Lanh is an extraordinaire GIBTK team member. From her first interview, she has surprised me. After her interview, she asked to meet with me to learn more. Little did I know that she actually wanted to interview me! She wanted to be sure she knew my heart and the heart of GIBTK before coming on staff.
Her first assignment was to be a home manager of Mary's Home. She actually moved into Mary's Home for 3 months!!! When asked why, here response was; "how else can I know the kids unless I live with them first" She has continued to take on new challenges. Lanh is a key member of our leadership team. Please read her journal. As always if led please send a word of encouragement and I will forward it.
"Many of you have known me for a long time. Today, I just want to share my thoughts and feelings to be with GIBTK for almost six years of working, which I called them my monsters of my life. Six years ago, my first work of GIBTK was leading Mary's home, a foster home for the kids under 18 years old.
These kids are special! This is the first special thing that I realized in my life. I knew that I could not be happier than being a part of these special kids. However, getting closer to the kids, it is painful to get to know and feel what they have been experiencing with disadvantaged circumstances. At first, I felt HURT! The hurt of what I have experienced from working with the kids is not like what they experienced, I know! But it did hurt me a lot. The hurt of seeing the kids that have been abandoned, or experienced rejection or violence never stays away from my mind.
Many times I wanted to run away from the FEAR of being in touch with their hurts. And the FEAR of how to help them handle well with all of their unhealthy thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Thanks to the encouragement from the leaders of GIBTK, I realized that I was driving a bus called MY SPECIAL LIFE. On the front of the bus is a sign saying "Transforming life with a calling job". However, as soon as I turn the bus into the direction, barriers pop up in front of me like monsters. These monsters are my painful feelings of hurts and fear. I could not run over the monsters or go around them. Many times, I wanted to stop the bus and wait for them to go away... but looking at the faces of those we help.... I told myself, I need to continue my calling to bring something a little special to these special kids.
Thanks to lessons I have learned from GIBTK on Emotional Health. I seem to be healthy in my thoughts and emotions. I know how to handle my monsters and apply that to help the kids to deal with their unhealthy thoughts and emotions. I decided to let the monsters on the bus. Invite them aboard, give them seats, and take them along for the ride. They might continue to heckle me from the back of the bus, telling me that the way I am going is too dangerous, stupid, difficult, pointless, and so on. That's what monsters do. That's their job. My job is to let them yammer away while I continue to drive the bus in my chosen direction.
Now, I have been back to work from my maternity leave and in charge of Hal's home, Emotional Health and Mary's home again. Seeing the kids' growth and seeing their transformation, I feel really touched and proud! My memories almost get back to me, but I have no monsters at this point! I know I am winning my monsters and I am helping the kids win their monsters of their life.
Leading the male students, building them up to help them to be real men is one of my duties now. I know there will be many monsters in their life, but I trust with GIBTK's unconditional love their monsters will be no problem and their life will be absolutely transformed. No matter what I do at GIBTK, I feel pleased of what we are doing for the disadvantaged kids and disadvantaged people! The unconditional love I get from GIBTK will last for the rest of my life and will last for those we helped. I am excited to see the ripple of the unconditional love which will pass from these kids to their friends and family and the next generation. And I have learned that there's nothing that guides or comforts us in times of joy and struggle like the power of unconditional love. It can lift the heaviest of burdens and open the most guarded hearts.
Thanks to God for letting me know that I am a special person in a special life to learn and do special things with special kids in a special organization. "
