The River Team met Nong Earn for the first time when she was about seven years old. Nong Earn lived in a dilapidated lean-to hut with her great grandparents. Due to unfortunate happenings, including deaths in the family, Nong Earn became the sole carer of her great grandparents. Her great grandma’s Parkinsons disease was progressing fast and great grandpa was very old and nearly deaf. Nong Earn helped them in everything from preparing food to assisting them in their personal hygiene and toilet matters. The local government school was aware of the child’s unkempt appearance and frequent absences. There, however, was no structure in place to address Nong Earn’s problem.
Having established itself in the local communities, The River Team began to visit Nong Earn’s home on a regular basis. Initially the visits were about building a relationship with the family and to help identify their felt needs.
The River Team empowered the local community leaders to help this family. It was established that the priority was on providing secure shelter, adequate nutrition, care for the old couple and importantly, to attend to all the needs of the growing child. It was clear that she needed to remain with the only family she knew.
Right next to the lean-to hut, a little house with the necessary facilities for sleeping, eating and bathing was built. The local leaders and community people and of course The River Team, presented the new home to Nong Earn’s family. The River Team has continued to visit them and help them live as a family. Both great grandparents have discovered peace in God. Nong Earn became a regular at The River Kids Club, then the youth program and is now one of our Shine Girls!
Earn’s great grandma has already passed away and her great grandpa is very old and almost completely deaf. But Nong Earn will never be alone - she is now part of The River Family!
Through Shine, she is discovering her value and purpose in God and is being equipped to impart this life-changing TRUTH to her peers in the local communities.
Thank you for your partnership in changing lives!
