Back Where He Belongs: Gregory’s Story
For the past year, you have been changing lives in our newest location – Chiang Mai, Thailand. We are thrilled that you are helping more children in Chiang Mai get out of orphanages and into loving families.
Recent estimates are that there are at least 75,000 children living in orphanages in Thailand, primarily due to poverty. Research indicates that up to 95% of those children have families who could care for them, but send them to orphanages thinking they’ll get better care and have more opportunities.
However, we know that institutional care has extremely damaging long-term effects on children. Development in every area – physical, emotional, and psychological – is negatively impacted. Many children age out to face a future of crime, trafficking, or prostitution.
But thanks to you, we are working toward a better future for the orphaned and vulnerable children in Chiang Mai. We are working to get children out of orphanages and back into their families. And we are providing education and resources to strengthen families and prevent them from surrendering their children to an orphanage in the first place.
Thanks to you, more families in Chiang Mai are able to stay together. More children like Gregory are getting out of orphanages and growing up in their loving families, where they belong.
Gregory’s Story
Like many orphaned and vulnerable children in Chiang Mai, Gregory was separated from his family due to poverty. Gregory has several siblings, and his parents felt they could not afford to care for all of them. As a result, Gregory was sent to an orphanage while his parents tried to provide for the rest of the family.
As we know, Gregory’s story is not unusual. His parents sent him to the orphanage thinking he would have shelter, nutritious food, and access to education.
However, while Gregory’s basic needs were met, he wasn’t receiving what he needed most – the love of his family. Thankfully, Gregory would not remain in the orphanage for long.
Building Family Dreams
After Gregory had been in the orphanage for a year, his family heard about our work in Chiang Mai. Along with our partners in Thailand, we help facilitate the reintegration of children who are currently living in orphanages back into their loving families.
Gregory’s parents joined the Building Family Dreams program, where our team provides education and resources to strengthen families as they learn, heal, and grow together. When they joined the program, Gregory’s parents decided to bring him home from the orphanage.
We are thrilled Gregory has been reunited with his parents and his siblings. Now, the family is working on developing and maintaining a healthy and strong family dynamic so they can stay together in the future.
For the past several months, the entire family has attended training workshops on topics such as healthy family dynamics, good nutrition, and financial management. In addition, they attend family field trips to local destinations like museums, waterfalls, and more. Those trips provide opportunities for children like Gregory to bond with their families after coming home from an orphanage.
Changing Lives in Chiang Mai
Today, Gregory and his family are thriving. Gregory’s parents say he is doing well at home. He is happy and thankful he did not have to go back to the orphanage. In addition, his mother said she is grateful for the resources and support she has received, as she now knows more about how to better care for and raise her children.
We are so thankful for the changes we have seen in this family. And we are grateful to you for making it possible!
Thank you for changing lives in Chiang Mai…and changing the way the world cares for orphans!