Who we are

I, Raimund Homberg, want to explain why

I am emotional about Food-Aid.

In my early twenties, driven by an unyielding

quest for life's truths, I traveled

the world to discover "this truth." Suddenly,

I found myself ensnared in the

midst of an unexpected adventure that would

shape my dedication to a cause

greater than myself. Little did I know

that a journey that began with a job

application on the island of Mallorca in Spain would lead me to a moment of

desperation amid its sunny landscapes.

Returning from global travels to Germany, I had depleted all my financial

resources and was in search of employment. A German marketing company

offered me a position as a sales representative in Mallorca, Spain. Although it

was a well-managed company, I soon discovered that their German

employees in the Spanish office were deeply involved in corruption.

Upon my arrival in Mallorca, the Spanish staff viewed me as a whistleblower

for the German owner, leading them to sabotage me by stealing my

belongings and withholding my money. These were the 1980s, the time

before the internet and the era of expensive international phone calls. I

navigated the challenges of survival in a foreign land, with my last funds

running out and hunger pangs setting in.

To add to my woes, I developed a toothache and couldn't afford painkillers or

medication. Desperation became my constant companion, pushing me to the

limits of self-reliance. Yet, in those dark moments, I clung to my Christian

faith, knowing that God answers prayers.

I vividly recall the intensity of those prayers uttered through hunger and

toothache. The promises from the Bible echoed in my mind, especially Psalm

23, which spoke of a shepherd leading his sheep to green pastures and still

waters. I read the promises, but I felt like God was withholding His blessings

from me. I was so desperate for help. In my desperation, I lifted the open Bible towards the heavens and shouted, "Can you read? Do you know your

own promises?" Nothing happened. The silence was deafening.

Almost a week passed with hunger and toothache hindering me from

developing a plan to escape these troubles. However, I persisted in prayer.

Then, in the midst of my prayer struggle, a clear vision emerged: "Call Herry."

Herry, a friend in Germany, became the unexpected lifeline. Unbeknownst to

me, Herry was urgently seeking a business partner for his upcoming long trip

and was delighted when I agreed to replace him. Within a few hours, Herry

wired me 300 Deutsch Marks, a lifeline that rescued me from the depths of

hunger and despair, serving as a reminder of life's unpredictable turns.

Back in Germany, in the comfort of Herry's apartment filled with delicious

food, I felt profound gratitude. The same prayers that had seemed to fall on

deaf ears were answered in ways I could not have anticipated. The fear of

God washed over me, prompting me to kneel in gratitude and seek

forgiveness for doubting the silent response to my desperate cries.

This transformative experience became the cornerstone of my commitment to

the FOOD-AID mission. Having intimately known the pangs of hunger and the

depths of despair, I now strive to extend a helping hand to those who find

themselves in similar situations. The silent prayers of the hungry in

Myanmar's civil war now resonate with me, and through FOOD-AID, we aim

to be the answer they seek.

It's a personal journey that intertwines the threads of hardship, prayer, and a

happy ending fueled by unexpected kindness. Join us on this personal

mission, where your contribution becomes a ray of hope for those who, like

me, once cried out into the silence and found solace in the unlikeliest of

places. Click the link, and let's turn personal stories of misery into narratives

of resilience and redemption. Together, let's make a difference and be the

answered prayer for someone in need.

Who we are, what we do, why we do it and how you can help.

It's in the name:

The word "Avoda" has Hebrew roots and a practical worldly and spiritual meaning simultaneously. Avoda means "work, worship, and service." In our context, we want to worship God through our daily work and spiritual worship.

The Avoda Foundation is a registered nonprofit foundation in Thailand.

The Avoda Foundation is registered as a human development organization and follows Christian values and ethics.

Our concept:

We follow the Lord Jesus' commandments: "Go... open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light..." We rescue people from danger (especially teens from human trafficking) and misery (people suffering from hunger and malnutrition) and train them to help others.

Rescue, training, and help are our work to worship God.

Our fruits:

All Avoda projects are primarily under the leadership of former rescued people.

