Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – In 2023, the Community Development Ministry walked alongside two struggling families in Cao Bằng. The first Peace House in Cao Bằng was built for Ms. Yêu and her child, and Mr. Tân’s family received a bathroom with hot water and an indoor toilet before the freezing winter.
See photos: photos of Mr. Tân’s family bathroom on the Community Development Ministry fanpage
A Tarp Over the Mosquito Net
In early 2023, on a visit to Cao Bằng, the ministry team came to the home of Ms. Yêu and her child. What troubled everyone was that the family’s living area and sleeping space were falling apart. Whenever it rained hard, the family could not sleep without stretching a rain tarp over their mosquito net.
On many return visits, the ministry always expressed its hope to help the family get a new, more stable and safe home. Construction was not easy and went through a difficult period. By the end of 2023, the new home of Ms. Yêu and her child was nearly finished and ready to be used.
“Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.” (Isaiah 32:18)
The ministry asks God to bless the new home of Ms. Yêu and her child, and that the family will experience many good things from God in their lives.
A Hot-Water Bathroom for Mr. Tân’s Family
Through many visits to Cao Bằng, the ministry noticed that Mr. Tân’s family had long been without a bathroom or indoor toilet. The household includes two elderly people and one member who needs a lot of care, so an indoor toilet and a bathroom with hot water were truly urgent, especially in winter.
The ministry and the family agreed on a plan: the ministry would fund the materials, and the family would gather relatives to contribute the labor. A month later, the team returned to encourage the elderly couple. It had started raining a lot that day, so the work was paused, but the family’s joy was clear.
With 30 million dong in support, by the end of December 2023 Mr. Tân’s family had a completed indoor bathroom with hot water and a toilet. The team saw how Mr. Tân rallied his children, grandchildren and relatives to contribute their labor to reduce costs, and through it saw the love that binds their family together.
Why We Call It a “Peace House”
For the ministry, a house or a bathroom is more than a physical structure. It is a place where a family can rest safely and keep their dignity and health. Every Peace House is the fruit of prayer, the partnership of many hearts and the participation of the family, relatives and neighbors themselves. We believe it is God who builds:
“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)
Thank God, in 2023 the ministry had many opportunities to help families in difficult circumstances who truly needed support. With every step, the ministry felt God’s prompting and guidance in showing love to those around us.
Let Us Pray Together
- For Ms. Yêu and her child to be safe and healthy in their new home.
- For Mr. and Mrs. Tân and their family to have a warm winter.
- For the ministry to have more resources to build more Peace Houses.
Read more in Community Development and Church News. Contact the church office: 0942 248 688 (Zalo available).
