Grace International Educational Foundation

 

Eden’s Faith and Passion for Missions Stirs Efforts to Help Save Grace 

  1. “She has a heart of gold, a love for missions—and Eden is an artist with Down syndrome.”

The faith of a child is a powerful force -- and can have quite an impact!  For evidence, just look at young Eden. She’s a USA pastor’s kid, who heard about our Saving Grace Project and decided to raise money for a future Grace International School (GIS).  She has a heart of gold, a love for missions—and Eden is an artist with Down syndrome. She creates whimsical handmade cards with fingerprint art, like a bunny, rose and platypus.

Eden’s plan is simple. People send her a check for any amount, written to Grace International Educational Foundation, or simply GIEF, which her parents send to the foundation office in Texas. Next, Eden’s parents help her send the donor two cards as a thank you. In only a few weeks, she raised $125.

Recently, a high school teacher friend and two school classrooms offered to help make more cards. We hope they have lots of business. What a great opportunity to encourage Eden’s efforts and support “Saving Grace!”

  1. You can support Eden's passion for prayer, missions and GIS, by sending her a check c/o South Bay Free Methodist Church, attn: GIS, 25514 Narbonne Ave., Lomita, CA 90717, USA.

Her family’s recent email quotes Hebrews 6:10: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him, as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

Likewise, God has not forgotten GIS. Be encouraged. He spoke to Eden. How is he speaking to you? What will your involvement in “Saving Grace” look like? 


Lost Ring Teaches Faith

Adapted from Superintendent Don Williams’ Chapel talk


I recently lost a special ring—a gift from my wife. We looked everywhere, retraced our steps, found nothing. So my running dialogue with the Lord was about not bothering him with such a small thing.

Then He asked, “What is your student Chapel talk about on Friday?” 

I thought, Oh, I get it, Lord. I’m talking about faith. So you must want me to pray about the ring? 

All day long I felt Him encourage me to pray about it. Finally, days later I asked God to forgive my lack of faith and acknowledged he could care about something I thought would be so insignificant. And as I prayed, I realized again how loved I am, and that He is actually concerned for my loss. It’s always a challenge for me to give God the really small things and believe he’s interested—no problem to give Him the big things.

“Lord, if it’s your will to give me back the ring, that would be awesome. But I’m also willing to let go of it and move on. Your will be done,” I said. 

After a four-hour meeting I called my wife to meet for lunch. But before I spoke she said, “Isn’t it so cool” I thought, What’s so cool?  She continued, “Didn’t you get my text message? Your ring was found on the bathroom floor at home.” 

Overcome with joy, I realized my ring was found after I finally prayed and believed God could be interested. Her text message said it all, “May you experience God’s love for you through answered prayer. Found your ring. Rejoicing.”

GIS is in its own faith story. Few things in the court case show we’ll be blessed. Circumstances are stacked against us. Yet I have no problem believing the Lord! I believe our blessings will be a new campus on 25+ acres of land, funds to buy the land and build, a court decision showing the school owns the title deeds, with the right to sell, if we choose.  

Pray with me and believe. Join students, faculty, staff and administrators in anticipation, believing God can do the miraculous. 

Watch people on our “farming by faith adventure.”

Unusual Evangelism

Think noise and heat. Think multi-cultural. Think crowds of people, jostling each other, hoping to get the best deal on local souvenirs. Think all of these things, and you’ve got the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. But if you are GIS teacher Tom Miyakawa, when you think of the Night Bazaar you think of the endless possibilities for evangelism!


The Night Bazaar is a popular tourist attraction in downtown Chiang Mai. It is visited by thousands of people each night, with 10-15 countries represented from all over the world. Each Saturday night, Tom takes a group of 30-40 students from Grace Inter- national School to the Night Bazaar. These students mingle with the crowds and engage tourists in spiritual conversations and hand out tracts.


The students are surprisingly bold and eager to share the good news of Jesus. Saturday Street Evangelism has become such a favorite among students, they have had to set up rotation groups to make sure each student has a chance to go.

Tom says, “Many of the parents of these students have a ministry they are involved in. I’m thrilled to see missionary kids have a ministry and purpose all their own.”


One Student’s Story

When speaking with her, you would never guess that behind GIS student Mallory W.’s sweet voice and winning smile lies a tough, determined, and skilled athlete. In a recent competition between other international school students from various SE Asian countries, Mallory easily placed first in the 400 m. race.   Mallory is strong and fast.  She plays every sport that Grace offers, and every team she has played on has won the league championship.  There’s no doubt that athletics are important to Mallory. 

But she acknowledges that athletics is often a training ground for what is more important to her: her relationship with God. 

This 16 year old student, who has lived overseas as an MK all of her life, attributes much of what she has learned about athletics and life to her coaches.  Regarding one of her coaches, she comments, “He’s amazing!  He’s done so much in his life, and he talks with us all the time about the lessons he’s learned.  He advises us about how to make wise decisions.”

Striving for excellence, both athletically and spiritually, is something she has learned from her soccer coaches.  “The coaches are involved in our lives.  They pray for us and care about us personally,” says Mallory.  “They go beyond what is normally expected of a coach.”

With only one more year left at Grace, Mallory is taking advantage of every opportunity for spiritual growth offered by GIS: prayer team, chapel team, Agape Home (orphanage), and after-school Bible studies with teachers.  Her advice to other students:  “If you love God and want to grow in your relationship with Him, there are lots of opportunities here at Grace.  All you have to do is look for them….they’ll come looking for you, too!” 

Download Stories of Grace!

You can download PDF versions of the Grace International School newsletter, Stories of Grace.  Just click on the links below.  You must have Acrobat Reader or Preview to open these files. 


Stories of Grace Volume 1

Stories of Grace Volume 2

Stories of Grace Volume 3

Stories of Grace Volume 4