"Transformed to transformer!"
Approx. 6.5 years ago Tam, GIBTK SE Asia director was "dreamingly" rubbing her hand over a door made of palm leaves. I asked her "what are you doing?"
She said; "remembering my house." Huh? I asked, "I grew up in a home like this, Only 2 years ago I moved out from this type of home, mud floor, woven leaves for walls, and roof I could see the moon through"
It brings me to tears to realize we have someone so close and instrumental to growth of GIBTK who came from this type of poverty. Perhaps it is why this giant of a leader in her tiny frame has been used by God to transform so many lives.
Below is "her story" enjoy and please if you feel lead email a word of encouragement and I will forward it.
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| Tam's house she grew up in, it is her 2 sisters in photo |
"Today was a very special day! Today meant a lot to me! I must admit that Building compassion homes for poor families is my favorite program. When I was young, I forever wished that my family could have a safe house to live in.
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| "I stopped after just a few steps..." |
That dream did not come true till I was 27 years old. 26 years living in a temporary house built by bamboo and rice roof, I understood hardship in my parents' shoulders and what it looked like to live in that house.
My parents worked so hard but never earned enough food for a family of six.
So building a concrete house was never in the to-do list of my family. It was a luxury thing that my parents did not dare to dream of.
Today, GIBTK had a mission trip to Dai Loc to visit a family living in a shack. When the van stopped, I started walking toward the house. I stopped just after my first few steps because all my past memories clearly returned in my mind while looking at this house. The house was exactly how my house looked. That house reminded me days without food and muddy floors when the floods came or days with extreme worriment when typhoon hit.
In my mind, I thought that I understood how they feel when living in it, but I knew I did not really...
I almost cried just thinking of this family. I could not imagine how life is to them because their house was even worst than the bad-condition one I lived in. They have been living in it for 22 years.
How life must be for them, there haven't had a bike for 22 years. How hard it must have been for the little girl to go to school by either walking or begging for friends to give her a ride for her past 7 years in school. Her school, it is about 5 km from their home.
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| Hien said "my dream, I will save time getting to school and I promise to take good care being sure to wash it every day" . |
I was speechless because my empathetic feeling filled up to my throat was waiting to burst into tears.
But then, I had a mixed feelings, I began to know that HOPE was coming. I knew that this family would be blessed to have a safe house through GIBTK.
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| "I asked do you have food?" this photo taken moment before mother began weeping... |
Before leaving to visit another poor family, I asked the wife some questions because I was curious about something. I had a looked around the house but I didn't see any place storing rice - the main food of family in the countryside. I DID NOT SEE any rice at all.
When I started asking questions, the wife started crying/weeping. I thought I touched the right area that she needed someone to share. They don't have enough rice to last till a new crop.
They often borrow money from someone to feed the family till the new crop comes.
When the new crop comes, they have to pay off the debt from the harvested rice, so they never get out of the vicious cycle of lacking food, the most basic of human needs.
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| Father overjoyed and in his words "extremely grateful for the miraculous gifts " |
Their lives have been under severe hardship. Again, I completely understood this situation because I grew up in this vicious chain (mud floor, leaks from the roof, no food and no money).
Yesterday, GIBTK planted a seed of hope into this family by a new compassion house we are going to build. I am sure the future of this family and the little girl will be transformed.
Tam Thi Tong
Tam is an amazing lady of compassion, hunger, willingness to learn, make changes and able to deal with me, (her boss, poor thing lol) No wonder she has such depth to draw from and have compassion for the needy.
The home will be begun soon. The little girl has her new bike. Green was her choice and a 40kg bag of rice, fish sauce and oil to cook with. This will family with food for a period and perhaps help out getting out of debt a bit.
Most exciting thing is their future. Perhaps, just maybe this young lady will be the one who like Tam broke the cycle of poverty in her family. Her favorite subject? Math of course! She has had high marks in her classes.
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| Calling her mom to tell her of the new hope they have been given |
I promised if she continues to study hard we will come alongside and help prepare her for the strenuous College exams and once she passes we will have a place for her to live and will help her graduate!
I am sorry... no I am not sorry. I unabashedly shout out "I am so glad to be part of this thing my Lord is doing in S.E. Asia. This thing called GIBTK!"
Please take moment, own being a part of GIBTK. Your prayers, support, and words of encouragement make up GIBTK. Even those who take time to read, I get reports of those who open the emails and find strength in knowing you are out there and reading our words.
><((((º> BBlessed
If able to help with costs of this day you can do it safely online at www.gibtk.org put hien family in comments box
Sincerely,
Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids
