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+--- Thread: Thai Project III (/showthread.php?tid=2556)
Thai Project III - pslamont - 08-29-2008
Well, I am back from the great Thai adventure once again.
Much progress has been made. We need a total of 20 boards to finish the house. Right now they are not available but I left funds for the builder to get them and put them in place.
The disappointing news is that Dad is off the wagon and binging hard. I was distressed at this in the beginning but then realized that we did this to provide a safe and appropriate home for the children and we have accomplished this indeed.
The second disappointment is that Mom, as I now realize, also has less than a full share of mentation. She has decided that the condition of needing to practice some firm of permanent or long term birth control in order to have a full kitchen built is not to her liking. On the other hand she cries that if she should become pregnant she will kill herself because she can not take care of her children now. Again, I have given up my sense of distress in this dichotomy and accept the things I can not change.
I will note that she took it upon herself to instruct the builder to utilize the materials I had purchased and build the roof section to the kitchen anyway. There is now a large covered area... maybe 15 x 25 feet in which she cooks and weaves.
Her gardening is less than last year and it took me weeks and weeks to get an answer to why. At first I had thought it was simply the "all I wanted was a new house and I got it so I don't care" thing. We see that a lot in charity work when we try to help others to help themselves. However, with much prodding I learned that when last years crop of lettuce (and it was a killer good crop) came in, she ended up throwing it away. She did not know how to sell it, how to make plans ahead to do that or trade or whatever. She did not even know to give it to the pig for food. For this reason, she was totally disillusioned regarding all that work.
It is humbling to remember what a simple people these are, and that this family is the simplest of the simple... which is why they needed our help so. It will be my place to teach more and more over time.
The children, on the other hand, are coming along well. The oldest girl, Dong Lek, has one more year to go in school and though she struggles with her studies, she does quite well. Her goal is nursing school. The teachers have told me that they feel she will not qualify to get in, but that she should still qualify for scholarships to go to a 4 year university in another field. I still have high hopes.
The next in line is Nati'i. He is a total delight and, I must admit, my favorite. Though he has almost no English, he came to see me nearly every afternoon after school or work (he works hard in the rice fields to help his family). We played Dominoes and Jenga. I showed a couple movies on my laptop while there and he grabbed his brothers for The Wizard of Oz. That was wonderful to see... the three boys glued to the screen, not understanding a word but followig the story with no doubt.
The third child in Nong Lei. Being a typical middle child, I barely knew he existed but found him to have a brilliant smile and noticed that if I was doing anything that involved labor, he miraculously showed up to help open gates, carry boxes and generally make my life easier.
Number four is Nong Dah aka NoTaDah. She is the blind child. Now in the school for the blind in Chiang Mai, she is just blossoming. Her face is now fully round instead of the long sallow face of last year. Her nutrition is greatly improved and the brightness that surrounds her is amazing. With interpreters, she introduced me to her teacher as Grandmother. I took it as a title of love. She is anxious to go home and be with her mother and little brother, which she will do for October as part of their annual break. Since arriving at school in April, she has already been moved up one grade, from first to second. She is in a classroom with herself and five boys, all of whom seem to adore her. She is learning braille in both Thai and English. This is no small task as her family speaks only Gallian, the language of the Pakyo tribe. She "works out" on the exercycle of the play equipment every day and loves the physical activity as she was always so physical and independent in the village. Theo bought her school uniforms and we bught a small tool the uses to learn Braille. The school is funded by a private foundation and they are very solid. Although I cried when I left her it was a good cry, knowing she is doing so very well.
Lastly is little Pah Bleh. He is now in what appears to be the equivalent of Kindergarten. He has grown much, and unlike the little bundle of mischief (we nick-named him Naughty Boy), seems to be coming into his own to a large degree. He was enthralled with the photos of his sister NongDah and came to see them on the computer several times during the weeks I was in the village.
I spent most of my Thai time this trip not in the village because of dental work. Bob has 15 (yep count them, fifteen) crowns and I have my new front teeth. There was trauma and drama that took up more weeks than I had hoped but at least it is done. We spent one charming and romantic visit of 5 nights to the southern island of Koh Jum and it was truely a joy for us. In addition, we rode in he back of trucks (a "local" version of a taxi), flew on planes, rode the sleeper car of a train a couple times and... yes... I rode on an elephant. That story you have to hear in person.
I bought a motorcycle for my personal transportation around the village area and left it with a local school teacher for her use until I return. I taught English for her as a native speaker at the high school with much success. A group of her students came to my little cabin for dinner one Friday evening to eat Farang (foreigner) food and we had a good time. They took me the following Sunday to the only Christian Church for probably 50 or more miles, then sight seeing with promises that we will devote more time to such activities on my next visit. I met families at their homes and was greeted as though I were a dignitary. I took 9 students to lunch at a noodle house, and bought a bag with 20 chocolate bars to share afterwords. The entire bill? 183 baht... that's about $5.50 American. You gotta love it!
Coming home was uneventful. I had the luxury of being bumped to first class for the Taiwan/Tokyo/Honolulu leg which allowed me to sleep comfortably and arrive more refreshed than expected.
Again, I thank you all for the support you have given us on the little house, the animals (limited to pigs and a few chickens), garden tools, seeds and the rest. This project has been to the betterment to a destitute family that has not only hope, but a vision for the coming opportunity that life offers.
Love you guys... hope to see you at Scuba Sunday.
I brought back 10 shirts for sale, made by one of the lovely ladies of the village. When I sent her back the money for the five she sent last time, she said that it was more money than she imagined she would ever have all at once (that at $20 a shirt..). The shirts are all very large... she saw me and thinks all Hawaiian's are my size. It was too hard to explain the diversity of our culture and people here. We have big shirts! LOL
Pam
RE: Thai Project III - pslamont - 08-30-2008
New photos listed at www.freewebs.com/punchat in the photo gallery along with a names and faces for Punaweb album... check it out and tell me what you think. I will be posting scenes soon.... they are fun too.
Pam
RE: Thai Project III - canhle - 08-31-2008
Pam,
I really enjoy reading your Thai stories. May be I can join you in the next Thailand trip.
canhle
RE: Thai Project III - pslamont - 08-31-2008
Sound Good Cahn... the first thing I want to concentrate on, though, is welcoming Theo's new Thai Wife, Ang. They will be arriving sometime during the first week of September. We'll get her settled into the cabin with Theo then maybe we can plan a nice welcome and meet the punawebbers party??
