OBI Center Integral in Tsunami Victim’s
Recovery
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 Luck
(left) and a friend enjoy their time at Step
Ahead.
 Classes
in English, computer skills and hospitality will
help equip tsunami survivors for the future.
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As part of Operation Blessing’s
tsunami recovery activities in Thailand, the Step Ahead
training center is equipping survivors with practical skills
to help them move forward with greater hope for the future.
At Step Ahead, students can enroll in English, computer
or hospitality classes, and the results have been life-changing.
A young Thai woman named
Luck came to the training center after the hotel
she worked at was destroyed by the tsunamis. She
lost her best friend and much more in the catastrophe,
but at Step Ahead, Luck has discovered friendship
and healing while taking part in English classes.
Now, she shares her story of its impact.
"When I’d been working for
some time, there was the tsunami. My hotel had to close
down, but this was not as traumatic as actually losing
your loved ones and many of your precious things.
In the midst of all
the bad things, there came some good in it. One day,
I heard that the Step Ahead Training Center was offering
language teaching free of charge. Personally, I was
delighted and very touched that there are actually people
out there that care for victims of the Tsunami like us.
We are not left alone after all. We’ve been given
good chances that you don’t normally get. I’m
sure that other students at the center have felt the
same way as I did. Being at the Step Ahead from the beginning
until now, we – the students – have improved
in our understanding, our speaking and writing abilities
tremendously.
I know of some people who did not have the courage
to face with foreigners before but they have turned to
be so bold to talk to foreigners! Most of my friends
are also attending classes at the Step Ahead.
The Step Ahead is not only the place of learning, it’s
also a place where you find the warmth of friendships
and smiles. I always feel the wonderful feelings being
exchanged whenever I walk into the door.
I cannot imagine what other means there would have
been to heal our hearts and to give us strength to go
on if it had not been the Step Ahead being there for
us.
I have grown fond and feeling bonded with this place
and the people here. The crisis that happened has led
me to such wonderful opportunity in my life, including
the beautiful friendships I have at the Step Ahead training
center.
Thank you so much, Operation Blessing,
for giving us the best opportunity we could ever have."
How You Can Help
Since the devastating tsunamis of December
2004, hundreds of thousands of survivors like Luck have
been assisted by Operation Blessing. The work of OBI
teams continues every day, and you can help this ongoing
effort by making an online
donation to aid those still struggling to recover.
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