The root work started in 1991, but with the formation of the nonprofit Avoda Foundation, the former pioneering work grew into professional organization work.

TIMELINE

1991: While living in a rural village in Tak province, Raimund receives his calling into the Christian mission: "Help the poor out of poverty and let them understand spiritual truths."
The first Bible study groups focus on how to apply biblical wisdom to everyday life.

1992: The mission works need funding. A deodorant stone manufacturing unit exports to Europe and the USA to generate income and funding for the mission work.

1993: A traditional women-waving group provides income for poor villagers.

1995: More small projects, like, clay pottery and wood furniture production and export, follow.

1998: BURMESE MIGRANTS

Challenges: Burmese migrants in the slums of Maesot have no opportunity to receive needed education and have difficulty finding suitable work.

Solution: We register a Christian Burmese migrant school in the border town of Maesot, Thailand.

About 150 migrant children from the infamous Burmese slum environment receive essential Christian and academic education.

2005: THAILAND'S SEA NOMAD COMMUNITIES

The program started after the deadly Tsunami waves in 2005.
Challenges: Children and teens of the impoverished sea nomad communities in south Thailand, Khaolak, Phangnga province, lose out on education. The lack of interest in education is the addiction to social media. Some teens spend nights glued to their mobile phones, chatting or playing online games. Parents are powerless against this shift in social behavior.

Solution: The Avoda foundation applies the proven strategies from work with the Iu Mien community in 2012 in northern Thailand by establishing a child-sponsoring program that allows regular counseling and teen camp activities. As of 2022, up to 60 teens are participating in the program.

2007: TAK CHILDREN'S HOME

Challenges: Some children grow up in extreme poverty and are in grave danger of being exploited and mistreated.

Solution: We open a Christian children's home in Tak, Thailand. About twenty children with challenging backgrounds find refuge, love, and training.

2007: IU MIEN HIGHLANDER COMMUNITY

Challenges: A Iu Mien highlander community in Chiang Rai province (in the infamous Golden Triangle) suffers heavily from drug abuse, drug trade, and related crimes. Especially children and teens became targets of unscrupulous criminals.

Solution: We establish a Christian congregation with Sunday School and daily after-school supervision in north Thailand's infamous Golden Triangle.

Up to 60 children and teens received daily training and counsel. As of 2020, most of the children and teens in the village are drug-free. As a result, even non-Christian parents send their children to the Avoda evening training.

2012: ESTABLISHING THE AVODA FOUNDATION
(Link: Impressum)

2020: JOB CREATION

Challenges: Most rural people seek employment in Thailand's capital Bangkok. The lifestyle change from rural living to the 10 million people city of Bangkok is too much for most villagers. As a result, rural people fall easy victim to the unscrupulous human exploiter or harmful city vice.

Solution: The Avoda Foundation creates and mentors job creation programs in Bangkok. Newly arriving villagers stay in a supportive community and receive job training and daily counseling.

As of 2022, seven teens are studying and working in Avoda's first job training program in the capital of Bangkok.

2022: ACUTE HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION

Challenges: The civil war in Myanmar forces hundreds of Thousands of Burmese to flee for their lives. Many refugees hide along the Thai-Myanmar border. Because of their illegal status, refugees cannot seek legal work and income. The results are devastating, as most refugees suffer from hunger and malnutrition.

Solution: The Avoda Foundation distributes free food aid to suffering refugees. In 2022 Avoda fed 1'110 refugees, and the goal for 2023 is to support 2'000 refugees with healthy food aid.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Foremost: We need sincere prayer and intercessions.

Of course, our workers also need income, and the organization has to pay daily bills. Teamwork makes the dream work, and we can only do the job with financial support.

Support the FOOD AID:

Support TEEN PROGRAMS:

Support Church planting and Bible teaching:

JOIN AS A VOLUNTEER

Join any program as a volunteer. Short and long-term engagements are possible.

Apply for a volunteer position:

BECOME AN AVODA AMBASSADOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Represent one or all Avoda programs, organize prayer and intercessions, recruit teams, and rally for financial support.

Apply for an Ambassador position:

Link