Tuesday, 10 December 2013 19:02

A Place of Refuge (Kristina)

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“He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge…” Psalm 91:4

It is Monday evening and the white clunky car drives into Avoda, full of chattery, happy kids. One by one they pile out of the back, eager to learn and play. Three times a week, after a long day of studying in school, the Burmese and Thai children come from the village to learn English. No matter the nationality, their plights are similar. Broken families, damaged lives, hearts longing for healing. Avoda is a safety haven for most of the children. A place where under Gods mighty wings they find His love and care. Where sullen faces brighten and laughter sounds. It is a place where they can stay away from the troubles in their home, for a bit longer. We are privileged to see the positive changes that have been happening in the lives of these children. Praise the Lord they keep on coming!

This month we were blessed with a new building for our evening school. We transformed the laundry room into a classroom. It is spacious and we have an area for computers. The boys do English activities on the computer and the girls work on different subjects, using the A.C.E curriculum. After one hour they switch. Other days we do English activities with them. Our Avoda students also have the opportunity to practice being teachers in this school. They check the childrens’ work and sign it with care.

At 8 p.m we close in prayer. The kids pull us into our usual circle saying,”attitan”; “time to pray.” A young boy who constantly volunteers to pray, tells the rest of the children to close their eyes, before he begins. A chorus of good-byes and thank you’s to the teacher follows the prayer and we run with them, hand in hand to the church where we pray in groups with all of Avoda. The children who were once shy to pray are now boldly praying to the Lord! Worship time follows and the night air is filled with the joyous songs of praise.

“Can you drop me off last?” asked a young boy on the way home. “ I want to stay here for as long as possible.” Cheerful and optimistic in character, he dreaded going back. After driving up to his living quarters, he jumped out with a bounce and a grin, but just a few steps later, his shoulders sagged and his head drooped as he slowly trudged to the slums he calls home. However, he will be back the next evening,

One of our girls has been sent off to work in a different city. “She will go to Burma to visit her grandmother,” her mother had said. Little did she know that her parents had found her a job and planned to take her there instead. The money they got from her here did not satisfy them. In the new workplace the pay is higher but the working conditions are much harder. 12 hours of work per day with one day off per week and no opportunity to get an education, this is not the place for a thirteen year old girl to be. There is nothing we can do, except pray she has the courage to plead with her parents and that there be a change of hearts. Please join us in prayer. P1290843P1290850DSC06570

The work in Avoda is growing slowly but surely and we see Gods hand in every situation that leads to the expansion of His kingdom. Thank you for taking part in His ministry here!

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