A Word from the President

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Please know that your support of this ministry is making a difference for eternity in the lives of our children. My wife and I were honored to visit the G.R.O.W. home in Thailand and we can testify that the children are developing well. We praise God for that!

Soon you will be receiving a letter about a special end of the year contribution to G.R.O.W. to help us achieve our goal of $125,000.00 to buy land so we can build our homes in the near future. We are at $71,000.00 right now and we believe we can get there by the end of the year. Please remember us as you share with others the blessings God has given you this year. Thank about the difference it will make in the lives of many more children. You may make your check out to G.R.O.W. and mark it "Land."

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support. We are helping eradicate the evil of sexual slavery, one child at a time. The children sing and God smiles!

For the least of these,

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade

Hello Friends,

Greetings from Chiang Mai, Thailand after I got back from States!

I won't even try to count the many blessings God gave to me each day during my trip to U.S. The love, care and the prayer support on behalf of children at risk in Northern Thailand was so evident everywhere I went.

My trip back to Thailand was great. I was worried about and I am really worried about my luggage. I had 4 large bags with things people have donated to my children but I made one little mistake - I forgot to ask them to give me the funds to pay the extra fee. Wow. I as so sad I had to pay too much for the extra bags. I was embarrassed because I could buy food for my food for my children for a whole month. So I decided that next time I will just have to tell others to send the gifts to the children directly to Thailand or just make a contribution to the ministry. But please don't misunderstand, I love all you do for our children and somehow I can't ever say NO! Thank you!

Grace Fellowship Church at Nashua, New Hampshire

I remember my first trip to states in 2007. I didn't speak any English. I never dreamt I would ever come to the USA. I was thinking, I am just a jungle girl in the big city and I don't know anything, but by God's grace, He opened the doors for me to go there. During that trip I visited Grace Fellowship Church in New Hampshire. During that time I was with my friend and sister in Christ from Burma, Nubawi (pronounced "new boy'). So the Senior Pastor, Paul Berube, introduced me to a new staff member, Vanessa. Since we already had a "new boy," he said, jokingly, "and this is the 'New Girl.'" Thinking that was her name, I started calling Vanessa "Pii New Girl," and to this day I am still calling her that and Vanessa and her husband John have become dear friends to me since that time.

My first time to attend the tent meeting for worship at the Grace Fellowship Church, that time God just break my heart deeply for Him from all my soul. I love to be FREE to worship God by prayers, music and dance with everything you have to be HIS because I had never felt free to worship in my country and the place I used to share the gospel with street children at the corners. I had people offer me money for me to stop sharing Jesus with street children and I had to fight with the police who tried me put on the jail. When I worshipped at the tent in Grace Fellowship, I felt liberated. So if you are ever in Nashua, New Hampshire, you should not miss the great worship there.

I have attended GOIAM (Grace Outreach International Associates Ministry) in New Hampshire four times and it has been a blessing to be encouraged by the Word of God there since 2007. Pastor Paul is truly a people's pastor and he loves to talk, pray, and care for everyone and knows how to make everyone feel special in the Christ. GOIAM 2011 again changed my heart and I have been very blessed to spend special time with John & Vanessa Sheehan and their family. They have opened their door to a stranger like me to allow me to feel warm and welcome in their house and heart. Thank you very so much John and Vanessa for the great fellowship and prayers. Vanessa (New Girl) Sheehan: you are a great prayer warrior. Thank you!

Special time with Steiner Family

I can't tell that how much Harlene Steiner open her house for me every week! And this is I do not like it because of I LOVE IT SO MUCH! I feel seems like I went back to see my parent on the weekend with mom and dad and sat down on the same table. I really enjoyed cooking Thai food and we ate together, shared stories with her and her husband, and I felt right at "HOME" again.

I loved to walk around her house and feel the air of the nature with many cats and dogs. I have been asking Harlene to bring people from her Sunday school class to come see the G.R.O.W. kids in Thailand. Who will the next person to come see us? I pray and I wish every trip when Wooster Grace comes over someone from the Common Ground's Sunday school will come every time because this class has been such a blessing to me with their finances and prayers. In the last day I have to say good-bye to Harlene it was hard.

Thanksgiving with Spencer Family

I was so privileged to be with Spencer family in Ohio. They had a very special early Thanksgiving with me in their home. I loved being with the kids they are so cute! Special little boy name is Timmy.J. What a beautiful thanksgiving day that day very nice family. Each place had a name on it and I loved the color and decoration. I ate lots of turkey and the older boy just love to eat turkey too. It reminded me about how much my kids love to join me when I am cooking. And they want to test the food every time! Spencer Family truly blessed me by your simple family love for each other and cares about together. After I left their house that night I really missed my parents badly and thinking of how my dad and my mom could take care of 12 children, especially me? Thank you very so much, Spencers. Next time I am Wooster I want to make sure I can hang out with your kids. I love you all!

With My Kiddos!!

When I got to Soul, Korea airport and had only one more flight to get home,  my heart dancing like crazy, very excited to see my kiddos and I am thinking how much they had grown. I told Ning and Beam I will be arrive about 11 pm. but my children couldn't sleep they are all take shower, dress up and walking around ready for the airport especially my little girl. Beam said she can't even eat supper and ready first to go.

When I arrived at the Chiang Mai airport the Customs officers asked me, "Are you moving back Thailand?" (Thai humor). I said, "I am coming home to see my 8 children." (Faa humor). I smiled to them because I did not want to explain the things inside so I they let me pass. My kids called my name "Pii Faa!" so loud in the airport and I am so HAPPY to be with my children! I got to the G.R.O.W. Home after midnight. Everyone tired to go to bed and I am still up and I could not sleep, it is good because I have to take the children to school early morning everyday and this is I love it.

