The Community–Based Rehabilitation Program has a far-reaching and varied ministry in the North of Thailand, and the staff does an amazing job.  I wanted to introduce you to one of the children whose life has been changed.

Anne was born with cerebral palsy resulting in poor sitting balance and an inability to stand or move on the floor.  She had never received therapy and had never been to school.  When we first met her both parents were in jail for drug offences.  Anne was cared for by her elderly grandmother, but she was kept inside the house because of the shame her grandmother felt.  Having a child with a disability in the family brought shame on the entire family and it was better to keep that child hidden away in the house.  Anne would sit in the house and cry everyday because she would hear the other children outside playing and going to school.  She wanted to be with them.

The community-based rehabilitation team began to visit her.  They moved her outside on the front porch so that she could see and interact with the other children.  They showed her how to hold a pencil and began to teach her to read and write.  Anne showed she was keen to learn and really wanted to go to school.  Anne was able to attend the day center and camps sponsored by the community-based rehabilitation project.  While at the center, Anne received therapy and interacted with other children.  Anne showed improvement in her strength, control and confidence.

A wheelchair was provided for Anne and soon she was ready to begin attending her local village school.  Anne became the first example of supported integration in the Northwest Thailand.  Anne enjoys school and the teachers and other children are very supportive.  Anne works hard to do well with her studies and with her therapy.  She smiles a lot now.

Prayer requests:

•    The House of Love children have begun a new school year!  Please be praying for each child to try his/her very best this year.  One of the girls, Daw Song, is still too ill to go to school.  She has started on new medications, but is having a reaction to them.  Please pray that she is able to adjust to the new medications.  Suttee has received his hearing aid and has begun school where he will receive individual speech therapy.  Pray that at the age of eight he is able to acquire speech.

•    The House of Blessing Daycare has reopened, and there are two older children (10 and 11 years old) who are attending, as they have never been to school.  Please be praying that for Khru Kanchana and Khru Rae as they work with these boys to help them learn.

•    The Karen team will be giving a seminar to Karen youth on Sexual Morality and AIDS.  Pray that the Karen youth are strengthened in their Christian faith through this seminar.  The teams will also be visiting youth who have been released from the juvenile detention center.  Pray that these young men have changed lives.  All the teams will be surveying villages in order to choose villages to work with in health development.  Pray that the teams build good relationships with the villagers during this process.

•    The Community-based Rehabilitation Program (CBRP) in MaeSariang is expanding the vocational teaching to include cooking, sewing, doing laundry and craft work.  Pray for the staff as they work to help persons with disabilities learn a vocation.

•    The building of the girl’s dorm is underway!  Please pray that the building process goes as scheduled and that the children will be moved into their new home early next year.