Integrated Ministries for Ethnic Minorities Foundation (IMEMF)

Prayer and Praise for November, 2010

 

I have just finished working with the IMEMF staff to send updates and thank you notes to all of the people who directly support the children at the House of Love.  The sponsorship program has been a wonderful way for people to have a long-term investment in the children who call HOL home.  Some of our sponsors have been with us since we started the sponsor program, and we also just welcomed 10 new ones this past year.  What impresses me is the connection that our kids make—few have met their sponsors—and yet each child is faithful to pray daily for the people in Hong Kong, Singapore, Norway and America who send funds so that they can have education and a safe home here in Chiang Mai.  We still have lots of unmet sponsor needs—and if you would want to sponsor a child, can you write our office for more information?  And I do ask that you pray that we are able to connect sponsors with children so that we not only have our financial needs met, but that these children also have someone praying for them faithfully.  Thank you for your prayers!

                                                                                                                                                                               

Praise and Prayer Points:

 

·         Many things to praise and give thanks for this month.  The new term has started for all of our kids at the House of Love (HOL), the CDPD, and the House of Blessing.  Please pray for a good start to second semester, that each student would work to the best of his/her ability, and that they can each find joy in their studies.

·         The House of Love (HOL) kids had a wonderful break.  It seemed to be a good balance of fun activities and quiet rest.  Now many of our students are into their last semester of regular school.  The Thai system is set up that after 9th grade, a student continuing his/her education must choose either a vocational or an academic path.  As you can understand, this is a big decision for our teens.  Would you join in diligently praying for not only that major choice, but also what school and what program.  Logistically, how many different places would we even be able to send students—we have 2 vehicles! 

·         The annual camp that our HPTP staff does for our 67 HIV-infected and affected kids was Oct 18-21 and I think everyone would agree that it was the best one ever.  (an added blessing—this was the first time everyone was able to sleep at the HOL property!)  The theme this year was “Good Friend”--looking at our relationship with Jesus and with others and the staff did a wonderful job of teaching and using lots of creative ways to make the message real.  I have to smile at how teens are alike the world over: one of the favorite activities for nearly all of the youth was having the opportunity to go to our local mall and shop (a memorial gift given to the House of Love provided spending money for each person to buy a warm sweater.)

·         Thank you for praying for the CDPD seminars held last month.  One was for government officials on caring for persons who are disabled in the community and the other was for parents of children who are disabled, and both went well.  And another praise—the CDPD has been asked to be a part of the network of agencies who work along the Burmese border dealing with many issues.  This will be the first time that an NGO(non government organization)  has been able to be an advocate for the disabled, and we are grateful for this open door.

·         And yet another praise from the CDPD—one of our students who is blind has been studying piano, and has shown great potential.  She was able to play music for one of the meetings CDPD had—and she did a lovely job. 

·         Please pray for the House of Blessing teachers and our IMEMF admin staff as we get ready to formally “open” the daycare/boys dorm building.  The Japanese government officials and other invited guests will join us for the dedication and lunch on Nov. 27.  The daycare children are working hard on songs and actions for their part of the program.

·         The Health Project teams are finishing up writing a proposal for our Swedish funding agency, and it is a learning experience as they willingly have taken on more of the proposal writing and work out how to fit what they know into unfamiliar ways of communicating (log frame analysis, indicators, and problem trees for example).

·         Finally, I am happy to share my sister and her husband will be able to spend five days later this month with me after they finish ministry speaking in Phnom Penh.  With my mother’s death still so recent, I look forward to having family here with me in Chiang Mai.