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WE PRAISE THE LORD FOR...
* His faithfulness to Gentle Hands
* Blessing us through donors and sponsors
* For the daily safekeeping of our children
* The support we receive from volunteers
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PRAY WITH US FOR...
* Safety, protection, healing and provision
of our children
* Wisdom and strength for our staff
* Families who are willing to adopt and stand up for our kids who are about to age out
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FIRST DAY
As I watch him walk a few steps ahead of me, I have to choke back my unexpected tears. He has been in my care everyday for four years and today was his first day of school. What a journey it has been and to be at this point, where he can function in a real school, a real classroom, with new faces, in a new place, is incredible.
Over the past four years, we have walked through many dark places that have even caused my heart to feel faint. Some days he held my hand but most days I held his. Somehow, I knew that walking through those valleys, we would find the sun. Healing. Health. Restoration. Transformation. I prayed that he, in his brokenness, would somehow find the courage to trust me and follow me through the shadows.
Working with children who have experienced trauma is a complicated, delicate dance that one must learn along the way. Each child is different and consequently, the horrors they experience, affect them differently. From the physical scars to the emotional baggage to the psychological damage, interaction with these children requires great patience and deep love.
Grief, shame and fear release themselves in emotional melt-downs, fits of rage, and often what looks like just bad behavior that makes no sense to the outside world. But I have learned that behind every seething tiger, is a little child desperate to connect and to be loved unconditionally.
With this one, it took two years before he was ready to even think about healing. Two years. But those two years was not wasted. It was through that time where trust was built, brick by brick, and on many days, lego block by lego block.
Some days there was such little interaction or connection, I doubted the hope that even I held onto. And as time would have it, I grew to love this broken little boy that raged against the world, so very deeply. He often fought every adult in his space but would lay his head on my shoulder and sigh. And I waited and prayed. I cannot even count the hours that I would pray for God's mercy to fall and to heal in the places that I could not see or reach.
And today, he walked ahead of me, a spring of excitement in his step. I shut the door and he waved, his face beaming as he took the hand of his new teacher.
How good is our heavenly Father to love the very least of these and to heal and restore their precious little lives.
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GENTLE HANDS ON TOUR
We
are excited to announce that we have recently launched a Gentle Hands Sponsorship Program.
The last two months saw our family travel to Australia to share the vision and future of Gentle Hands and launch the Gentle Hands Sponsorship Program. We were blessed to be invited into many churches and homes in both Brisbane, Queensland and Perth, Wester
n Australia.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Moggill Uniting Church, Trinity Ipswich Uniting Church, Victoria Point Uniting Church, Victoria Point Baptist Church
and Warnbro Community Church for welcoming us so warmly and allowing us to share the vision of Gentle Hands.
This September, through until November, will see our family tour the USA to raise awareness about Gentle Hands and their ministry and invite individuals to invest in their vision and mission through monthly sponsorship.
We begin our journey in Los Angles, California. We will be visiting the southern states in September before travelling to Charlotte, North Carolina, for all of October. We will then be heading north towards New York for the remainder of our time. We would love to come and visit you, your family, your church or organisation.
If you are interested in hearing about Gentle Hands and being part of our journey please contact us.
There are two main ways to get involved:
* Join Gentle Hands as a monthly sponsor through regular giving through the sponsorship program.
* Continue to lift Gentle Hands up in prayer.
The sponsorship options will provide you with the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of the children at Gentle Hands. You, your church, company or organisation will be supporting the children's fundamental needs - specifically in the areas of nutrition, education and medical expenses.
Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like more information about how you can be a part of the Gentle Hands Monthly Sponsorship Program or if would like us to visit you, your organisation or church, to share the vision and work of Gentle Hands.
Thank you for supporting Gentle Hands ministry.
Nathan and Pip Wheeley
International Ambassadors
Fundraising Coordinators
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