UPDATES
There are many things to be thankful for everyday at YCF, and we would love to share snippets of our thanksgiving with you. In this page, we want to also share prayer request items, provide updates and to create a platform where we can showcase what we do at YCF.
Its a joy and privilege for us to keep you updated, we hope that you will delight in our sharing and do remember to keep us in your prayers.
NOVEMBER 2019
In the month leading up to the most anticipated month for the children, we were busy preparing for our Christmas parties as the children has to practice their song and dance items. We also had our dear Japanese friends Kazuo and Toshiko come visit us. They have been such long and dedicated friends of YCF, since the beginning years with Toshiko’s late sister who encouraged Tasnee to start YCF. This lovely couple has been coming every year to visit and we appreciate their time and are so encouraged by their love for us all at YCF. We had a great time enjoying their company and catching up. The new children could finally meet them and likewise they could meet and spend time with the children too.
DECEMBER 2019
December oh December, the best time of the year as it is the most wonderful time of the year (Christmas!) We had such a delightful time celebrating and had so many Christmas parties and just enjoying all the good food and the company of family and friends. We were so blessed to be invited to join in the many Christmas parties and we were so stuffed with good food and too much Christmas treats. Such a joy! We also had the team from Singapore come visit for the annual children’s camp and all the children were so excited to have their Singaporean friends come again. Thank you to BPMC church for all the annual children’s camp. We have seen how the children enjoy so much each year and how the workshop sessions have helped them to learn more about God’s word and strengthen their spiritual growth and relationship with the Lord. The children also love the games and of course the fellowship with each and every one. We look forward to next year’s camp!
In the days that neared Christmas, we had the privilege to do caroling and to showcase our dance items to send some Christmas cheer to those around us and to thank those who have supported us throughout the year. We went to Vivo Bene, we visited some friend’s houses, and we even had our own in-house Christmas Party where we had a lovely night out with some dear YCF friends and all our children. We had such a simple yet scrumptious dinner spread that night. During the concert, all the children put on such a great show and everyone was well entertained. We even had our very own Christmas tree next to the make shift stage in our open field. We hung little bags of snacks on it and after we were done with the Christmas party and gathered all the super eager children around the tree as we all shouted “Merry Christmas!” and they all jumped to grab a bag off the tree. It was such simple yet great fun!
Another year just went past in a blink of an eye. 2019 was a good year for us, yes there were days and times that everyone was just so busy with school and work around the house but we are all so thankful that the Lord has seen us through yet another year. He has blessed us with plenty, He has showered us with so much goodness and His grace always seems to find a way into our hearts.
JANUARY 2020
We started the year with a simple worship and thanksgiving and it was such a lovely night. We started the year in full gear as we had some Taiwanese University volunteers who came to visit and they brought about so much joy to us. The children loved their company and were all so psyched to be part of all the activities that they had lined up and prepared for us. The Taiwanese University volunteers also were very helpful around our homes, they helped to do cleaning and repainting the walls at House of Grace. Everyone was very blessed by them and their high energy and enthusiasm really lifted our spirits and laughter filled the house.
January is also the month where our Grade 6 and Grade 9 students have to prepare for their examinations (O-Net). We have 4 children who are sitting for their examination in early February. Please keep them in prayer. The new year is going by really fast. In no time, we will have new children joining YCF and a few graduating. This year started with so many things going on and we have to ensure that everyone is staying healthy and well. Let's continue to pray for the Lord's mercy and grace over us all in this new year. 2020, let's go!
30 January 2020
Twenty Twenty
Scroll through the gallery to share in some of the moments of the past 3 months.
31 October 2019
Enriching Experiences
"Go for it.
No matter how it ends, it was an experience."
