Take Care Kids

TANKYOU BALBALA (Barbara)....The kids whispered it in my ears while we went out for a huge icecream day. They stained themselves, sang and went wild the whole time. Out of the orphanage they can leto go of all the rules, mainly because Khun Gio allows this and plays along with them at all times. Each one of them ordered their favorite cup, and you should have seen those faces! Priceless!! Seeing the picture of the ice cream is exciting, but seeing the icecream cup itself is completely different. Some of the kids were in shock, some seemed to never get enough and was scooping up his or her friends’ cups as well. Then, once they all got their fill we went back to the orphanage.

Last week we also visited our friends living in the slums. The rainy season is finally over and the dry-cool season has set in. So we gave them all the clothes you donated, and the satisfaction was evident…..wide smiles, though without teeth, that portrayed happiness in an otherwise very harsh life. Each time we go to the slums we encounter serious problems, we listen to these people’s problems and they always manage to teach us something….something I would define as the way of life. Going to the slums after the rainy season is like visiting a place that has been hit by one of nature’s dreadful forces. Heavy rains were hitting daily this year, and the huts show the signs of these events. The well needs to be rebuilt; it “drowned” in the mud. But the people are not giving up and with a very old and rusty pickaxe they try to fix it in every way. They need to hurry in order to not lose the water they have collected, but this week we’ll go back to see if there’s something we can do to help.

In the meantime dark clouds are hanging over Thailand’s skies and are endangering the already fragile democracy. Starting Nov. 28th those who oppose the government will rally in the streets of the capital to demand the Prime Minister’s resignation. They will not clear the roads until they reach their goal. This is very worrisome for many people. We don’t know exactly which means will be used by the opposition to get what they want, but we know the government is going to declare the state of emergency if needed. In other words, more worries for a state that seems to have lost its peaceful ways. We keep on going and also keep a keen eye on the situation and how it will develop. One thing is sure; we shall not abandon our children.

Until the next time