Empowered by the Spirit at Hope Home
Becca Schafer serves at Hope Home in Chiang Mai, Thailand, a foster home for children with disabilities where she provides daily care, advocates for families, and integrates spiritual formation into everyday life. In this reflection, Becca shares a testimony shaped by Acts 2 and the promise that God pours out His Spirit on all flesh. Through stories from Hope Home, she invites us to see the Spirit’s power, joy, and presence at work in lives the world too often overlooks.
Recently, I was asked to share a testimony from Hope Home at our church. As I prepared, I wasn’t sure what to share. Each week, people had been offering testimonies that highlighted clear successes—a growing business, healing from health challenges, ministry growth, or the baptism of a loved one after years of prayer. Beautiful stories. And honestly, I had no idea how to follow that.
It’s not that I don’t believe Hope Home is successful—I truly do. But I struggled to describe that success in a way others might easily understand. Adding to that, the Scripture passage I was assigned was Acts 2, the story of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. I’ll admit, I felt more than a little overwhelmed by the weight of offering a testimony alongside such a powerful and well-known passage. What follows is an adapted written version of what I felt the Lord showed me as I prepared.
As I read Acts 2, verse 17 stood out to me—God’s promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh. All flesh. Not just strong flesh, or wealthy flesh, or beautiful or intelligent flesh. All flesh. This verse has become a firm reminder that the Holy Spirit cannot be disabled. Being empowered by the Spirit is for all of us, regardless of our circumstances.
Our children and young adults at Hope Home show me this in ways I could never fully explain. They have taught me what it truly means to experience joy in suffering—not the teeth-clenched, “I know I should rejoice” kind of joy, but a deep, heart-rooted joy that seems to overflow naturally. I see it in laughter that breaks through the walls of the ICU. Even when every physical breath is a fight, she somehow breathes His joy with ease. She is empowered and sent by the Spirit to lean into His deep presence and love.
I see the power of the Spirit in a child who doctors once said would never walk and likely would never talk. Yet there he is—attempting to run across the playground while singing worship songs at the top of his lungs. Yes, we’ve done countless exercises and hours of therapy, but honestly, we don’t get to take the credit. No one can fully explain why he is able to do what he can. All we know is that he lives each day empowered and sent by the Spirit.
I see the work of the Spirit in forgiveness, too—in a child with an intellectual disability who forgives swiftly and sincerely. Though he feels offenses deeply, it often takes only seconds for him to forgive. Even more humbling, he is quick to acknowledge his own mistakes. The Spirit empowers him to confess and forgive with an ease I deeply admire.
I see the true meaning of thanksgiving in a young adult who spends his prayer time thanking God for everything—from food and clothing, to people, to the grass beneath his feet. (This is intentionally a run-on sentence; he truly thanks God for everything.) While the world may look at him and assume he has much to ask of God, he instead gives thanks for all God has already provided. This kind of gratitude can only be the work of the Spirit.
Each morning, we pray together. While we often help find ways to communicate prayer requests, the prayers themselves are expressed in each person’s own language—sometimes spoken, sometimes silent, sometimes carried only through stillness. In those moments, it becomes clear that what we are witnessing is not simply strong character traits, but the active and faithful work of the Spirit. I’ve become increasingly convinced of the truth found in 1 Corinthians—that every part of the body is necessary, and that those parts that seem weaker are, in fact, indispensable.
I could share countless more stories. Tomorrow, next week, and next month, I know I will continue learning as I discover more of the Spirit at work in those around me. Ministry here is not always easy or tidy. We experience miracles and heartbreak in equal measure. Yet the presence of the Spirit has never faltered—for them or for me. He is present both in moments of celebration and in the long, dark nights when prayers remain unanswered.
The children and adults at Hope Home remind me daily that each day is an opportunity to listen more closely, look more carefully, and see more clearly the Spirit at work. I am deeply thankful for that gift—and for each of you who support us and join us in this shared journey of learning, growing, and discovering together.
