Are you my mother?... 5-27-14

The last few days have been... yes hot, okay sweltering..... but oh so rewarding. Our last day in Cambodia we met with Jesse McCaul's father Chuck. I learned it was Chuck who first brought his family to Phnom Penh while the Khmer Rouge was still fighting. He planned on staying a year and now it's been 19!!!

  We met because Jesse said his dad has a heart for Poipet. We spoke and I shared I don't know what or where to begin, but I MUST not just stand by. Chuck smiled with a tear in his eye. And said;

  "Jesse is the type who needs plans and how to achieve them, But I much like you see a need and step out. We have begun a church and hope to have some type of school. We have no funds for rent or staff but I have to do something..."

 Sound familiar? Sure does to me. I know we must do something, maybe with the mayor, or for sure we will begin with Chuck and see how and where God will lead. He certainly has some good ideas and has the experience. I feel it was the beginning of another strategic allegiance.

  We left that afternoon and I could not wait to come back to civilization, Vietnam that is. My how my feelings have changed. It felt so good to be back on roads that seemed safer. (Those of you who have visited Vietnam must be thinking "poor lad, the sun has gotten to him.")

After sharing with leaders at 1st drug recovery home we shared with a meeting already in progress for the families of the addicted

  It was great being back in Vietnam even though the temperature in Hanoi was high 90's and even reached 102, but toss in the humidity and the "real feel" soared!

Our reason for the quick stop over was to follow up on the possibility of helping in the epidemic of drug addiction.

We spoke at several homes run by Christian Churches. They have some good stuff and are seeing success. So much so that the govt. has noticed and has even asked them to come into the prisons. This is remarkable.

Sharing at 2nd home with "my people" almost did not need a translator, language of the heart

Our hope is to maybe help make it more mainstream. Many of you already know that this is my background. I have been clean since 1986, but this in itself is a miracle! How is it that Viet and Cambodian Govt agencies asked me in 3 different cities to help with drug addiction in a 2 week period? I don't know, but maybe just maybe it is God and if it be Him I will walk and see where this path leads.

Bruce sharing with the guys

  To be honest I enjoyed speaking to the guys, girls and parents in 2 different locations. Bruce said I was in my element. Truth be told I was. I know how they feel. I know their struggles and know their hearts. Although most did not speak English I understood. Tam often was startled by things I said but the guys knew what I meant and nodded  agreement. As I type my eyes filled with tears and my emotions are overflowing. Maybe, just maybe it is something my God is leading us to

 Will this be something GIBTK does directly? I don't think so, but surely this is a resource I have not tapped into. I am planning a trip in July to train and discuss the possibilities of bringing a "different" type of recovery program to the main stream.

The bond between the guys here was like survivors of a sunk ship, holding each other up

I heard this week "do the ridiculous and you may see the miraculous!" I like that!!!

 One thing that emotionally wrecked me and does again now is at one of the recovery homes the lead Pastor began to share about something that happened to him while listening to message from the Global leadership Conference. It was here that he heard Bill Hybels speak on "Holy Discontent" and another message on The Land in Between"

 He shared with tears in his eyes; "I had a dream to help the abandoned children of drug and HIV parents. I remember one time one of our women went to an orphanage for these abandoned children and a young girl came up to her and asked "Are you my mother? Did you come to take me home...? I wanted to open a home, but the dream got lost. After the messages at GLS the dream became a vision for my wife and me. We want to find funds to rent a larger home and bring 6-8 of these abandoned children into our home.  Once we have set ours up, we want to train other couples to do the same." Now his wife's eyes were full of tears too.

Could this be the next step in the vision Dorothea and i had in 2001 when we launched GIBTK? time will tell huh?

  I had to look away while he was sharing. I was taken aback, fighting with all my might not break out crying. Some of you may remember or know the vision Dorothea and I began with.... To set up homes for "orphans" but to have them be run by a husband and wife who can be trusted, a place where abandoned children could be raised in a Spiritual home by loving parents.

I too had lost my vision and dream. Yes we settled for what I see as a "shadow vision" Sorta like what I felt God had called us to do but not "Same, Same!"

It woke up my dream one more time. Is this the Time God has placed before us? I don't know, but one thing is for sure, I WILL WORK NOT TO SETTLE FOR A SHADOW OF A VISION! One more time we will step out and try the ridiculous and expect miracles.

><((((º>  BBlessed

Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids