Guardian Alliance
Aria Studios
November 9, 2011 | 
Author 
Aria Studios: Christine and Kash
While wedding cinematography and still photography are their “bread and butter,” Aria Studios owners Kolby and Jay have a passion to use their gifts and talents to help children who are at risk or in abject poverty. They know that digital media is a powerful storytelling medium; one that can give a voice to those who have none. Exceptional skills in all areas of digital media combined with a heart to help those hurting – we think it’s a marriage made in heaven!
When asked to describe themselves, they are in turn serious and silly:
filmmakers. photographers. writers. artists. dreamers. dancers. risk-takers. ridiculous. curious. cool. sappy. happy. stylish. hungry. addicted to dessert
Thankfully, the recent flooding in Thailand did not affect the mango supply so we were able to fuel Aria’s dynamic duo Christine and Kash with their favorite Thai sweet treat: Mango & Sticky Rice!
The entire ZOE family was excited at the arrival of Aria Studios to film our new ZOE Children’s Home, but no one was more thrilled than the kids! It seems every boy and girl was dreaming of a chance to be a movie star!
We couldn’t wait to see the finished products of Aria’s hard work so we took a sneak peak at the footage and – wow! It is simply beautiful! We can hardly wait to share the final result with everyone.
Team Aria also left us with some breathtaking still photos of the ZOE children. You can bet our Guardian Alliance child sponsors (ZOE’s child sponsorship program) will be surprised and delighted when we send them pictures of “their child.”
Check out the Aria Studios blog for more information and examples of their recent projects.
On behalf of everyone at ZOE, we want to say a huge “THANK YOU Aria Studios!” In our opinion, your focus is just right!
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Amazing Grace
Well, Grace Baptist, you certainly were fun to hang out with!
As a long-term missionary at ZOE, I just love having people come and help us as we care for orphans and rescue children from human trafficking.
When teams come, it injects life into all of us. I liken it to being able to plug into your batteries for ten days or so, and we get re-energized and motivated to push on!
I love to see how we share a passion to make a difference in our world!
All of us at ZOE want to see the ZOE staff, students and children discover their individual talents and by coming over here you make that possible.
Phew … It sure was an action-packed 10 days!
You cooked our traditional celebratory BBQ, (something that everyone at ZOE LOVES!) taught classes, put on a couple of carnivals, worked tirelessly … the list goes on and on.
But from touchdown to takeoff you were good fun to hang out with!
Here is a link to some photos of the fun at the ZOE Children’s Homes.
Simple Joys of Life
Well you know those months when there are a thousand things that have happened and you sit back and think….my goodness there has been a lot going on! That sums up many of the months at the ZOE Children’s Homes!
New rescued children, new ZOE parents been hired, the reservoir has been lined, we began stage 2 of our pig farm (and have eaten a few of them –yum!), plus hosting visitors at the home, conducting training for the staff…the list goes on!
We have recently began a child sponsorship program to allow people to partner with ZOE and assist us as we care for the orphans and those rescued from or at risk of human trafficking. I have the privilege of getting together with each of the kids and asking them how they are feeling, what special moments they have enjoyed over the past month or so, and find out any special highlights or achievement that they have achieved.
For me this process has become such a wonderful time of encouragement. The overwhelming thing that stood out to me, as I sat and listened to the children talk and reflect on how they felt about the last few months, was how happy they are! For many of the kids the thing they said they were proud of was being able to hand wash their own clothes, or being good at helping clean their room or family area. They take such pride in their home, they take such joy in completing tasks that benefit those around them and they celebrate each other’s achievements along the way.
It’s a funny thing coming from Australia after being bombarded over the years with advertising to make us all think we need to spend money on a gismo to make us feel better, to the stark contrast of being in Northern Thailand and not seeing any television or reading any advertisements!
What has happened for me is that I have begun to take more pleasure in the “simple” things in life. Not as much worried about getting the next thing, but learning (very slowly) to be content with what I have and looking for someone else to help, who really could just use a bit of a hand.
As I look over my notes from the interviews, most of the kids are not happy because of what they have, but they are excited about what they can do.
We are blessed to be able to be over here volunteering at the home.
I just want to say a BIG thank you to those that have become sponsors of the ZOE Children through the new Guardian Alliance Child Sponsorship Program.
The ZOE kids are now getting to experience the joy of living in a home that is safe.
So I hope you are also having fun and can find the time to take pleasure in some of the “simple” joys of life.
