holding on for dear life as the cart jolts over the ruts, giving him a bumpy but exciting ride. Screams, moans and laughter echo from the volleyball court where the older kids are engaged in a fierce competition.

Welcome to life at the Grace and Peace Children’s Home! Eighteen children now call us “home,” and we are happy to call them ours.

Why do we do it?

“Whoso receives one such little child in My name, receives Me,” Jesus said. (Matt. 18:5)

And that’s why we have a children’s home. When we welcome a child in need to our home, we are welcoming our Lord. What a privilege it is to open our arms to Him as we open them to these precious children. At this writing we have 18, ranging in age from 8 to 17.

We’re often asked, “Where do the children come from?” Most are brought to us by grandparents. It’s a sad truth that divorce and remarriage is common. When new families are formed, the children from the first marriage are often shunted to the grandparents to raise.

The grandparents of most of our kids are members of the churches we work with. Often, though they love their grandchildren, they are too poor or sick to raise them. Others want their loved ones to have a chance at a better education than they can get in the village.

Many have expressed that they want their grandkids with us so that they will learn the Bible. We are committed to presenting the Gospel to them and teaching them about our wonderful Lord faithfully. We have family devotions daily, Sunday School and church services weekly. And, most important, we are committed to show them Christ by our daily lives.

Other children have come to us because of the extreme poverty of their families. The parents simply can’t afford the uniforms and school fees so that the children can attend school, even when a school is available. In some cases, managing just to feed the children has been difficult.

For one reason or another, they have been brought to us. We took them gladly, remembering the love Jesus showed for children during His life on earth. And we remember His promise that giving even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will bring a reward.

Often, though, what we see first is not reward, but challenges. When you take in broken kids from a background of poverty and neglect, you expect problems. And we’ve had them! Parasites, poor hygiene, rotten teeth. We’ve learned to take these kinds of problems in stride.

And there are difficulties in school. Few have had the opportunity for consistent education and are drastically behind their age level in school. Tutoring and homework time is scheduled into our day, and most are making great strides. Mali is in charge of tutoring them with help from Moses, Wichai, and the older students.

Susan teaches English in the afternoons after school and on Saturdays. English speakers have a definite edge here in the job market. However far they go academically, they will move to the front of the line when applying for a job if they can speak English fluently. We want to equip them with every opportunity for success.

Of course, providing for this many children comes at a cost. A financial one – making sure they have everything they need and nutritious food to eat puts a big dent in our support funds. School expenses, dental bills, shoes and clothing, etc. all come with a price tag.

There is also a huge commitment of time and energy. Mornings are spent supervising their chores before school. We want them to learn to be diligent workers, so they have rotating assignments of sweeping, bathroom cleaning, dish washing, etc.

Every morning Susan checks the dorm rooms to make sure beds are neatly made and the dorms are clean. We have a daily competition for the cleanest dorm – boys vs. girls. Winners get a reward, as do the owners of the best-made bed. Habits of bed making and caring for belongings will be of benefit for their entire lifetime.

Besides all these necessary things, we want these children to have a solid base of a happy childhood. We want them to have good memories of their years with us. We take them on field trips to local swimming holes and fishing lakes. Occasionally we have been able to take them to Chiang Mai to the zoo and to the mall.

We schedule outings regularly, but we have opportunity to give them good memories daily. That includes not only after-school tutoring, but also playtime. The staff joins them outside, playing volleyball or bocce ball or soccer. Play is an important part of developing social skills. Active outside play is likewise important for building healthy bodies. We make sure they have plenty of opportunity to grow in both ways.

After supper is devotion time. Wichai and Moses take it in turns to teach them the truths of the Bible. “Grandma” as they call Susan, takes a turn on Fridays, telling the continuing missionary stories she told to many children in America over the years.

These children depend on us – and we depend on the Lord for grace and wisdom in raising them. We also ask Him to supply the needs of our Children’s Home. He graciously does that through the gifts of our supporting churches and individuals. We don’t receive funds through any other source.

Those who give so these children can have a secure childhood and a hope for the future will receive a reward with us. Giving and receiving love from the children and showing love to the Lord by serving them is a joy and reward in itself. But we have a promise of even greater reward in the future when we stand before the Lord. “As much as you have done it unto the least of these…you have done it unto Me.”

Seeing lives changed on earth, and receiving a reward in eternity. What a privilege to be a part of serving here!