In 2000, Honolulu Sunrise Rotarian Rob Hail founded Email Foster Parents International (now known as eGlobal Family). In partnership with Future Light Orphanage (FLO) in Cambodia, the organization works with FLO’s director, Nuon Phaly (a survivor of the Khmer Rouge), to support orphans by pairing them with loving foster parents. The foster parents “adopt” their child and start a friendship through emails, and also provide financial support for their child’s room and board at FLO. The foster parent program makes it possible for hundreds of children to receive food, an education, health care and a chance at a better life.

Nurtured by Rob, his friends, family including Ed and Susan Catmull, and countless foster parents, the Email Foster Parent International program blossomed into a flagship service project for the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise. Today, it is an independent 501C3 non-profit organization. Under its new name, eGlobal Family, it is expanding to other countries and provides a foster parent model that is being adopted by emerging organizations to serve even more children around the world.

While words cannot fully describe how much eGlobal Family has changed the lives of countless children, this recent letter from Rob to foster parents reminds us that love knows no boundaries.

 

“Dear FLO Foster Parents,

I hope you enjoy some of the pictures from our recent trip to the very poor villages in the interior of Cambodia. This is one of the most enjoyable and also heavy experiences for all involved. Interviewing the kids and hearing their sad stories is so interesting, but at times you just have to fight to hold back the tears. So many have had such a struggle… very little food… most appear to be about half of their actual age. So little love or attention in their lives… most have lost at least one parent and the parent or relative who remains begs us to take them off their hands and give them a chance for a better life. Most have had either no education or very little. Some have been abused and suffer from headaches and nervousness. All are eager for a chance at a new life as we ask them again and again if they want to come to FLO. They all want this chance and we don’t have the heart to refuse any of the 18.

We load up all 18 kids in our little van, along with five staff and head back to FLO along the long bumpy and dusty dirt road.  The 23 of us are crammed into the van’s 12 seats.  All but one of the kids have never been in a car before and all are so excited as they crane their little necks out the window seeing sights they have never seen before… their new lives have begun. All are excited but also a bit scared and confused. Soon the excitement turns into car sickness for about half of them. Their heads go down into the little plastic bags we have given each of them. We have done this before.

Three hours later we arrive at FLO and our big gate opens.  Our 180 or so FLO kids are waiting in parallel lines inside clapping and saying in both Khmer and English; “Welcome to FLO!!!”…”Welcome to FLO!!!”  Our new arrivals look both terrified and excited. (What are they thinking???!) Some of their stunned faces turn to smiles as they recognize a few of the kids at FLO who left their village a year or two ago and also landed in FLO. The FLO children now surround the new children with puzzled and curious faces. I’m sure this brings back memories for all of them. For the many at FLO who now are fluent in English, going to University or trade school… they must be wondering how they managed to come so far?

As I write, the kids are now being weighed in and measured.  They have enjoyed their first (comparably) bountiful meals with us. I even had the pleasure of taking them all for a dip (bath!) in our little plastic pool. So wonderful to see their beautiful smiles and hear them laugh!!!… to see them being happy children with a future!

A lot of work to do now…and we have another 12 new kids scheduled to be picked up on Sunday.

Again, you are all welcome to visit us here at FLO!  It’s truly life changing and the kids LOVE to have you visit!  Please keep those letters coming… they mean everything to your children. And if you haven’t sent in your support for this year, please do!  And any other donations you can make are most appreciated. With over 200 kids we really need your help for everything from food to medicine to caretakers to beds, etc.

Learn how you can become a foster parent at Future Light Orphanage or Nurul Haq in Indonesia.