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Kanah * 26 August 98		The Jai children came to us from Kampong Thom province.  They were living with their grandmother in a small wooden house.  Their father died of alcohol poisoning, and their mother had lost one of her legs to a landmine and was unable to care for them.  Their three older siblings were sold into slavery the day before we arrived to take the children.  Sadly, we were unable to get the older siblings back.  The first years of their lives were very traumatic.  Losing their father to alcohol and their mother's accident forced them to live with their grandmother.  On our two visits to the children's home, the grandmother would only let the children lie on the floor of the house and not talk.  The neighbors told us of terrible abuse, physical and emotional.  Kanah was five years old but weighed only 20lbs.  Naomi was 3 years old but weighed only 14lbs.  Today Kanah is healthy.  He is in 1st grade at Hope School, where he is first in his class.  Naomi is also healthy.  She has gained a lot of weight and is laughing, playing and enjoying all the things that a 5 year old child should.  She is also first in her kindergarten class at Hope School.  We are encouraged that they are in a loving, caring, Christian home where they are nurtured and valued.  God truly is the Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). Although they are carrying the scars of a traumatic childhood, they are living miracles.  We had several people examine them when they came to live at Heritage House and we told by everyone that they would be behind mentally and socially, due to years of abuse, and that they would never catch up.  Today, due to healing of Jesus Christ in their lives, they are socially and mentally as healthy as any child living in our home.  Please pray for their relationship with Jesus to continue to grow and for them to grow in their desire to please Him.
Naomi * 03 September 00
Home Province : Kampong Thom Date Entered Heritage House: 03 September 03 * The birthdays were assigned once the children entered Heritage House due to not knowing the actual birthday.