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www.nikkisplace.org

The newsletter of

A place where is changing the lives of children living with HIV/AIDS in Chiang Mai, Thailand

August, 2013 Fishing at Mae Avis’ House! Day @ Agape

At the end of July there was a Buddhist holiday, so all our Agape kids were home from school. Avis invited everyone to her home for a fun filled day of fishing, and just hanging out together. We watched movies, playing the guitar, picked coconuts from the tree and feasted on a Thai style BBQ lunch. We even celebrated a special 10th On Monday the 12th of August, we celebrated Thai Mothers Day at birthday together! Thank You Mae Avis for your Agape Home. Mothers Day is a public holiday, and coincides with the hospitality and sharing your home with all of us… much-loved Thai Queen’s birthday. As the Queen was born on a Friday, everyone decorates and dresses in blue (different colours signify different

days of the Thai week). At Agape we celebrated with a big party and concert in the Sala – there were blue balloons, decorations, and displays of the children’s best schoolwork. Choirs and bands from both the Jarawee homes and Agape performed well known ‘mothers day’ songs, before we held an acapella singing competition – ‘The Voice’ style! We love to see our kids stretching themselves and having an opportunity to perform, and they love to be ‘out the front’! Finally, each gave a special, heartfelt blessing to some of our ‘Agape mothers’ – with many tears, memories, smiles and big hugs!

The Agape Home is funded entirely by donations and the support of sponsors. YOU can help us care for the needs of our 90+ babies, children and teens by sponsoring a child at just $30AUD/month. Opportunities also exist for sponsoring a family in our Jarawee Village Homes, or sponsoring our Baby Unit. To find out more go to www.nikkisplace.org

The Agape Home News August 2013 CHANGING THE WORLD one life at a time… Child Sponsorship at Agape Home

Why sponsor a child at Agape Home? …At only $30 USD/month (less than the cost on one cup of coffee per day!), perhaps we should be asking ‘Why not!?’ sponsor a child at Agape Home!

Child sponsorship at Agape Home changes lives. Child sponsorship allows us to welcome children who have been abandoned into our Agape family, and care for their physical, social, emotion and spiritual needs on a daily basis. As Agape Home is not a large organisation, sponsors have more freedom to form a relationship with their sponsor child, and actively be involved in their lives. Not only does sponsor correspondence mean so much to our children, we are thankful for mentors and friends for our kids from the world outside of Thailand. How does child sponsorship work at Agape Home? At Agape Home, you can choose to sponsor an individual child/, or Jarawee Village Home (adjacent to Agape) family. Donations can also be directed towards our Mother Baby Unit, Project Lek (aiding affected by AIDS outside of Agape Home) or to our education future fund. You can find out more about all our projects, and sign up to sponsor via our website – www.nikkisplace.org

Child sponsorship occurs on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. Sponsors have the opportunity to build a relationship with their sponsor child through writing letters, sending gifts, or even visiting Agape Home! Our children live with us at Agape Home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, therefore it takes more than one sponsor per child to cover the costs of that child’s daily needs. However, our children highly value their with their sponsors, and LOVE to receive packages from people who love them, think about them and pray for them ALL over the world. As a sponsor, you will also receive regular updates on your child, and news from Agape Home.

International Support Networks – ‘Agape Around The World’ Agape Home also has a number of support networks and contact for child sponsorship around the world. Currently, our international support networks and contact details are:

USA/CANADA/WORLD – [email protected] AUSTRALIA – ‘Agape Home Support Network Inc’ – email [email protected] GERMANY - ‘Nikki’s Freundes’ – [email protected] HOLLAND – ‘Nikki’s Friends’ – [email protected]

On Monday 2nd September, many of our children, nannies and volunteers were blessed to be able to hear Nick Vujicic speak in Chiang Mai. Nick is an Australian who was born without arms or legs, yet travels the world speaking a message of hope, love and purpose into the lives of millions. Although 12,000 people were in attendance on the night, Nick still took the time to personally meet and hug each of our Agape children – and take individual photos! Thankyou Nick for blessing us more than you will ever know.

