Early History of The Children's Home 3

A New Phase

The gift - an empty piece of land.

---

We were busy the first few years after the first orphans came to our home, though not only because of them. About 20 young people came to live with us three times for five months to study in an ambulatory vocational school that had relocated to our town, Loei, in northeast Thailand. We had no thought of expanding the Childen’s Home.

The Vietnam War was over. Refugees fled over the Mekong River from Laos to our area. Some even visited our home for practical help before a refugee camp was organized by international aid.

The hospital next door to our home asked me to care for two newborn babies who were later adopted to Finland. We adopted our first three Amerasian* (war) children within 16 months. (Amerasian*: a person of mixed American and Asian descent.)

1976 Orphans and my brother’s daughters. Our first two children are in front.

We needed a break. My oldest brother and his family, who lived nearby, promised to care for the orphans while we traveled to Finland with our three children.

Before we traveled, a Thai Christian gave us a piece of land about 20 kilometers south of Loei City. We had no idea what to do with that gift. Yet, my husband asked an architect to draw a building that might be used for a Children’s home someday. We decided not to talk about it but to wait for God’s guidance.

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14