Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 3

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

These are exciting times for Remember Nhu (R-Nhu)! After spending our first year helping other ministries expand what they were doing, R-Nhu is in the process of starting its first children’s home. This email will explain the exciting way this has developed.

We have had an interest in helping the children along the Mekong River in Cambodia for nearly three years. Learning just how to help them has been a long process with many hurdles to overcome and hoops to jump through.

Let me tell the story of my last trip to Cambodia in September of 2006.

Saturday, September 16

Upon my last visit to Cambodia, I left with the impression that our best option to help these children was to start businesses that could employ the children who were unable to further their education and also employ their parents. The idea was to start for-profit businesses owned privately, pay the employees double their average wage, pay the business off, and then give it to the employees so they could split the profits. With this in mind, I went to Cambodia to meet with attorneys and others to start some businesses. Charles Harvey of Grace Ministries met me in Bangkok and we went to Phnom Penh.

Upon our arrival, we met with a international Christian worker couple and Theresa (the lady I had asked to run the businesses) and her husband Mr. Huy (“We”) to brainstorm about what kind of businesses might be best to start. Our time was beneficial as we came up with many good ideas.

However, that night I woke up at 3:00a.m. (normal when I travel) and began praying about the business idea. I felt as though I had the weight of thousands of children on my shoulders and their fate depended on my decision. I started to feel uncomfortable about the ability of the children and their parents to be prepared to be good employees. As I prayed, it became clear that we needed to train the children to be good employees for the businesses to succeed. The Lord stopped us from making a mistake by launching businesses that may have failed!

Sunday, September 17

When Charles awoke, I shared my thoughts with him and he agreed – we needed to train the children first. We met Theresa early that morning and she confirmed the training idea was a good one. So, instead of making plans to launch businesses, we instead loosely constructed plans for a training/learning/life skills home. We felt a great deal of excitement – and certainty – that we had finally figured out the best way to help these children.

Monday, September 18

We started our day early to meet with attorneys for a previously arranged meeting to legally set up businesses.
Later in the day, we met with Field Director for the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) international Christian workers in Cambodia. As we shared our idea of the children’s home, he was very supportive and a good dialogue ensued. We left our meeting with many good suggestions and a great deal of encouragement.

We had arranged to meet the next day at 7 a.m., because she works from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. 28 out of 30 days per month.

Tuesday, September 19

Theresa, Charles, and I went to a diner at 7 a.m. to meet Nhu. As we waited, it became 7:10… then 7:15… then 7:20. We learned that Nhu had forgotten about our meeting. As we sat, I prayed, “Lord if not today, would You set the time for this to happen?” And the Lord gave me peace. Just when I had resigned that Nhu would not show, I saw her at the front door. Nhu, apologized for being absent-minded. I, of course, pointed out that Charles and I were the old people who were supposed to be absent-minded – not a young lady like Nhu. As they sat down, I apologized for my need to cut to the chase so quickly due to our limited time.

I gave Nhu a photo album that Laurie and I had created for her.

Next, I told Nhu about the children’s home we planned to open to help prevent children from being sold into the sx trade. This home would help the children from Nhu’s very neighborhood where she had grown up and still lived. I laid out our plans to teach children English, life skills, Bible, vocational training, and hygiene; and to provide some medical care, meals, and scholarships. During this conversation, Nhu looked down and did not make eye contact with me, as is their custom.

I asked Nhu to consider teaching the children personal hygiene, nails, hairdressing, and life skills to the children, explaining that she would receive medical care, meals , her own bedroom if she wanted to stay with us, and a salary. I told her she would learn English in the morning, be mentored by Theresa, and would only work Monday through Friday. [All of this was said through an interpreter.] When Nhu realized we were offering her a job she swung her head up with a gleam in her eye and joy on her face and looked at me as if to say, “Do you really mean it?”
“Well, what do you think – will you come to work for us?” I asked Nhu.
“Can I ask one question?” She queried.
“Sure.”
Nhu said, “When can I start?”

The thought of that moment is bringing tears to my eyes as I type this. At that moment every bit of energy left me. I had begged and cried out to the Lord more for Nhu than for anything in my 15 years of being a Christian. I have shed many tears and prayed for many hours and asked others to do the same for Nhu. And here was the first fruit of those cries to God.

So, on September 19, at a diner in Cambodia, Nhu became the first official employee of Remember Nhu!

Later that evening, Theresa, Charles, and I finished some other business and Charles and I flew to Bangkok. We went to bed at 9 p.m. At 9:05 p.m., tanks rolled down the center of Bangkok for a bloodless coup, while we slept unaware.

Wednesday, September 20

Charles and I got up at 3:30a.m., and had breakfast. He left for Krasang; I left for Tokyo. Upon my arrival in Tokyo, I was greeted by the press with signs reading, “If you witnessed the coup in Bangkok we want to interview you.” That is how I found out about the coup! It was – thankfully – uneventful and I hope it will turn out well for Thailand.

May God our Father receive all of the glory for the things you have read, I pray this in Jesus’ name.

With Jesus’ Love,
Carl Ralston