2 The Agape Home News August 2013 MUSIC at Agape Home Exciting things are happening in our music room at Agape! Around Agape Every Saturday morning, our volunteers Jordan, David and Mary give lessons to a growing number of Agape children. Piano, guitar, drums, violin, ukulele, bass – there is definitely a JOYFUL noise being made. Our kids also helped to re-design and re-paint the music room, creating a cool, creative learning space. We love seeing our children learn and grow in their love of music.

News Saturdays are MUSIC time at Agape Home! THANKYOU to those people who have donated funds towards Agape’s music program. To find out how you can help us visit our website.

There is always a reason to celebrate at Agape. Our kids love receiving packages and cards from their sponsors, and there is always ice cream cake too! Here just some of those special Birthday kids from the past month!

Mother Baby Unit News New children…

This special young woman came to This month we welcomed Jeerasak live in our MBU in May this year. She told us she had been longing to be (10yrs old) and his Teerawat reunited with her 6 year old , who (7yrs old) into our Agape family. The remained in Burma, and whom she boys have settled into family life in one had not seen since he was a baby. of our Jarawee homes and are doing After much prayer and planning, her son was able to come across the well at school. Both boys are in border and now lives with his mother Grade 1. Please keep them and their in the MBU. Whilst still suffering some Jarawee family in your prayers. health issues, he is thriving at Agape, learning to speak Thai and making many new friends!

3 The Agape Home News August 2013 Volunteer Focus…. This month we feature our lovely Asta Ashley from the UK. Asta and her had been living in Chiang Mai for a few months when she contacted us to see if she could help at Agape Home. Asta is a trained Neo Natal Nurse, and her knowledge, wisdom and humble servant heart have been a huge blessing to our baby room! We wish Asta and her husband all the best as they leave for South Africa where they will live and raise their family. During June/July we were blessed to have Rebekah Perry and Caitlin McKnight with us from Abilene University in Texas, USA.

We also said goodbye to a number of volunteers who had been with us for 3 to 6 months. Our current volunteers are Peter, Kelly, and Jordan Worner, David Hughes, and Georgie Standen – all from Australia. We ask you to keep them in your prayers, and join us in praying for suitable volunteers to continue coming forward to serve with us at Agape Home.

Interested in volunteering? Send us an email – [email protected] for more information

“I was born in Southern Thailand. My passed away many years Agape Staff News ago and my mother still lives in southern Thailand with my brother. I also have one older brother and a younger . My family is not Christian. I always pray for them and hope that they will come to Christ even though they fight me about it all the time.

I accepted Christ in 1988, and was baptized in 1990. I graduated from

Bangkok institute of Theology in 2002, and then came to Chiang Mai to serve with Hill Tribe people. Praise the Lord that I have come here to serve God at Agape Home. I hope and pray that all of the children will accept in their hearts, and that they will lead strong lives when they leave Agape.” Name: Saranyu Srisong (Mae Bu) Position: Night manager Mae Bu has already become a much-loved mentor, friend and colleague to our children, staff and volunteers alike, and we Graduate: Bangkok Institute Theology welcome her to Agape Home.

From the mouths of babes… The winning Mothers Day Essay, written by Faa (age 15) (English translation): Every 12th August is Mother’s day in Thailand. It is also the Thai In the future I will be nice to other people who have no mom Queen’s birthday. I am so proud of this day because all children as well. I will be a good for anyone who raises me, and be will be reminded of their mothers. good to my and who grow up with me. If my mom were still alive, she would be proud of me, for sure. A mother is a very special, great woman to give us birth. Agape Home has Mother’s day activities every year. There are I would like to encourage everyone that we should be grateful exhibitions for mother’s day essays, paintings, poems, and a to whoever looks after us, even if they are not our real singing contest. Everybody is very happy to participate in this - they also love us too. Do not disappoint them. We are the special day. future of our nation.

