The Great Wall of. . . Thailand!
If you follow us regularly, then you know about our Girls Home in Thailand, Baan Choo Jai (The Helping Hearts Home). Over the past 4 years, we’ve fundraised to buy land and a home, renovate the house, establish sustainability projects, and rescue 8 precious little girls out of some dangerous situations.
All of these girls were rescued out of poverty and brought out of situations that could have made them targets for human traffickers. Some of them are double orphans, some were abused, one was homeless, and still another was living with a mentally ill caregiver. It was incredibly important that we bring these girls into a safe, loving home where they could grow and thrive. And in May of 2013, we did!
Unfortunately, we found out during our visit last Fall that the home is not as safe as it should be. Because there isn’t a wall around the property, our girls have been harassed by men who are trespassing. These creeps have stolen their livestock, their tools, their vegetables, and they’ve even tried to break into their home. Sometimes, they beat on the door late at night in a drunken haze. While our girls are now safe from being trafficked into the Red Light Districts down South – we want them to be safe from these men too! So in December, we started raising the funds to build a wall around the property. (See the video below for more details.)
#ProtectOurGirls from The Sound of Hope on Vimeo.
Right now, a flimsy barbed wire fence is all that is standing on the property – but that is about to change! In July, we were able to complete this fundraiser! Thanks to some very generous donors, we now have the $13,000 we need to build a very important wall!
Today, construction begins on a 3 meter (almost 10 feet) tall cement block wall with a locking gate that will protect our girls, their home, and their sustainability projects. It will take almost two months to complete, and once it’s finished, we will use the remaining money from the fundraiser to replace the livestock that was stolen.
It may not be “The Great Wall of China”, but this wall in Thailand certainly will be GREAT! It will give our sweet girls the safety, freedom and peace of mind they need to truly flourish in their new home!
Stay tuned for updates on the finished wall – and THANK YOU to everyone who donated to make this project possible!<