24 Nov 2012 by Adeline Lum, CM-
Ten-year old Evelyn Biles watched from her window, the Palestinian refugees and begging children roaming the streets of Beirut, Lebanon. Something touched her heart. She wanted to help them… and when she grew up, she did! Together, she and her husband adopted seven children from Lebanon, Virginia and Brazil, aside from having two children of her own.
In a video of her ministry, Biles said, “I did adopt 7 children, but that is just a drop in a bucket.” Her vision is to teach and train essential leadership skills to the indigenous people, so that they can teach and train other’s to do the same. And Global Mosaic International (GMI) was founded in year 2001 for that purpose.
On 18th to 23rd of November, Biles came to the orphans of Malaysia to train them under a program called, “Vital Foundation for Girls” at the beautiful shores of Golden Palm Resort. She had been coming to Malaysia since 2002.
Working with local volunteers in Malaysia for over eight months, she also invited volunteers from United States in an East meet West encounter.
“We wanted to have a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural experience, having invited families from Malaysia, India and also Australia, so that the girls from the rumah (shelter) would see that the love expressed in a family is not just an ‘American’ thing, but a universal way of how God want a family to be,” said Biles. But due to logistics and school days, the families could not come.
She also see the importance of young girls knowing their worth, value and identity. But girls from broken families may not understand. Hence, volunteers from United States were recruited in pairs, mother and child, to show the girls from the rumah on how love is in a mother-child relationship.
As the girls grew up in a structured environment of the rumah, she desires to them give a “fair and easy” environment for them to experience. Eighteen girls were interviewed and selected from different rumah based on their stories and aspirations.
From selecting these girls, she hope that they would bring what they have learned back to their own rumah, to become influential, mentoring leaders and change agents.
“During this week, everyone in the group do things together like a family such as bike riding, swimming and playing games. They are free to do whatever they please. But three times after a meal, we would walk them through their personal portfolios,” said Biles.
Each girl would have a portfolio to build their leadership skills including their identity, their strengths, their areas of improvements, body image, inner versus outer beauty, being assertive, being aware of inner thoughts and how negative emotions can refrain positive thinking, desires as in appropriate wanting, gratitude and values in life.
“The girls learned gratitude by writing thank you notes and cards to the volunteers and sponsors. On top of that, they also experienced a Thanksgiving feast provided by the resort,” said Biles thankfully.
Hugs and kisses exchanged. Facebook and email contacts were shared. The “Vital Foundation Girls” program ended with a heavy but renewed heart.
“After the program end, we hope that the Malaysian volunteers would follow up with them and mentor them,” said Biles.
Although she went through wide and deep challenges in her life, she rested on Isaiah 43:1-10 which assured that God would always bring her through seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Isaiah 43:1-2
1But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:5-7
5Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Indeed, God has brought her children from the east and west! Praise the Lord!
In parting, she shared, “God design you and God thought about you not by happenstance. He designed you knowing the exact place He want to put us in and He has all the resources,” said Biles.
Many people asked what God’s Will is but the best place you are at is the place where He planted you. His Will is His process of obedience. He wants us to be, not to do. And out of who we are, we do what He wants.
What a great nugget of wisdom!
Let’s pray that God would bless Dr Bile’s ministry mightily and may the leaders she raised bring a difference to the people!
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