Helping Single Thai Mothers Keep Their Babies

Home of the Swallow recently provided training for our daycare students' parents. We shared about the five love languages with Thai, Burmese, and hill tribe families so that they could use them in their daily interactions. When we started to teach them, some families shared the ways in which they have demonstrated love to dear ones: for example, hugging them and using words of encouragement with each other - not only with their children, but also with their spouses, who are open about their desire to be loved by each other in different "languages". Yolanda (pseudonym) and her family reported that, after the training, they began expressing love through physical touch to their children, which had previously been challenging.They said that it was good to understand the research supporting these methods and began using them regularly to show love to their children. The parents and caregivers demonstrated a high level of interest in this training. We believe that the material covered and relationships built through our time together will have positive effects on families’ relationships and also trust that this training will help caregivers grow in sacrificial care for their children.

“Priscilla” , one of our nursery students, has young adult parents who have endured significant struggles; neither received warmth or encouragement as children. Both were raised by grandparents and other relatives rather than by their own parents. Both had a deep desire to build a strong, warm family. Soon after their younger son, “James”, was born, they gave him to his grandmother to raise in another Thai province. Soon after James’s first birthday, he returned home and began coming to HOS’s nursery, where our Joy, one of our teachers, began caring for him. Joy grew in love for James and his whole family. About a month later, James’s father was involved in an extramarital affair which caused significant marital conflict. The couple considered divorce. James’s mother shared her pain and struggles with Joy and our other nursery staff. We began praying for reconciliation between the parents. James was sent back to live with his grandmother as a result of these family difficulties.
Just before our Christmas outreach, we received the wonderful news that Priscilla and James’s parents had reconciled and are living together again. James has returned to living with his family as well,and is a regular student at our nursery. It has been a tremendous joy and blessing to our team to see God’s healing, redemptive work in this sweet family.