Boxes of Love

Joanne Sou is no ordinary girl of twelve. While other girls her age tried to fit in, Joanne sought to stand out. When her family decided to visit her grandmother in Laos, Joanne did some research and what she discovered inspired her to act. 

She found a story about kids living in the dump, these kids went to school, just like Joanne, but after school they would scrounge through the scraps at the dump and sell anything of value to make enough money to live off for a few days.

Joanne, a member of the Lao Canadian Evangelical Mennonite Church (LCEMC), engaged her congregation in her efforts to make a difference in the lives of the poor Laotian children. Their efforts amounted in a total donation of $3,000 and several boxes of used clothes; donated by members of LCEMC, friends and family of the Sou’s. These gifts were hand-delivered by Joanne, Agnes and their parents to the students at a local school in Laos.

Today, Kommala is engaging in conversations between the Laotian government and Boukhay, an intermediary in the discussion, in the hopes of planting a new Mennonite church in Laos.