Chenlung 2014
A true part of our experience at New Family Foundation is the children wo do not remain with us through to the end of their high school education. This is our intention and hope, communicated clearly with living family members when any child is entrusted into our care. The statistics just bear this out too convincingly; that the cycle of poverty is adversely affected the higher level of education an individual receives. This is especially true when we are receiving children from remote hill tribe villages where there is no school.
Enter Chenlung as a 7 year old arriving to us without any schooling as of yet. He begins grade one, already a year behind his age-peers. But he's small enough that no one really notices. Not for the first year.
He does not do well. His grade one teacher, reportedly somewhat negatively inclined towards children from the hill tribes (it's actually a thing here, this kind of prejudice), says she cannot pass him. In our Canadian education system, Chenlung would likely have been moved along with his peers and given extra support. Not here. So he repeats grade one. And then, it seems he needs to do it again.
It's the language thing that's hardest for him. Most if not all our kids come to us not speaking Thai, but their tribal language. For Chenlung it's Karen. The Thai reading thing just escapes him.
By the time it is suggested he repeats grade one for the third time, his family is embarrassed. They'd rather him come home and save face, than shame the family in such a way.
The Thai government gives full say to biological parents for the decisions made on behalf of their children. (There are good reasons for this in a country with numerous organizations coming in to care for at-risk children, not all of whom have honest intentions.) Even though we offer to continue with remedial support, Chenlung's family is adamant. We are so sad to see him go. I do that awful thing I have to do, my least favourite part of this job, and inform his Sponsors. Because we encourage that real connections are made, this is very hard to hear.
We lose touch with him. It's about 50/50 when a child leaves us before ending high school whether or not we'll be able to keep tabs on what's happening. In this case, we have absolutely no idea.
Fast forward to several months ago when Pastors Suradet and Yupa were up in a remote village attending a funeral. And who should approach them but a tall and well spoken young man who asked if they remembered him. Chenlung!
Chenlung 2014
He tells them that when he got back to his village, some friends his own age took it upon themselves to teach him to read in Thai, succeeding where his previous teacher could not. Through other connections, he was put in touch with a small Bible School in his region, and he is well into his second year of study. He's not quite sure how God might use him, but he says he wants to be a pastor.
Well, who knew!
Yupa shows me the picture, and I am overwhelmed. Ten years! And the story comes around to this. And we rejoice. And we marvel at God's careful hand in guiding this eager heart.
It's not always that we see these kinds of results or get this kind of closure for some of our children. Most of the Sponsors who have had this unfortunate experience never get an email from me with the before and after pictures, story attached. We just trust.
There's always hope. And whatever we can offer a child for however long he or she is with us, we will do it with love and compassion and joy.
Can't wait to see what God's got in mind for Chenlung!
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