“Remember Nhu” Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 4, Christmas 2005
Special Christmas Celebration and Vision for giving “Gifts of Hope”
“Remember Nhu” has been a 501-C approved non-profit for about 10 months. In that short time, we have raised about $100,000 in cash and in like kind donations and gifts.
“Thanks be to God for God’s indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15) and for all of you who gave a gift of love to “Remember Nhu.”
One of the most significant gifts you helped “Remember Nhu” give this year was helping build a new home for girls at Grace Ministries. This home will allow them to give the gift of opportunities for life, education and spiritual growth to 40 to 60 girls instead of just their previous limit of 12 girls.
For about $45,000, similar homes can be built all over SE Asia, even the world! These “Havens of Hope” will provide many children the opportunity to have their physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs met through God’s amazing love and grace. Please pray with us that this vision of giving the gift of “Havens of Hope” everywhere in SE Asia and around the world will be realized. Visit our website at http://www.remembernhu.com/ to see a picture of the gift of a new home, built by your gifts at Grace Ministries and dedicated on December 17, 2005.
May God receive every bit of the Glory, for God alone deserves it!
May God richly bless you as you read the remainder of this Christmas Newsletter,
Carl
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Merry Christmas to all of you!
I want to share with you some of the things that have happened and some things that are coming up in the future for “Remember Nhu.”
God’s Love rescues me from the limitations of my human love
A team from “Remember Nhu” visited two SE Asia countries from Nov. 10th-22nd. Carl Ralston was accompanied by Laura Ralston, Tom Orme, Director of C&MA Partnerships and Connie Collins of Media Arts Group, Akron, OH. On this trip I (Carl) faced a challenging situation that only God’s supernatural love could meet.
You may remember that “Remember Nhu” is providing the support for 14-year-old girl whose mother sold her to a brothel. Fortunately, before she was raped, an international ministry found out and rescued her. The girl was taken to one of our partner ministries. We were told about the situation and have been giving money to our partner who is paying the mother while the girl learns a trade and then can support herself and her mother.
On Sunday, Nov. 20th we visited a church in the evening. I noticed the girl we are supporting, and when she also recognized me she came over to say hello. She was with a lady, and when I asked the interpreter who she was she answered, “Her mother.” Here I was, looking at the woman who had sold this beautiful, precious child into a life of hell. What would you have done if you had been in my place?
My heart cried out to God, asking God what I should do, what would God do. While I was praying, I felt led to talk to the mother. I knew this could be good or bad, so I asked God for direct, specific guidance. I decided that God would let me know if I should talk to the mother by having her and her daughter approach me after the service. When the service ended they turned and walked out of the building in the opposite direction, so I thought it must not have been the right idea to talk to them.
Then, to my amazement, the mother and her daughter turned around and walked right to me. I
kept a great deal of intense eye contact with the mother during our conversation through a
translator. I told them a story of how I came from the complete other side of the world to help
children and their families. With my hands I showed how their country and mine are on opposite
sides of the world. This is the same story I told the child when I first met her when she was told
we were the ones who were supporting her and her mom. I knew the girl had told her mother
that story, so by repeating it at that moment, her mother would know who I was, and that she
would know I knew she had sold her daughter!
I showed as much love as I could to the mother. Then I asked if I could pray for the two of them, and asked that my prayer be translated for them. I asked God to protect each of them from evil in the world. I prayed that God would show ultimate grace to each of them for sins they had committed. I prayed with tears that God help the mother to always care for her daughter, to protect her daughter, to never harm her daughter, to love her daughter, and I prayed that God would bless each of them. As I raised my head after saying “amen” I saw tears in their eyes. I told the girl it was great to see her again and I looked forward to seeing her when I came back to her country. With God’s power I looked deeply into the mother’s eyes and said it was good to meet her and I hoped her life would be glory to God.
I am so grateful to God for giving me the idea and strength to do what I did. There is no way I could have done it on my own. I believe that the mother was able to see love and forgiveness from God in my eyes. I also pray––and believe––that God will use the picture of my eyes in the mother’s mind if she ever tries to sell her daughter again. I hope this is not too mystical for you but I have believed my whole life that the eyes are the windows to our souls. Please pray that the mother does care for her daughter and will protect and love her.
Our New Year Vision Trip
On Dec. 31st, 38 of us will embark on a vision trip in SE Asia. Members of our team are:
- The “707” young adult ministry from Cuyahoga Valley Community Church in Broadview
Heights, OH is sending their Missions Pastor Kasey and his wife Melissa along with 27 of
their young adults to obtain a vision of how God would have them partner with “Remember Nhu.” We hope that the “707” group will be the first of many churches that sponsor an entire home to save children (see above for our vision for this possibility under Special Christmas Celebration and Vision for giving “Gifts of Hope”). - Mr. Andrew Sears, principal of a large Christian high school in Oregon, and Chaplain Steve Pringle, (from the same school) are joining us to see how God may have their school partner with “Remember Nhu.” They also have a vision for a partnership between “Remember Nhu” and the 75 churches that are represented in their school;
- Pastor Josh Reid from Portland, OR, who, with his wife, is being called to do something about the abuse of children in the sx trade;
- Leigh Oberlin, from RiverTree Christian Church in Jackson Township, OH. Leigh is
completing a degree in career counseling and is interested in seeing her church help children
who are at risk from the sx trade; Four “Remember Nhu” board members, Randy Fox, Belinda and Terry Lumley and Stef May are raising their own funds to go and better understand what they can do to eliminate the trafficking of children. Please pray that God guides each of us to find God’s will.
Opportunities to Present “Remember Nhu” to those you love
If any of you would be interested in presenting “Remember Nhu” to your church, civic organization or at work, please let me know. Thanks to Media Arts Group owners Connie Collins and Todd Biss and video specialist Tom Wilson, we now have a 21-minute ultraprofessional documentary style video about “Remember Nhu.” Many people who have seen it have commented on the professional job they did and are deeply moved. Thanks again, Connie, Todd, and Tom!
An Adoption Story for the season in which we celebrate our adoption by God
You recently received an email about a young boy whose grandfather wanted to see him adopted by a family in the U.S. It only took one day for Jeff Hasgstrom, a “Remember Nhu” board member and his wife to respond. The Hagstroms’ have five young children. Please keep this situation in your prayers since this would be the first adoption for all of the parties involved.
Carl Ralston, Founder and President, “Remember Nhu”