Critical Success Factors: Education
Jessica Dodd teaches Apun about 'greetings'
Human traffickers prey on those who are most vulnerable in our society. Education and awareness training are keys to protecting communities and individuals from human trafficking
Greg Nakamura – ZOE Director of Child Rescue
After rescuing a child from slavery, a significant challenge is equipping that child with not only a quality education but knowledge that will protect them. One of many consequences of child exploitation and trafficking is that rescued children have had little or no formal schooling. At ZOE, whether these rescued children are sheltered temporarily or long term (depending on what is best for the child), we are committed to ensure that these children are better educated and informed about human trafficking.
Further, part of ZOE’s holistic strategy in combating human trafficking is not only to rescue children, but also to work with families and communities to increase their resilience to the ploys of trafficking agents.
Here are some examples ZOE’s critical success factors:
- ZOE Human Trafficking Awareness Program
- Prevention and Intervention Hotline
- Community Watch
- Child Sexual Abuse Training
- Vocational and Language School Training
- Economic Alternatives: Business Training
- Relief and Aid (Food and Medical Programs)
The video link shows a ZOE language camp. Most of our rescued children are from ethnic minorities within Thailand and from neighboring countries. Therefore, Thai is their second language. Our Thai language program is taught by Thai staff including university trained language teachers. Our English language program is taught by American and Australian personnel trained in education, language, communications and Early Childhood Development.
Sponsor a Child. Change a Life! Guardian Alliance
At school my society teacher asks many questions and I can answer them. I am a good student
-Bui
When I think about sponsoring a child I automatically see the images that have been shown on television for years. I feel guilty sitting comfortably at home, a cold drink in hand, while a child somewhere in the world doesn’t even have clean water to drink much less a dwelling place deserving to be called “home.”
The child sponsorship program that ZOE offers is different, so I want to take a moment to explain how we care for children orphaned or rescued from human trafficking. So right now as you read about ZOE’s child sponsorship program, for just a moment I want you to block out all the images you have seen.
At ZOE we are not just caring for children today; we are raising tomorrow’s leaders. We provide ZOE children every opportunity to develop in every area of their life, so that they will become leaders of their nation. As more children are rescued from the horrors of human trafficking, they too will get the chance to make a difference in their world. These children will be the ones to fulfill the vision of ending human trafficking and to show compassion and love to orphans and those whom society marginalizes.
Orphaned and rescued children come with nothing but the clothes on their back. No toy, no book, no underwear — not even a smile. Even the clothing they are wearing is usually so filthy and potentially disease ridden that the first thing we do is give them new garments. I recall one rescue where a little boy’s clothes were such that we had to burn them in the remote mountain village to ensure that nothing contagious came with him to ZOE. In fact, the only thing he brought from his village was the worst case of intestinal worms imaginable. The torn and stained rags that once passed for clothes are left behind and transformation begins — first on the outside, and later within.
When ZOE rescues a child we take on the full responsibility of caring for that child’s every need. ZOE employs staff who have a heart to care for children and who become the mothers and fathers to the children. ZOE provides food and clothing and medical care. We provide tuition, school uniforms and transportation so they can attend school, many for the first time in their lives.
ZOE is unique among children’s homes. I have seen firsthand many children’s homes that have a single staff member responsible for 20 to 30 children. At ZOE, however, we keep our parent-to-child family ratio small. We believe that the best way for a child to heal from the hurts of the past is to have the love and care of a parent who has time for him or her on an intimate and personal basis. The benefit of our high quality care is that every child is loved and valued individually, and gets the opportunity to discover their God-given gifts and talents.
With the high cost of living in the U.S., 25 dollars per month does not go very far. Even as a volunteer at the ZOE Children’s Homes living in Thailand, $25 will not get me through the month. ZOE’s model of care costs more than $25 a month per child. That is why we align like-minded people who have a heart to care for a child and assign multiple sponsors for each child. Your $25 combined with that couple’s $75 added with the business that gives $100 a month allows us to do with excellence what needs to be done.
There really is no greater contrast than comparing the life a child has in the safety of the ZOE Children’s Homes, to that of begging on the streets, or being sold into human trafficking, or being an orphan with no one to love and care for them.
Sponsoring a child literally saves a life and, as a sponsor, you are giving your child a hope and a future.
Download the ZOE Child Sponsorship (Guardian Alliance) Booklet
Learn more about ZOE Child Sponsorship Program
Learn more about ZOE Child Sponsorship Program
