Jesus Loves Children Like Sotheara

...Yesterday

His father died when Sotheara was three. Then the family lost their home. Sotheara, his mother, and his sister moved in with his grandmother so his hard-working mom could follow the rice harvest to neighboring Thailand. The future might have been bleak for a poor boy like Sotheara. But Jesus loved Sotheara even when the boy and his family didn’t know about Jesus. He saw Sotheara’s difficult situation and had plans for a blessed future. Asia’s Little Ones supports Salaa Hope, a Christian school in Battambang, Cambodia. When Sotheara was eight years old, this school accepted him as a student. It opened doors for him to learn science, math, computer skills, and English—and about the God who made him and loves him. It opened doors for Sotheara to realize the blessed future God has planned for him.

…Today

Sotheara is a hard-working, well-liked, good student whose favorite classes are English and computer. Like many other seventh graders at Salaa Hope, he enjoys playing soccer, baseball, and traditional Khmer games like donderm sluk chaue, the Cambodian version of Steal the Bacon. Although Sotheara’s background is not Christian, he has learned much about God’s love for him at Salaa Hope and has given his heart to Jesus. Keenly aware of God’s blessings, Sotheara never complains, even when he has had little to eat, misses his mother, or has had some difficulty. He lives with a family near the school, going home to his family on weekends and holidays. When Sotheara has a school holiday and returns home to his village, he shares the songs and stories he has learned at school with his neighbors and friends. Sotheara attends the church in his local village when he is home. He has been able to teach the children many new songs. Sotheara is a living testimony not only to the staff and students at Salaa Hope Christian School but to his home village as well.

…Tomorrow

Jesus loves Sotheara—and Sotheara loves Him right back. He knows that Jesus is the living God, and he is grateful that God has forgiven his sin and given him a new life. Sotheara prays and leads worship and devotions and gets involved in chapel events. He would like to be God’s servant and wants to serve God in evangelism. Sotheara’s future—once so uncertain and perilous—is now bright. Because people like you care enough to give, the love of Jesus is reaching children in Cambodia and across Asia Pacific. For 21 years, Asia’s Little Ones has been helping to change the lives of precious children like Sotheara. In another 21 years, children like Sotheara will be changing the world.

You can provide lifelines for vulnerable children in Asia Pacific.