“One of the stories that really speaks to us is the story of Nehemiah who God called home from a foreign land to serve his people. Even though our parents immigrated to the US, God has called us back home to Asia,” says GIS parent Minh Dao as he reflects on the ministry work that he and his wife, Jen, are doing in Chiang Mai. Minh serves as the Executive Director of Cornerstone Counseling which was founded to help families of international Christian workers thrive and stay on the field. In recent years, Cornerstone has felt God leading them as an organization to serve Thais as well. As for Jen, she works at Home of the Swallow, which provides spiritual and emotional support to women trying to navigate the uncertainties of unplanned pregnancy. Home of the Swallow operates a daycare and provides parenting training, as well as education and job training.
Both Minh and Jen have seen God bless their work in amazing ways through the ministries with which they are involved. Specifically, Thais are empowered through Cornerstone’s counseling services, psychoeducation programs, and healing groups to reach their communities to provide emotional, mental, and spiritual support, thus creating a multiplicative impact. At Home of the Swallow, Jen tells the story of a woman named “Phoebe” who was incarcerated due to her and her husband’s involvement with drugs. As she progressed through Home of the Swallow’s program, she came to faith, grew in her faith and is now successfully raising a healthy son. Despite her hardship, she praises God for His ability to use her and her experiences to be a blessing to many others in her community because Home of the Swallow was a blessing to her.
The work Minh and Jen are able to do is made possible because their five children attend Grace International School where they receive a Biblically-integrated, American-style curriculum education. “One of the main reasons we chose GIS was so our kids could learn alongside other children of international Christian workers. They can grow together and relate to each other’s joys and challenges of being a TCK,” says Minh. “What’s more is that teachers see students for more than just their academic progress. They see and value each child’s unique character and personality. The teachers themselves were called to the field so they truly love and care for their students,” adds Jen.
Grace International School supports the ministry of families like the Daos so more people in Asia can experience the healing and hope found only in Jesus Christ. And that hope can multiply throughout the nations.
