News

Working For A Child's Good
ALO Update Vol 20 No 1

Sometimes even a minister doesn’t expect to see God work the way He does. Pastor Suphot didn’t expect anything good for Miriam’s mother.

She is Pakistani, while Miriam’s father is from Mozambique. At one time the mother knew what it was like to serve God, but she got involved with the wrong guy, who used her to transport drugs. She was caught with more than a kilo of heroin. Drug penalties in Thailand are severe: the penalty for possessing “dangerous drugs such as heroin” is death. Women, or men who plead guilty, may have their sentence reduced to life in prison, but no one comes out. The circumstances were grim for Miriam’s mother.

But God was working. In spite of her mother’s plight, things were not so dire for Miriam. When her mother was arrested, authorities brought the little girl to ALO’s ministry to babies of mothers in prison. The staff lovingly cared for Miriam as her mother’s case made its way through the legal system.

Despite the bleakness of her situation, Miriam’s mother displayed a remarkable degree of faith. She wrote to the ministry: “Thank you for looking after my child. I know she’s in good hands. I appreciate you, and God will bless you for what you’re doing. I’m really anxious to get back with my daughter. I know this is in the Lord’s hands, and He’s going to work everything out for good.”

Pastor Suphot was not hopeful. He knew it would take a miracle for this mother ever to breathe free again. His primary concern was for Miriam.

The day of the trial, the pastor took Miriam to the courtroom to see her mother. They hadn’t seen each other for quite a long time, and he wanted the two to have a chance to say good-bye.

The judge was so moved by the interaction of the child and her mother as well as the support of the pastor that he showed mercy. “I came here today to punish this woman to the full extent of the law, but after seeing the relationship of this child to this mother and what you’ve done for them, I can’t do that.” He handed down a reduced sentence which makes Miriam’s mother someday eligible for parole. In the meantime, this ministry—supported by ALO—will continue to care for Miriam in a loving environment.

God is working for good in the lives of children in Thailand and across Asia Pacific. The question is not if God is working, but how. Will you allow Him to work through you?

Because you give to support compassion ministries through Asia’s Little Ones, little miracles like this have been happening every day in Asia Pacific for the last 21 years. Thank you for working with us for the good of all the neediest babies and children.