My Name is Mai...
- Joy to the World Thailand Staff
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
Mai, from the Hmong hill tribe, was raised in poverty with little hope. At age 8, she found support at Breanna’s House of Joy. Now 18, she’s graduating high school and entering nursing school—her lifelong dream made possible by the care she received.
I come from the Hmong hill tribe. In my family, we had very little. I was the youngest, and it was very hard for my family to provide even food. I believed I would not be able to go to school.
But when I was 8-years-old, I came to Breanna’s House of Joy, and I received education and had my physical and mental needs met. Every day I would have good and nutritious meals. The caretakers there spent time with me, listening and teaching me God’s way, and how to live in community. I received many opportunities to develop my skills and abilities such as musical skills and English language.
Soon I was leading worship for the children’s home and singing in the choir! My life felt so different. For the first time, I could dream.
Since I was little, I had always wanted to be a nurse. I had a heart to help others just like Breanna’s House of Joy had helped me. With my dream of a nursing school, I had to study hard and have a good record of community service. Breanna’s House of Joy provided tutoring and opportunities for community service for me throughout my time at the home. I learned how to be responsible for my studies, to plan for my future and how to make good choices.
Today, I am 18 years old, and soon I will graduate from high school. With the tutoring, community service, and guidance that Breanna’s House of Joy was able to provide, I was able to get into one of the well-known nursing schools in Chiang Mai! This brought joy to everyone, especially the staff who spent countless hours giving me guidance and advice.
Without the support of Breanna’s House of Joy, this dream would have never come true. I would have been like the other girls in my village, already married with babies at my age, never finishing high school or dreaming of the future.
I am so grateful for the opportunities and support I received from Breanna’s House of Joy and for God to lead me all the way through. Thank you to all who have made this possible for me and the other girls at the home!