One of my boys showed me the certificate he got from school about the Science Day Contest, Bank got No.1 in the competition draw "scientific imagination" on Sep.22, 2011. He said I keep this to show you and have been waiting for over a month to say "thank you." I would like to give big thanks to God for Bank's great skill of art and thanks to Wendy Rufner for the big support supply of art at the G.R.O.W. Home. This has been a great therapy for the children. My children can't wait to tell the stories and I have to sit with them and just listen to all beautiful stories with each one every day.

School Report!

I have been promising my children that whoever can get A in class will have special gift. Last week I got the grade report for each child. I got report from the teachers that the G.R.O.W. kids most of them got great GPA for school, but the older girl (new) is still slow because this is very new for her but the younger girl (new), she is doing well. Parn she got A and A+ about 8 class and other class she got B and B+ only, she has to study for 15 classes and I have no idea what I have to give it to her for now!?!?.

Seminar "Stopping Children Sexual Abuse"

I got to Chiang Mai Thailand on Oct.24 and I have to go seminar on "Stopping Children Sexual Abuse" presented by International Justice Mission, Thailand, in Chiang Mai, from Oct.26 - 28, 2011. What a great seminar to learn more about child abuse and how we can partner together to help them.

Bangkok, Thailand

The situation in Thailand very hard for the whole country mostly flooding special now in Bangkok and have many people living under the water. Many areas have been evacuated and most factories are closed. Please pray for Thailand. Many people got sick from the flood, need food and medicine. I wish I could volunteer to go to help them every day, my heart is broken by the flooding and I believe this is not from God because the promise of God from Genesis.

Adasala and Amasala visit G.R.O.W. Home

My children, my staff and I were so privileged to meet and have Pastor Ivanildo Trindade (Adasala) G.R.O.W. President, and his wife, Naza Trindade (Amasala) with us. This was first time for us to have Amasala with the G.R.O.W. kids. We had nicknamed pastor Adasala, "Ada" meaning "Dad" and "Sala" meaning "Pastor," so the kids naturally called his wife "Amasala" ("Ama" means "Mom.").

The GROW kids were so very very happy with Adasala and Amasala. They truly loved to hang out with them, to go to the pool all together and get some PIZZA! Here in the G.R.O.W. Home we have pizza only special time for us because it's too expensive. We Love Adasala and Amasala!

.

School Anniversary and Akha Thanksgiving

My children have BIG night on Nov.18 at their school because it was the anniversary of school and my children have to be part of the show. The festivities went from 5.30 pm to 11.30 pm.

The next day we had to go to the village for special Thanksgiving celebration. My children couldn't sleep because they were so excited to go back to learn and share about the LOVE of Christ. They asked me "Pii Faa, can we wake up 1 am?" I said, "NO! too early, we will leave 6 am so you guys can wake up 5.30 am." But all of them couldn't sleep, they woke up 3 am and were ready to GO! They came to my room and I had to get up at that time!

When we are got to the village there were many people from many villages there, as my oldest brother has been a church planter and preaches in over 50 churches throughout the area. When I was younger, I used to go with him and walked up to over 100 mountains. This brother didn't even know how to read or write in Thai, he could only write his name, but God used him and uses him still today even with no outside support. He was the one who had the courage and faith to rescue me from my dad when my dad beat me so badly and he understands so well why I have this passion today to help rescue abused children. When I look back and see that even before I knew God He was blessing me and continues to bless me today, I am so HUMBLED!

On Thanksgiving day, 1000 people joined the celebration and my children have special action song to perform in front of all the people. My children did great. They were a HUGE blessing to others and touched so many people, some people were crying when looked at the children singing and worship God with all their soul and many were stopping us and telling us how much the children were a blessing to them. A special surprise was that the mother of one of my boys and the mother of one of my girls came. I was so happy and all the children's moms say that couldn't believe how their children have changed and are growing in Christ. This touched their heart very much and I was so happy to hear. You should be happy to hear too because this is the direct result of your investment, by God's grace!

At that same time, I had many people asking me to help the children, some who are only one year old and are already in danger of being abused. The village leader asked me how many more children I can take. Though I like to go back to my village, it is always SO hard to hear how many children are being abused by different ways and need to be rescued. Help cannot come to them soon enough. Please pray every day that God will give us the resources and send the right people to work with us in the G.R.O.W. ministry in the future.

As Jesus said, "For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I had no clothes and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me." (Matthew 25:35-36).

Prayer Requests:

1.Pray for funds to buy the land for GROW. 125K. We have 54K to  go!

2.Pray for the process to establish G.R.O.W. foundation in Thailand.

3.Pray for next year's trip to U.S., starting the end of March 2012.

4.Pray for the children's health. Especially my new younger girl P.P. (nickname). She got many issues because of past abuse situations, and for one of my boys - his hands still shake and he cannot hold pencil well.

5.Pray for staff of G.R.O.W. That we work together well and God will bless us with quality people who are fully committed to the mission of rescuing at-risk children.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and have a wonderful time with your family!

For the sake of the children,  

Faa

Correction: Last month we gave the wrong address for Wendy's blog. Here is the right address: http://wendyklepper.blogspot.com/.

Invitation: recently, John Sheehan, mentioned by Faa in this issue of the newsletter, drove all the way from New Hampshire to meet with the G.R.O.W. board and get better aquainted with who we are and how we work. We had a great meeting with him and following his suggestion we would like to invive any other church or partner to come and visit. We want to get to know you! Please let us know and we would love to work something out.