Homeless Children International Volume 6 No. 1 Winter 1999
Electronic reprint of our periodic newsletter REALIZE
In this Newsletter
Thailand Work to Start
Meet the Brellenthins
Web Page Online
Announcing new web site
What is in the News?
Updates from around the world
Kenya Shelter
New shelter to be built
To the Ancestors of Street Children
A Poem by David High
Thailand:
An Interview with the Brellenthins
Olaf and Manuela
Brellenthin are from Germany, but have been living in England for the past 9 years. They
have been appointed to go and serve in Thailand in the Summer of 2000. The following
interview introduces the vision the Lord has given them.
Homeless: Why do you feel led to work with abandoned children?
Brellenthins: Manuela and I have sensed the calling to missionary work from our
heavenly Father for more than 15 years. The specific calling grew in our hearts and was
greatly aided by my experience of working in a Children’s Home for asylum-seeking
children. Most of those children were either orphans or abandoned by their parents and
relatives. During a time of prayer and fasting, our Lord confirmed His calling with a
verse from Isaiah 58:12; "And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The
Restorer of Streets to Dwell in." We know that our Heavenly Father loves these
Children and has by His grace given
us the love and desire to serve them.
Homeless: What is your vision for this work?
Brellenthins: We envision ministering to the street children of northern Thailand.
The work will entail a three stage program. The first stage will be comprised of an open
house, drop-in center where the children can get meals, a shower and medical attention.
The second stage will comprise a shelter for short-term overnight stay. The third phase
will be a children’s home for long-term residents including rehabilitation and
vocational training centers. But, we do not want to duplicate existing programs, rather
will focus on areas where no provisions currently exist. We hope to work in partnership
with existing projects, and local Churches.
Homeless: What are the issues with abandoned children in Thailand?
Brellenthins: The problems are similar to those in most countries. There is
drug-abuse, illness and disease, no or very little education, AIDS, and other sexually
transmitted diseases, hunger and no self respect. Since Thailand rates very high among the
sex tourism industry, many children as young as 8-10 years of age enter prostitution.
Although the government has clamped down on child-sex tourism, parts of Thailand are still
a "playground" for pedophiles. It is estimated by officials that about 250,000
children work as prostitutes in Thailand . Research by NGO’s suggest that there are
as many as 800,000 children and juveniles involved in prostitution.
Homeless: What prayer requests do you have?
Brellenthins: We would ask prayer for open doors to share God’s love with
Thailand’s abandoned children. Also, please pray that we will have what we need to
establish the work there. Pray that the Churches will be open to supporting the work.
Web Site Online:
www.homelesskids.org
W
e are pleased to announce the opening our web site at the above address. We are very thankful to Doug Coulbert for his time and energy in establishing the site. Doug has also graciously volunteered be webmaster for the site for the next two years.What is in the News:
Bolivia -
The Wayne Walker Memorial Home in Los Chacos is operating at full capacity. One year after being completed, the home is filled with children and milk production on the farm is at an all time high. The Bolivian Board of Directors hired two German families as administrators.Peru -
The Seeds of Love Children’s home now has 40 children and a new facility. Larry and Betty Bartel say "thanks to the folks at Homeless for your faithful giving."England -
The president of Homeless Children International will return to England in December to try to establish HCI - U.K. This branch of the ministry will help to send missionaries to work among abandoned children around the world.Germany - Earlier this year, the president of Homeless Children International visited Germany, seeking a possible ministry partner. His short trip resulted in the establishing of a partnership with Gefahrdetenhilfe Scheideweg ("Crossroads" in English). Praise the Lord for answered prayers.
Kenya Update
by Rose Muiu
The Kenyan Board of Directors is in the final stages of making a decision on what piece of property to purchase for a new shelter.
WOODLEY STREET SCHOOL
We now have 5 classes and 4 teachers all in one big tent.
WOODLEY BOY’S SHELTER
We now have 14 boys who reside in the shelter. These are kids whose homes are unsuitable for them. All of them have settled in and have not returned to the streets.
MAKINA GIRL’S SHELTER
We are overcrowded. This shelter is located in Makina’s slum. We rent 2 9x 8 ft. rooms. We hope to rent two additional rooms in the near future. Please pray for Beth and Miriam who ran back to the streets.
NEW OFFICE SPACE/STAFF
This new office has been quite a blessing. We have a new teacher in Woodley programs who has started a counseling session for boys. We are planning to have in-service training for our staff which will help equip them with new skills.
CHOMBO CHA UPENDO HOME
This will be our second Christmas in the home. We installed two wood stoves in November which has saved on fuel. The most exciting thing is that 20 of our girls have rededicated their lives to our Lord Jesus.
To
the Ancestors of Street Children
A poem by David High
Full moon walking on a cloudy grass. Host of heaven shine before us as if on the eyelids of space. Faces we have not known..., names upon our minds given to us by our father.
Here, in this flesh we carry upon our heads, their hopes, their dreams..., ambitions of a lifetime coded in on our DNA, fused together with us before their untimely deaths.
And there they rest..., deathly still, so as not to disturb us, under great slabs of moss grown granite. And from their tombs come echoes of life’s languages and laughter, we do not understand.
What culture is this..., Bronze boldness walking slanted with choppy steps and piercing eyes? And why all this effort?... to forge fierce trails across vast continents of life, through dense, drenched jungles of protruding veins, caught in the mind’s eye... to struggle with the clinging to of breath despite the pleads of thousands, breaking free from wrist worn chains of choking dust cast upon their arid plans... to stand pompously and claim this small spot , "Mine!" against the eroding ground of time and ever beating baldness of platitudes.
Bone of my bone! Flesh of my living flesh! Rotting in clay house..., what have you to say?
How many moments of your precious mornings did you waste, dropping palm kernels into wooden holes or endlessly thundering about the weather? How many hours did you slap silly at the air, fleeing from curses cast by a stare?
O passionate hearts, longing for Life giving Spirit, What blood breathing moments would you now change?
To stop and quietly go..., through a different door. To hear the call of Heaven upon your deafness, as if God’s own mouth had spoken it, "COME..., FOLLOW ME!"
And in an instant, drop the plow cultivating your grasping hands, or at a moment’s notice leave the baking of your leaven bread. And with zealous wonderment of abandon, take the fire of Heaven’s dawning light..., flaming forgiveness burning in your eyes, and with one, swift, blazing act of mercy, carry that bright shining Candle to children... sitting in darkness.