“You just don’t know who might hear or read the message that’s going to change their lives. When they are in their darkest moment, that one article or podcast from an organization like Focus on the Family — it can change a lot.”
Shauna and John had been married 25 years when their family fell apart. The Australian couple had been living apart for months, and divorce seemed inevitable. “Our family was pretty much destroyed,” she says. Desperate and realizing that God was the only one who could heal her family, she started to pray. She says, “I was literally on my knees crying out, I thought, ‘Okay, God. I trust you enough in my tiny, little faith that you will restore my family.’” Shauna describes what happened next as an act of God…
He’s here. Her heart is beating out of her chest. She can feel it in her head so much her ears are ringing as she dashes to her familiar hiding spot. Under the tattered stale sheet, she catches her breath and plugs her ears so she can wait undetected until it’s over. The door closes. Maiya* can finally breathe. A few more tense moments pass, and she timidly peeks her eyes out from her hiding place… He’s gone. This is the reality of thousands of children in the Red Light District of Mumbai: waiting for Mom to finish her [sex] work… often hiding in the very same room…
*Name changed for privacy
Eve’s story is one of God’s redemption through the No Apologies curriculum, and how she in turn pours out this grace on others. “We are personally very grateful to Focus on the Family and No Apologies Indonesia which has given us many opportunities to get involved and be a part of serving [future] generations,” says Eve’s husband Yusuf.
Throughout her childhood in Malaysia, Nicol felt like she was the odd one out of her family. For years, she refused to talk to her parents, locking herself in her room after quickly eating dinner every night. It didn’t take long for her relationship with her parents to become strained and bitter. As a father, Raymond wasn’t sure what to do about
his daughter and the fights they were having. In a move of desperation, he and his wife decided to send their daughter to counseling through Focus on the Family Malaysia. Finally, after attending Focus’s event, they started to mend some of the brokenness in their relationship. Before long, Raymond and Nicol shared their story to countless families, showing how their relationship changed after learning how to love each other better. Raymond says, “By sharing our struggles, we can help give to others. We feel that Focus has done a lot for us, so it was a chance for us to go and give back to other families as well.”
Session after session, Enkhmma* was completely closed off and uncommunicative. Traumatized and timid, she was unwilling to even explore inside the bag of toys her counselor presented at the government orphanage in Mongolia where she lives. Driven by devastating poverty levels and intensified by alcohol abuse, the dissolution of the family in Mongolia is leaving thousands of children abandoned and traumatized.
*Name changed for privacy
Families in Singapore are slipping into a crisis where the real connections they once had are put to the test. The Select: Mission 1114 is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone experience that brings parents on an interactive, guided adventure with their tween. Through the fun-filled mission activities and program, they will have the opportunity to build deeper connections, share unforgettable memories, and finally to make a commitment to each other as parent and child.
No Apologies (NA) is Focus on the Family’s largest international program. NA teaches teenagers about God’s design for life, love, and sex through character–based curriculum. In Taiwan, NA has been brought to many schools, being taught in classes to students who may not hear this type of message otherwise.
“Thank you for your support. After NA, I feel that I am worthy to live and pursue my dreams, and I also have better understanding of healthy relationships and marriages, and I believe that as I grow up, I can establish good links with friends and in relationships” – NA Student, Taiwan
In a remote desert community hundreds of miles from Cairo, Focus Egypt teaches nomadic families about God’s design. Sequestered near the only water source for miles, far from external cultural influence, sit three remote communities, fondly referred to as “The Oases.” Living off the grid, these people groups are considered desert “nomads”, in regard to their very basic lifestyle. Entire villages had never heard even a whisper of the Gospel— until now…
“If you can imagine a 12–year–old or 14–year–old in the home trying to raise three or four other siblings, and they’ve got to figure out where their income’s coming from in order to feed them, in order for them to have clothing. And there’s often no–where for them to go, other than predators around the area, who are essentially bartering sex for an orange, or for shoes, or for a uniform.”
Álvaro and Cynthia dated for over six years before starting their dream of being married. Then, just three short years later, Álvaro says that “the problems started.” Cynthia describes, “I remember I arrived at Enfoque a la Familia with a broken heart.” But through Christ–centered counseling, prayer, and even newly discovered church attendance, the couple began the journey to healing.
Around the world the Hope Restored marriage counseling program has helped thousands of couples find hope and healing. Below are some of the real couples who thought their marriage was beyond repair, but experienced a miracle of God through Hope Restored Canada.
Sixto Porras, VP of Enfoque a la Familia, travels to Houston, Texas, to spread the gospel message and encourage churches around the city. Sixto preached to over 4,700 attendees at a Christmas service with the message that “God must speak to our hearts in order for us to come out of deep darkness, so He could lead us to His light.” Sixto says, “For me, [Enfoque’s positive impact for these families] is the greatest reward we can achieve at Focus on the Family. This is what motivates and inspires us to continue helping families thrive.”