My Mom is very lucky that she gave birth to twins – my sister Nothing can compares to mother’s grace. Mom’s love is an and I. But it was so hard for her to take care of both her encouragement for us. Sometimes we make her cry but she children. I thank my mom bringing me into this world. She still smiles on us, always. raised me until I was 5 years old, then she passed away. Even

nowadays I don’t live with my real mom but I never forget all mom’s love from my memory. We should be good for our moms forever. I promise you, mom that I will be a good girl for you and this society. I will take good care of myself not be any trouble to other people. Even though I cannot be good all the time, I will try to do my best. I will be your good girl forever. 4 The Agape Home News August 2013

During July and August we have had several Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) Teams serving with us. The various Teams of 17-18 yr olds from France, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Jordan all worked really hard cleaning cots, toys, scrubbing walls, painting our front gate, raking grass (that was more like silage, as its the wet season & things grow so fast!). They also prepared a "no dig garden", did a lot of weeding in our veggie patch, cut cardboard for Mae Jane and her precious photo albums for our adoptive kids, sorted out cloths on the third floor for our Samaritans Purse project, fed the babies, worked in our pre school, and then organized fun afternoon activities for the children after school. Some of the girls also had a wonderful experience visiting with our ladies in our Mother and Baby Unit. They were able to sit and talk with these ladies via a translator, hold their hands and paint each other’s nails. We had a prayer time and hearts were really stirred!

Global Leadership Maranatha Christian School , VIC, Australia Adventures Teams

At the end of June, we had the privilege of hosting a team of over 40 students from Maranatha Christian School in Melbourne, Australia. This Team has been faithfully coming to Agape for well over a decade. The main objective of this group is to 'Build individual " relationships with our kids via a Buddy program. The students make personal cards introducing themselves to their Agape buddies. They had so much fun hanging out together playing soccer, swimming, hockey, table tennis, painting, doing craft activities, sweating it out on the trampoline, riding bikes & just loving one another! The Team also treated the kids to a fun afternoon at the Chiang Mai Night Safari - checking out all the animals, sharing an ice cream and having "ultimate fun" in the play centre. The Team also got their hands dirty here at Agape doing many projects that were much Maranatha Team Visit needed and way overdue.

Visit from Daryl Flegg, Optometrist, NSW Australia

During July we were blessed to have Daryl Flegg, an optometrist from Bowral, NSW, Australia visit with us. Assisted by his son Alexander, Daryl was able to test most of our children’s eyes, (and some of our nannies too), and arrange glasses for those who need them. We thank Daryl for giving of his time to serve us!

GAP Medics Teams

During August we also had visits from teams from ‘Gap Medics’ – medical students from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Kuwait, and England. These teams were moved and more informed by what they saw at Agape and enjoyed their time with our kids. We are thankful for the diversity of people from all over the world who are brought through our gates each month to experience ‘Agape Love’ firsthand. ‘Gap Medics’ Team –

August ‘13 For more information on bringing a Team to Agape, please email via our website at www.nikkisplace.org

5 The Agape Home News April 2013

Prayer and Praise

• Praise God for being our Provider and Sustainer, and for giving us a place to call ‘home’ • Praise God for everything we have to celebrate at Agape Home • Praise God for the Teams and visitors who bring great blessing and joy to all at Agape • Praise God for the children who have been matched to adoptive families. Pray for these families as they wait to meet their child for the first time. • Praise God for our staff, volunteers and supporters all around the world • Praise God for Bu, who graduated from Hair dressing college in August. Pray for her future beyond Agape. • Pray for the health of our children, especially during changes of seasons in weather • Pray for strength, endurance and unity as we serve together at Agape Home

The Agape Home expresses the by providing a loving, caring home for orphaned and relinquished babies and children with or at risk of HIV/AIDS, and encouraging community care of babies and children with or at risk of HIV/AIDS.

Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Phone: +66 (053) 351 178 +66 (053) 351 177 Postal Address: PO BOX 95, Chiang Mai, 50000, THAILAND Facebook @ www.facebook.com/nikkisplaceagapehome

For more information - including sponsorship, and our international support networks, please visit our website at www.nikkisplace.org