When we on the 58:12 United team look back on the journey of opening the first 58:12 United Children’s Home in Pattaya, Thailand, the word that comes to our minds is patience. The timeframe was not what we anticipated, but God moved with us each step of the way. Now, we are excited to finally report that the home is operational and seeking to provide a safe place for children who have been abused, abandoned, or trafficked.
The process of opening the home began four and a half years ago, when Grace Church (Berlin, Ohio) and Rosedale International (RI) sent the first members of our team to Thailand. We spent our first year in language school while seeking God’s guidance for long-term ministry. Months of prayer led us to the city of Pattaya, where we spent the next few months serving different ministries.
If we can help one family at a time and share the hope and truth that God has given us, then we have made an impact for his Kingdom.
At that time, we began to pray about how to proceed with ministry. After prayer and fasting, we decided to establish a branch of Grace Church’s 58:12 Global in Pattaya. Our name is a reference to Isaiah 58:12: “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (NIV).
In Pattaya, we saw a need for repair and restoration. The city is known for the sex industry. Many families are torn apart due to trafficking, and many children are sold, abandoned, beaten, and left behind. Our team feels called to repair this brokenness by empowering, strengthening, and bringing unity through the 58:12 United Children’s Home. If we can help one family at a time and share the hope and truth that God has given us, then we have made an impact for his Kingdom.
After two years of attending meetings and working to set up the 58:12 United Children’s Home, we received our foundation licenses in the summer of 2020—a moment our team spent many days praying for. This last step to becoming a nonprofit foundation opened doors for more ministry opportunities, and allowed the home to finally accept children.
Through connections with other ministries and a local church, we were able to find and hire Thai staff to serve as house moms. Only God could have made this happen as quickly as it did! Our house moms have been a huge asset already; they have planted an amazing garden, and power-washed and painted the outside walls of the home. We also hired a part-time social worker to help bring high-risk children into the home.
The doors of the 58:12 United Children’s Home officially opened on January 4, 2021. We did not immediately receive children; however, we continued to see God move through our team by drawing us closer together. We began having team church weekly, which has proven to be a time of connecting and sharing together.
On the evening of February 5, we received our first child, “N”. We strive to give each child the best mental, emotional, and physical care we are able, and have kept busy taking “N” to doctor’s appointments and caring for her inside the home. She is doing very well and is adjusting to life as we work with our social worker to discern what is best for her future.
Busy is an understatement to describe our team, but we have been preparing for this day and cannot thank the Lord enough for his strength, guidance, and faithfulness. Please pray for us as we trust in the visions God has given us for the 58:12 United ministry. Pray that we as a team can stand boldly in our faith as we seek to bring the Kingdom to Thailand. Pray that we would grow closer, and that language would not become a barrier between us and those with whom we work and share the gospel. Lastly, pray that each child who walks through our doors would feel safe, loved, and cared for, and would fully grasp the message of the gospel and accept Jesus Christ into their lives.
