“The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people… For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help… I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”
(Psalm 69:33, Psalm 72:12, Psalm 140:12)
As part of my role here with Remember Nhu, I recently began working with a fundraising consultant from the U.S. who is teaching me a lot about business in an international non-profit environment. We have been talking a lot about different fundraising techniques/ideas, and one of things he told me really struck my heart.
Fundraising for a cause like R-Nhu is ultimately not about the money. It is about giving these children a voice. It is about saying for them what they are unable to say themselves. If they themselves could tell people their stories and if people would stop for just a moment in their busy lives and listen, oh how we could change the world!
My precious little sisters, and the other children who share similar stories have cried out to the Lord – and HE HAS HEARD THEM. The Bible says that God will hear the cries of the needy and the oppressed. Remember Nhu is one of the ways he is answering their call. The verses from the Psalms that I have at the top of this post are reminders to myself that God loves for these young women more than I can possibly imagine.
I have been encouraged as I get to know my girls to be their voice, to tell their story, and let my life be a bridge to those back home. I love each and every one of these girls as my own sisters and I have a responsibility to them now to let their voice be heard. Their story is now interwoven into my story, and I will do my best to share their hearts, and their stories with the world.
One of my loves – Lidi’s story (*name changed for her protection):
Many of the children at Remember Nhu have stories that will reach into your heart. One of those children is Lidi. When Lidi was three-years old, both of her parents were put in prison to serve life sentences for drug trafficking.
At that time, Lidi was left on her own to be cared for by other members of her village. She was often responsible for herself, and lived “homeless” over the next two years old (aged 3-5).
At that time, Lidi was left on her own to be cared for by other members of her village. She was often responsible for herself, and lived “homeless” over the next two years old (aged 3-5).
When she first came to our children’s home, she was very small (assumedly as a result of malnutrition), but also extremely independent for a five-year old. For the two years she was on her own, my sister had grown accustomed to doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She is feisty and much too cute for her own good. In the six months she has been here, I have already seen so much change in her. Under the close watch of her sisters, and houseparents she is quickly maturing and growing into an amazing young woman and I cannot wait to see what God has planned for her! At five years old, this girl is so charismatic, so playful, so amazingly full of life. I cannot imagine what her life would have been like if it weren't for God's intervention in her life through R-Nhu, but thankfully - I don't ever have to. :)
My girlies are all here now, and their lives will be forever changed. But there are others who still need to know they too have been heard. The girls who are already here need to be recognized, and loved, and prayed for – DESPERATELY prayed for.
Prayer Requests:
o Salvation for the new girls who are learning about the Lord but haven’t decided yet whether or not they want to accept Christ
o That they would encourage and keep each other accountable as they grow up amidst hardship
o Protection and courage for our girls to live as a Christian in a Buddhist society – their families, friends, and schools are all stacked against them
o That God would already be preparing God-fearing men to someday be their husbands and encourage them to continue to grow in their faith and live their whole life to the glory of God
o That they would be a light within their own community and a witness to their own country
o That people all over the world would continue to be changed, and affected by their story to the point that they would be willing to make a difference in their lives
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