Hello friends from around the world, I’m not sure if you heard, read or If you receive Word Made Flesh Thailand’s monthly newsletters (Subscribe Here) -either way we have BIG news (and a bit of explaining to do)
Here is what we wrote last week.
“Word Made Flesh Thailand (Creative Life Foundation) IS MOVING! Of course we are happy and excited but we are going to miss this place and the impact is obviously heavier on some of us than others, but we all agree that this is a very bitter sweet moment as our time on Ruam Rudi road is quickly coming to an end.
We are currently super busy- there is a TON of work that is getting done to complete the move that is happening on top of our regular schedules and programs. Among the crazy, we are making sure to take time to say our goodbyes, to find time in our day to stop and reflect. Over the last 4 years this house has been called many things: It’s been called home, a safe place, a refuge, a place to crash, a school, office, a second chance, a business, the list goes on and on.
Four years ago we took a leap of faith. Four years ago we moved our office, a tiny room on the 3rd floor above a go-go bar in the red-light district to a bigger office. Four years ago we had an idea of starting a school for kids who were selling roses at night and sleeping during the day. Three years we met with our lawyers for the final time and Creative Life Foundation (Word Made Flesh Thailand) was officially registered as a non-profit organization, three years ago we had an idea to sell peanut butter and pesto.
If you have walked with us since 2012 when we first moved in I’m sure you are all as blown away as us. These ideas…dreams of doing something…have turned into realities; and best of all, the projects that were birthed in this location are exceptional and have the potential to grow, not because growth is the natural next step but because we have projects that are working, that can be replicated, that can continued to impact deeply.”
Before I can answer the why and what I will need to give a bit of history for new followers and so I’ll do my best to be clear and brief. I lack in communication skills but I’ll do my best-
Four years ago during the application process of registering a local foundation we needed to determine a permanent address for the CLF office. At the time we were renting a small office (a small room above a go-go bar), Mina had just become full-time staff with us, but we didn’t have anything for her to do, so her job was literally to pray for Word Made Flesh Thailand. Our family was living in a thai-neighborhood across town, a small one-room behind a busy vegetable, fruit and meat market.
Amy, Mina and I were the only WMF staff at this point with a few faithful Thai volunteers who joined us on the streets at night as we invested in relationship with children and mothers who were begging or selling flowers to the foreigners who were buying women for the night. Amy and I were recovering from spending a couple intense years housing women, women who had been badly mistreated, who needed a safe place during the long-process of returning to their home countries.
To say the least, determining the location for Word Made Flesh Thailand, locally known as the Creative Life Foundation was not easy and there was much to consider, but, when we did, we felt really good about it- It was perfect. It was a rare gem in a concrete jungle consisting of grass,fruit trees and space to garden. It was a rare patch of peace and quiet hidden in busy city that never sleeps. It was also around the corner from the red light district and near 2 low income communities that a few of the parents and children we knew who worked at night through the early morning lived.
The location on Ruam Rudi was really the commencement of our mission. It was where a few crazy ideas of how to respond to the issues we were seeing at first hand became a reality, where “hope takes risks” was fleshed out daily. It was where our projects were born and spent their early childhood stages of life. More recently they have entered into their adolescence where some of our projects have begun forming their own identity (mostly the education program, Mina’s whole foods and Soul) Read about ALL of our projects here.
And so- It seems crazy to think, but, we have kinda outgrown the giant house on Ruam Rudi Road. It seems crazy that anyone would want to leave a place of such beauty but it seems it’s the right time. We are now in a new stage of life.
We have more staff, interns and volunteers and so our office can no longer fit everyone in one room.
MINA’S, now called Mina’s Whole Foods was created to generate an income for Mina to provide for her family and one day have the capacity for hiring others. The business has reached its first goal and has successfully paid her salary since 2013. Mina wants to use her business now to help other women find their freedom. Her goal is to grow the business and provide both training and long-term employment options. Our new location can help make Mina’s vision possible.
The school that has deeply impacted not just our own children and Mina’s youngest daughter Lydia, but for 4 other kids who have been coming to our education program for the last three years. This new location will allow capacity to grow and impact more children. Our goal is to enroll 3 or 4 more students by the end of 2016.
In short, the move is a good thing and will allow for Word Made Flesh Thailand, Creative Life Foundation to continue to invest in our current relationship but also allow for new ones. Our new location is also significantly cheaper in rent which has allowed us to hire a full-time teacher for the classroom.
Well, that’s our BIG news! I hope your as excited as us! If you want pictures please follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
Tim Hupe
Field Director | CLF Co-Founder
tim.hupe@wordmadeflesh.com
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