Friday february 10th

After breakfast we went for a trip to the local market in Mae Sai, then we drove to the Golden Triangle. we enjoyed a boat trip to Laos with sight seeing and a bit of a shopping before we headed back for lunch in Thailand soil. it was very special enough to experience these small boats on the famous Mekong river which divides Burma, Thailand and Laos.

On the way back we also drove by the Bible School where the students greeted us with songs. we tasted some good coffee from Arthur (Deborah’s husband) coffee plantation. Arthur and Deborah have recently got their first daughter in December, her name is Joy.

Saturday february 11th.

for the first time in many years we were allowed to visit the orphanages inside Burma. A very special and touching moment for many in the team who have never been in Burma. We passed passport control and headed to the town Tatcheleik by the border, where all 10 of us squeesed into a “taxi” wich drove us to 2 of the 3 orphanages the Foundation supports.

it was also a special moment when we met early students from the Bible School. we have followed up many of these kids since they were very young and now they are young adults helping in the leading of the orphanages, working as evangelists or wishing for high education oportinities.

many of them were orphans of both parents, wihtout a chance in life, risking being sold as sex slaves, but they were rescued by those leaders in the orphanages and able to experience to grow up in a Christian home. This is possible thanks to supporters like you who’s been faithfull all these years.

We in the Foundation, the leaders in these orphanages and of course each and every one of the children want to thank you very much for your support!

We visited the girls home House of Faith where 23 girls live together and go to church. Right afterwards we went to the boys home also with 23 boys  at the House of Love.

it was overwhelming to say the goodbyes to these great kids and drive back to Thailand. Before we crossed the border we stoppet by the local market in Tatcheleik.

After luch we drove to another orphanage called New Life Home in Mae Sai.    Tore, together with Deborah and Arthur were early that day at the shopping centre  Lotus/Tesco and bought gifts to about 86 children living in 4 orphanages which the Foundation supports up north (3 in Burma and 1 in Thailand).

some children from Burma also crossed the border to be with us at the orphanage New Life Home. It was an unforgettable time with about 50 children and teenagers. We played  football, badmington, volleyball and table tennis. The new sport material came right on time (we bought double sets so these children from Burma could also get one each with their new shoes and clothes)

Therese and Ingvar brought with them some “pearls” from Norway, girls and boys alike gather together to make cute and colorful figures with those pearls. the team from Norway helped the kids as good as they could, of course.

Later that day dinner was on the team, we not only bought the meal but also served the food to all the children, too. They showed increadibly good manners at the table, all 50 of them, none touch the food before the prayer was over. Maybe there is something for us to learn about child upbringing?

Sunday february 12th.

we sat this day to visit the Queen’s residence Flower Garden about a 45 minutes drive southwest from Mae Sai.

We would love to give a Christmas gift to the kids in Burma, Laos and Thailand this year, too.

Would like to invite one of these kids home to your Christmas celebration? practically speaking it can be a little bit difficult to accomplish, but you can still support one or more of these 350 kids, in 10 orphanages in Burma, Laos and Thailand, including homeless kids in Hua Hin. This way – in a way – you can invite one kid into a great Christmas celebration!

Besides giving a little personal gift and a Christmas meal, the finantial support you give contribute to bedsheets, pillows, mosquitonets, warm sweaters and jackets etc. it costs 200 Norwegian Crowns to invite a child to a Christmas celebration. for 2 children 400 Kr and so on.

all gifts can be transfer to the Foundation’s gift bank account in Norway 3250.21.98121

Thank you so much for your support, and Merry Christmas!!

We (Else Bjørg and Tore) have already been two weeks in Thailand. first week in Mae Sai was spent teaching students from Burma in a Bible School, we visited many children from orphanages in Tachileik and New Life Home in Mae Sai.

On saturday we drove south to Chiang Mai, which on the previous week was under water because of flooding. we didn’t see any signs of flood where we were.  on sunday we visited a Karen church about 30 minutes from Chiang  Mai.

The following days we went to Partners headquarters to have meetings with the leadership. we were informed about projects towards the Shan State in Burma. we also visited 2 homes that the foundation supports; Nong Tao and Mae Win. the foundation started many new projects with Mae Win, see pictures below.

On wednesday we visited Bethany Homes. We gave the gifts we brought with us from many supporters.

The first two weeks were very busy, but meaningfull and educative.

Open Hands Foundation started with a couple called Else Bjørg and Tore Øglænd. They went to Thailand in outreach after having taken a school with Youth With A Mission – YWAM in juni-august 2000.
They served in different places while in Thailand like the orphanage Grace Home and in a Lisu village. After coming back home to Norway they decided to start supporting children from Grace Home Orphanage.

In the Autumn 2001 a new mission trip to Thailand was done in order to strengthen contacts they already had, and collect more necessary information for a ministry in developement. Later on new contacts were established with Day-Care Centres and other orphanages as well as a work in slums in the outskirts of Chiang Mai.

Soon it became evident the need for a recognized organization which could serve as an active partner with which Day-Care Centres and other agencies in Thailand could count on, providing both information and financial support to existing projects and new ones.

The Norwegian Foundation Open Hands was formally registred in Brønnøysund in october 2002. A board of directors was also established, none of the members of the board received any salary or remunerative incentives.

Open Hands Foundation is a member of Global Aid Network – GAN, an organization with which partner churches, foundations and other organizations facilitate financial support for humanitarian help worldwide.

Salomon and family together with evangelist A Byah

A Byah shares with me that he is among the least in our Evangelist team in Burma, but he knows that even being the least amongst all, he has authority over the power of darkness that try to rule over the people in Burma.  That’s why he is not afraid of anything, currently A Byah is based in Law Dam village, Law Dam village is just locate right at the border of Thailand, from A Byah’s house it just takes about 5 minutes to walk to the Thai border. This place is famous for Opium smuggling into the Golden Traingle area for over 30 years since Kun Sa still ruled this area, today though it’s famous for amphetamine smuggling into the area by different War Lord.

So it is a very challenging and very dangerous place for A Byah. There is no guarantee for security for A Byah and his family’s lives. The only guarantee that A Byah has is the promise of the Word of God in his life, and the presence of God in his life.

A Byah shares with me that demonic worship is the reason people are bound in illegal business. The power of the darkness still rules over the people’s mind and heart. The solution is no other than the presence of Christ in every place, bringing the presence of God into darken areas, by opening our mouth proclaiming the true richness and true freedom in Christ.

Every night A Byah can be found seated outside his house, with his wife and his son, spending time with prayer and fellowship with God.

A Byah figured out that there are Drug Caravans walking near by his house. “_When real people come and walk from the West and disappear in the East, carrying with them a caravan of demons, these may start with them from the West but they will eventually disappear half way across, because the caravan of demons cannot get close to A Byah’s House. The closer real people get to his house the sooner the demons will flee away from his house. Law Dam village locates very close to A Byah’s house, just about 5 minutes away and there are 100 families living there. And they suffer very strongly with demonic and ancestors worship, and A Byah says most of time demons from jungle will walk into the village in the night.

The task that God lay in A Byah’s heart is to bring the light of God and truth about God to Law Dam villagers. Please continue praying for A Byah and his family.

We’d appreciate if you pray also for financial support to A Byah and his family. It would cost $50 a month for supporting A Byah and family.

Last month our family had the privilege of spending 4 weeks together with A Byah, I spent 4 weeks teaching A Byah how to rule over the darkness in Burma.

In Christ, Solomon

August 2011

a broshure ‘s been made with deadline, program and costs for those interested in joying the team!