Long-term mission work often grows out of steady routines instead of extravagant plans. That is how Eileen Richardson’s work in Asia started. She was a part of a church team that travelled to the Philippines to teach, connect with local families, and offer support where it was needed. The trips became familiar over the years, but one particular friendship would form almost 30 years of collaboration across the region.
The Bible school where Eileen’s team taught had been started by a woman who once visited her church in Nova Scotia. She and her husband had first bought the land with the hope of creating a place of rest and refreshing for pastors and missionaries. Interest from the community grew quickly, and the retreat soon developed into a full training centre. People from different parts of the Philippines started attending classes, preparing to return to their communities as teachers, pastors and leaders.
During one of Eileen’s early visits, she met a student named Alice. They connected easily and stayed in touch while Alice finished her studies. Eileen was part of Alice’s graduation ceremony, and when Eileen went home, Alice wrote letters about the work she wanted to do. Those letters soon described her first missionary work. She was instrumental in rebuilding an orphanage in Cambodia that had fallen into poor condition. The building was run down. The children slept on floor mats. Many had no support of any kind and lived with the constant uncertainty that comes from a lack of basic care.
Eileen was travelling in Asia around that time and set aside several days to meet with Alice in Thailand. The two talked about the orphanage and how to help, and Alice invited her to accompany her to Cambodia. Once Eileen arrived, the situation became clear. The children needed beds, clothes, food, and structure in their lives. Eileen and Alice began with the easiest step, buying bunk beds for all of the kids. The children were amazed at first and then excited to have real beds of their own. Many of these children had never slept in a bed before.
From then on, Alice started teaching the kids about hygiene and nutrition. School lessons followed. The orphanage started to change as the children settled into the new routine. Support from the community slowly grew. Even the mayor took an interest in the improvements. By the end of Alice’s five years there, the orphanage had become a place where children could study, grow, and feel safe.
Eileen still has the photos from that time. Groups of kids stood beside their new beds, smiling and filled with gratitude. When she looks at the photos today, she remembers the feeling of hope that came with each small step forward. “I’ll never forget seeing the big smiles on the children’s faces. It’s a big part of what makes this work so rewarding,” Richardson notes.
As Alice prepared to leave Cambodia, she and Eileen talked about what might come next. The experience had taught them how steady work and patience could change a community. Alice felt compelled to move to Thailand and use those lessons to create something new. Their idea was a teaching ministry and a life-skills centre that would support local families in practical ways.
The project began small, as most projects do. Alice rented a modest space to hold their first classes. As more families joined, the centre grew and added outreach trips to villages in the mountains. These programs provided people with access to English lessons, Bible studies, and life skills training. Many families used these classes to become more confident in their daily lives. This steady, hands-on support became the core of the work they developed together.
Every year Alice went home to the Philippines to see her family. During one of those visits, she met her husband, who shared her passion for ministry. He accompanied her to Thailand, and the two of them continued building the centre’s programs. Eileen stayed in touch from Nova Scotia. Calls and emails were exchanged regularly as they worked through the challenges and planned new objectives.
Eileen and Alice have now been partners for almost 30 years. Their work has touched communities in Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines. They have watched children gain stability, watched families learn new skills, and watched communities get stronger as people found support and hope. The long stretch of time between their earliest letters and their most recent conversations reminds Eileen how deeply simple acts of service can change a life.
Reflecting on her friendship with Alice, Eileen says, “I am forever grateful for meeting Alice. So many beautiful things can happen when God brings people together. Our partnership is something rare in this world of selfishness, and I treasure every step we have taken together.”
When she looks back now, she sees a story built through friendship, shared goals, and steady care. What started as a routine church trip became a lifelong partnership. It has carried hope across borders, given structure to communities in need, and strengthened people who were looking for hope.