Can a simple “thank you” change a family?
For one family in Haiti, it already has.
This year, Child Hope International continued building Families Count, our family strengthening program designed to equip parents with biblical principles and practical tools to build healthier, stronger homes. While we’re still refining the program, we’re already seeing encouraging signs that lasting change often begins with small, intentional choices.
Four couples participated in five full-day Families Count sessions. Together, they explored God’s design for the family, healthy communication, parenting, conflict resolution, and practical ways to strengthen their relationships.
One couple shared just how meaningful the training had been. They told us that after one of their children helped them with a task, they paused and thanked the child.
It may not sound remarkable, but to their child, it was.
The parents explained that they had rarely expressed gratitude or encouragement to their children before. Their child immediately noticed the difference and commented that something had changed in their mother.
That simple moment—a heartfelt “thank you”—became evidence that the lessons from Families Count were already finding their way into everyday life.
At the conclusion of the training, each family was asked to prayerfully develop five commitments they wanted to live out in their home. One family committed to:
- Be role models within our family.
- Take responsibility for our home.
- Live well with our community.
- Create a healthy atmosphere in our family.
- Be wise advisers to our children.
Every family’s commitments were different, reflecting their unique challenges, hopes, and goals. In the coming weeks, these resolutions will be printed and displayed in each family’s home as daily reminders of the promises they’ve made to one another.
We’re still building Families Count. We’re learning alongside our Haitian partners, refining the curriculum, and discovering new ways to support families well.
But if one sincere “thank you” can help a child see that their parents are changing, imagine what God can do over the months and years ahead.
Thank you for making stories like this possible. Your partnership is helping parents build stronger families where children can experience the love, encouragement, and stability they deserve.