31 days have passed by again so quickly! The children have had such a fun month as it is their school holidays and for two of them they had a chance to get holiday jobs. One of our older girl was so privileged to have been able to work at Vivo Bene for 2 weeks and one of our younger boys who is in Grade 5 he worked in the noodle shop called Dtee Noi. It was his first time working and he learnt so much from those few days there. We are always so glad when the children have the chance to go out to work as they get to learn so much from the experience and it helps to prepare them for when they are older. Not only do they get the opportunity to gain working experience but they also benefit from earning some pocket money. Their confidence is also boosted and they come back sharing the experience with their peers and it’s always so nice hearing them talk about it and we get to delight in their excitement and walk with them in their worries or encourage them in times of doubts.
We also went to Chiang Rai this month with some friends from YWAMM and they had prepared some programs for the children there and came with us to visit our children who are studying in Mae Fah Luang University and one who is in his last semester at vocational school. It was such a fun time and everyone had so much fun. Thank God for bringing them to visit us.
As Christmas is fast approaching…less than 2 months away, we have been busy getting ready for it. Yes, you read it right, we are already preparing by having the children practice songs for Christmas worship and celebration. We all enjoy and adore Christmas and having to celebrate it brings us all so much excitement and joy. The children have also been cutting up a storm, cutting really lovely and very cute paper cuttings during their short school holiday, especially for those who did not return to their villages. It’s good that we have this activity as it allows for their creative juices to flow and at the same time is very therapeutic and enjoyable. So we hope that this year, we will see a good sales in the Christmas cards created by our very talented children.
The next two months before the year comes to an end will be filled with many activities and events, especially as Christmas draws near. We want to thank God for watching over everyone at YCF, the children and the staff and for all His goodness over us. We can’t wait for what is to come, looking forward and enjoying each day as it passes by.
30 September 2019
Everyday Goodness
"Nothing ever becomes real, till it is experienced"
- John Keats
We have been having sunnier days of late, this month the rains have stopped pouring and Mr Sun is out again to grace us with his presence. It has been a month of good fun as we had a team from Sydney-Australia visit us, bringing about much fun through the lessons they taught us about their Samoan culture, singing worships songs, doing crafts, learning English and not forgetting showing and teaching us (the boys in particular) how to do the Haka. Our friends in school were also so delighted to have a chance to meet them all and were blessed from the time spent together.
We also had two staff who were unwell this month, one of our female staff was feeling really under the weather and had a massive headache for about a week. She has to be hospitalized and was on bed rest for 5 days when she got home. Praise God as she has recovered well and is back on her toes, caring for the children. Our driver, Uncle also had met with two accidents, during the first week of September, he was out at dawn tending to the cows we have at House of Grace. In the darkness he was not careful and he slipped and hit his knee, which left him with a bruised and super swollen knee. But being the ever so crafty and innovative man that he is, he made a homemade walking stick with bamboo and a pipe head and was walking around the place in no time. However, just last week, Uncle was careless again and accidentally cut his leg while he was working with a knife. We brought him to the hospital and told him to rest and not work until his wound healed, he got stitches at the hospital. Uncle is a hardworking man and loves being out and about, but at his age, we always remind him to be extra cautious and careful. Do pray alongside us for fast healing and recovery in uncle’s leg and for the Holy Spirit to continuously guide and protect him in his daily doings. We are also in need of prayer for our staff, we are a small team and hence, we pray that we will be able to find new staff to join the YCF family and for all our current staff to be well as they serve.
With the sun out on most days now, the children are all happy as they can be in the outdoors- running and playing, catching fish, playing sports and one of their all-time favorite activity…swimming! It is good to see the children all so active and having fun together. It brings us so much joy too!
In just a few weeks’ time, our school-going children will be sitting for their school examination as the school holiday is approaching soon. Please pray for them to be focused and self-motivated as they prepare for their examinations. It’s going to be end of the school semester, when it feels like the children just started school. They are all also growing up fast and we now have many teenagers in the house.
We also want to thank God for His goodness in seeing that the rice we planted are growing well and soon we will be able to prepare to harvest it.
31 August 2019
Blissful Times