September Newsletter

We had the great pleasure of hosting our first group of visitors to Grace, post Covid: five friends from Ireland. Joe and Aoife Fitzgibbon wrote an encouraging message in our guest book. We have just come back from a short visit to Grace Ministries. We have come home full and inspired to seek the Lord afresh for His direction in our own lives. We saw Light shining in darkness – 110 children cared for with the daily practicalities of food, shelter, clothing and education. Not only that, but all of this provided by staff who have laid down their own lives to serve, and to do so with integrity and excellence. These children have been rescued from situations of unimaginable distress. Their stories are heartbreaking. Here they find safety, love, and hope. They learn to laugh and play as children should. And they are trained for life. The leaders have poured out their lives for these children. The thread of their joyful sacrifice is evident throughout the magnificent tapestry that is Grace Ministries and provides an exemplary model for staff and children (and visitors) to emulate. This is a place where heaven touches earth. Every aspect of the ministry bears the mark of God’s love expressed through grace. As wonderful as it is, escape from darkness is not the end of the story; it’s just the beginning. Therein lies a great challenge for these young lives. Pray for them, that they may fully avail of the grace given to them, that they may stay the course to completion and embrace the Father’s love and instruction until they are presented mature in Christ.

We celebrated Thai Mother’s Day with our eighteen precious children who have been abandoned by their mothers or who have no mothers. It was a joy to pour our love out to each of them in acts of kindness and in having a meal together. Each precious child felt loved and valued by our wonderful co-workers. Our children from each of our five homes expressed their love and gratitude to Yoke Fong on Mother’s Day, also, by presenting her with cards they made themselves and by giving her gifts. It was a beautiful occasion and one that will live in our memories for a long time. Heartfelt thanks to our wonderful sponsors and partners for helping to make all of this possible.

In Oregon our volunteers have completed the transfer of automatic US-based giving through a portal in our website, gmfthailand.org. Friends also have the option of writing a check to “Grace Ministries Thailand” and sending it to Grace Ministries, PO Box 1062, Tualatin, OR 97062. All gifts from our American friends are still tax deductible and will be receipted directly from Grace Ministries Thailand. Another benefit of our new giving portal is that our international supporters can conveniently donate online using their credit cards or bank accounts. To give on the website, click on “Contribute” on the upper right-hand side of the home screen. Under “Sponsorship” click “Sponsor a Child” and follow the directions. Any supporters can give this way, whether or not they are sponsors. Thank you, donors, for bearing with us during the transfer and many thanks to our hard-working volunteers!

Yao and her little girl, Rada, Ewe, and Charles are looking forward to visiting our friends and partners in Ohio and Oregon this month. We are looking forward to meeting up with all of you once again after a four-year absence due to Covid.

Finally, we were saddened to hear of the passing into heaven of our great friend, mentor and partner, Sam Olstroem from Denmark, on August 16. His love for God and for all of us at Grace Ministries has been a wonderful inspiration and support to us for the past 25 years. Our love to Tove, his precious wife, and to his children at this bittersweet time!

Doi & Yao, Witoon & Ewe, Charles & Yoke Fong and all of the staff at Grace Ministries