15 Things… # 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
As we continue to look back at #15 years of giving HOPE, here are a few more accomplishments and experiences we’re proud of!
#6 – Raising Awareness for Burma
When we moved to Thailand in 2011, we were horrified to learn that human rights abuses & genocide had been happening in Burma since the 1940s. As educated people, we were shocked that we’d never learned (or even heard about) the plight of ethnic minorities in Burma.
That year, we began working with Karen tribal refugee children and hearing their stories. We quickly became passionate about raising awareness for these issues. We spent the next few months heavily researching the history of the region, spending time visiting our kids in the Mae La refugee camp, reading books available only locally, interviewing a political prisoner (Myo, pictured above), watching hours of footage from the Free Burma Rangers, and interviewing their founder, Dave Eubank.
As a result, we were able to complete the resource “10 Things You Need to Know About Burma” – which has been read and shared widely, including in the Refugees Daily newspaper.We also began to partner with the @us.campaign.for.burma, and were invited to work with the USCB & the One Campaign (founded by Bono) to raise awareness at U2’s Nashville show! (See that video below!)
That day, we were even interviewed on the Nashville News! Human rights abuses in Burma rarely, if ever, make the news here in America, so was a great opportunity to raise awareness. WZTV – FOX 17 reporter Eric Alvarez interviewed me and even agreed to sign our petition.
“What’s happening in Burma” will always weigh heavily on our hearts. We will continue to use our platform to raise awareness for those still in danger in Burma, and hope for peace, protection, and a better future for all ethnic minorities there. We are proud of and grateful for the many years we’ve been able to support refugee children from Burma, as they sought safety and an education. We know that investing in those brave, determined students will help make the future of Burma brighter!
#7 – Buying Land & Building a Children’s Home in India
In 2012 we partnered with Asha Mission Children’s home in Delhi to meet this BIG need. At that time there were more than 30 children and 6-8 staff living in a tiny, dilapidated 1,500 square foot rental home. Most of the kids were sleeping on the floor, they were all sharing 2 small bathrooms, and they had no space to play (as the home was located on a busy street with open sewers.) They were also at risk of eviction!
We worked hard with them for several years, and together we were able to raise more than $350,000 for our Indian partners to buy a beautiful plot of land surrounded by green space (and begin construction.) We then watched, overjoyed, as a 5,000 square foot home was built (complete with a courtyard for a safe play-space) and the children and staff moved in! You can see a tour of the home in this video!
This home quickly became a place of peace and joy for these kids, and we’re so grateful to every single donor who made it possible! It was also home to our house mom Sosi, who lovingly cared for the children alongside her husband Sharma. Tragically, Sosi died of COVID during the pandemic. While we still mourn this tremendous loss, we are SO thankful she lived out her final years with her family in this safe, beautiful home. We know that her legacy lives on in the children she served, and that this land and building meant the world to her family – and – to each and every child who has called it home!
#8 – Our Girls Home in Thailand
Remember when we bought a beautiful home in Thailand, welcomed in 8 little girls, and made our House Mom’s dream come true?
Rahpee had been dreaming for years of starting a home for vulnerable girls. She knew that girls living in poverty in the hill tribe villages were at high risk for trafficking, abandonment, and abuse. In 2011, we started dreaming with her. By the end of that year (thanks to our generous donors) the first round of funding was raised and a house was purchased! In 2012 renovations were completed, and our house parents moved in. And in the Spring of 2013, our first group of girls began to call it HOME. Watch the video of us meeting the girls here!
And so, Baan Choo Jai (The “Helping Hearts Home”) was created! Over the past 12 years more than a dozen girls have been raised here. This home has become the main focus of The Sound of Hope, as we are the co-founders and sole providers for their needs.
We have invested deeply in this project – building a wall for safety, a water tank for personal and property care, and funding sustainability projects including gardens, fish and frog ponds, flocks of chickens, turkeys, and pigs for food.
Our greatest investment though, has been in school fees for these girls. We’ve been so proud to see almost all of them graduate high school, including NetNaRee & WahNeeDah – who graduated Nursing School and became employed at hospitals in Chiang Mai! We also have 2 new graduates (Nipha & Panidah) who have recently been accepted to Lampang University! They will start studies this summer to become teachers (let us know if you’d like to help support their school fees!)
This is why we’re so passionate about holistic care! It means the world to us to see our kids empowered to break the cycle of poverty and step into a bright future. Thank you, thank you, thank you to each and every donor who gave to buy this home and invest in these little girls. Their lives are filled with HOPE now, because of you!
#9 – Our Partners Around the World!
The relationships we have with our native partners in each country, and the American partners we’ve worked with too, span more than 15 years! We have known some for almost 18 years – and they mean so much to us!
We’ve been in two Karen weddings – one with our Burma partners (above) at The Refuge (who actually share our anniversary date!) and also with our Thai House parents (below). We’ve seen our partners’ children born and watched them grow up. They all (in every country) were so supportive and hopeful throughout our adoption process. I’ll never forget the day we arrived at one of our homes to find a “See You Soon Baby Kate Jackson” cake made in honor of our daughter! We’ve even had one of our previous Swazi mentors (who you may remember from our main Swaziland video and Project for Awesome video) and his wife visit us in America twice! These friends really feel like family to us. These are just a couple of the photos we shared (go check out our Instagram or Facebook posts for the rest. Some go as far back as 2007!)
We’ve all seen so much, and deeply bonded with one another over so many years of this difficult (but rewarding) work. We’ve walked through deep trauma, grieved losses, seen incredible growth, and had great celebrations together through the years! It’s an honor to know them and to work alongside them to give HOPE to kids around the world!
#10 – Sustainability Projects
When we talk about “holistic care” – that means more than just the basics. It means more than just making sure kids have clean water, food, medicine, clothing, and their daily needs met. Much of our “holistic care” is focused on education in the form of school fees. But we want to be sure our kids also know basic life skills, and have additional skills and training to fall back on as adults.
That’s why we’ve invested in dozens of different sustainability projects through the years in all 4 countries we serve. From frog ponds and fish ponds, to raising other livestock like chickens, turkeys, and pigs… plus gardens, libraries, sewing machines and more – our kids have learned so many skills that will serve them well in life! In addition to all these life lessons – the gardens and livestock have helped provide food and financial support for our homes! It’s a win/win!
Check out the video we shared in 2014 for an up close look at the livestock being raised at The Refuge Children’s Home. We’re so proud of our partners for establishing and sustaining these incredible projects!
Stay tuned for #11-15… and check out our posts on Instagram and Facebook for even more great photos from the past 15 years!