a vision to reach the stars - a place of refuge for a city of chaos

Todd Rutkowski, Oct 11, 2017, 11:45 PM

The New Dawn Vineyard in Bangkok,Thailand secured a location in the middle of Kloney Toey (the largest slum in Bangkok) in 2007.  A team lived in the KT area in a smaller facility for the previous 7 years. The renovated 5 story facility, with financial help from the Canadian Vineyards, held a gathering place and kitchen on the first floor and rooms for music classes and English classes on the 2nd floor. There were rooms for guests on the 3rd floor and rooms for the 5 boys they took in from the area to raise on the 4th floor and a rooftop area on the 5th floor. After years of serving in that community of a 100,000 plus squatters and building friendships with over a 1000 of them and their families, it became apparent that they needed to find places to get the children and youth out of the slum, out of the chaos and to places of refuge. Places they could pause and could discover God together and experience His creation. After running a number of camps they determined it was time to build their own camp.

A 5 acre property was purchased 2 hours outside of Bangkok and a building that sleeps 30 - 50 people called the "Fun House" was built. The property now hosts a rock climbing wall, fire pole, rope bridge, canal and pond for the kids to swim in. The rope bridge leads to a outside deck where they can lay at night for many of them see the stars for the first time in their lives.  A moment of wonder to talk about their creator.

The Vineyard Country House as it is officially called (AKA Fun House) hosts English camps, spiritual retreats and other types of camps primarily for the kids and youth of Kloney Toey. The Vineyard team has also decided to grow sunflowers and other plants and vegetables as ways to both expose kids to the earth and to grow food for those who need it.

A place of refuge for those who live in a city of chaos!