Me with Nhu, the namesake for Remember Nhu
Thai dancers opening the benefit
Remember Nhu benefit event
Driving through Narnia
On Mount Hood
Multnomah Falls
Gorgeous view of the Columbia River Gorge from the falls
This weekend my husband and I had the privilege of going to Portland, Oregon where I was performing for the Remember Nhu benefit concert. Last spring, Nathan and I went to Thailand with Remember Nhu to see their work fighting child trafficking there (you can read more about that trip here). This weekend was especially fun for us because the other three couples we went to Thailand with were all from Portland, so we got to catch up with them at this event.
This fundraiser was in support of building a new boys’ home in Thailand, and for us that was also touching because we have been to the current boys home and have seen how very crowded it is already, and there are so many boys still waiting. One really fun moment for us was when we were looking at a new brochure for RNhu. We had gone to some of the interviews for children who were hoping for spots in one of the very poor villages while we were in Thailand. There was one boy in particular whom we were very concerned for, and there he was in the picture in the new brochure! It was so wonderful to know that they had found a spot for him and he was safe.
Remember Nhu is named after a young woman named Nhu who was the inspiration for the organization, and who now works for them. She is also simply a wonderful young lady with a very quick sense of humor and is a delight to be with. We had gotten to know her in Thailand, and she was in Portland to speak. Her testimony is amazing, and it is humbling to hear how Christ has transformed her life. It was also just so good to see her again!
The benefit itself was just beautiful. There were Thai dancers and Japanese Taiko drummers, myself, and then Nhu with Carl and Laurie, the founders, and some other very touching videos and testimonies. I had written a song for RNhu based on Micah 6:8 entitled “To Be Love” and we debuted the video that night (you can watch it here). The goal for the evening was to raise $125,000 which would have covered the new boys’ home. Praise God, they raised over $240,000!! What an amazing thing to watch God do more than we could ask or imagine!
Nathan and I had an extra day, so we went to see Mount Hood and Multnomah Falls and some of the other beautiful sites near Portland. Especially up on Mount Hood, the elevation was so high that it was snowing and it looked like we were driving through Narnia. Just magical. What a day to be thanking God for what He had done the day before while confronted with such beauty and creativity all around us – He is an awesome God!