A Bangkok Street Vendor
From the warm weather and smiles of Thailand, delicious treats and old friends to the special place not far from the Burmese border, I was back and swimming through nostalgia. This time with four new recruits from Shiga prefecture. It was the same, but different. It was an early arrival on a red eye flight, then thrown into the streets of bustling Bangkok. After checking in at our $16/person suite and having a delicious vegetarian lunch, I decided it was time to contact my good friend, Jessie, a Bangkok native. The plan was to see a Red Bull F-1 race through the streets of Bangkok, but we arrived as it finished. Seeing nothing, we walked to the “only remaining metal castle” in the world at Wat Rachanatdaram. It was good seeing an old friend, however early the next morning I left for Sangkhlaburi.
Jessie and I at Wat Rachanatdaram
The Home of Joy, Baan Unrak in Sangkhlaburi, a place I feel privileged to return to for a second time. Walking up to the orphanage at night it was hard to see who was there. Then I heard my name! A girl from last year, who I promised I would return, remembered me. A great feeling, especially knowing that many volunteers go to this place over the course of the year. We, the 22 volunteers, painted walls, fixed bikes, taught English, laughed and played with the children. Not much different from last year, which was kind of nice since last year was great!
Sangkhlaburi Sunset
However I would like to mention the main event. The Christmas party! Kids got toys, some old and some new. Some broken and some in original packaging. No matter what it was, they were happy. This is why I truly love this place. None of the kids have a lot of things, but they have enough. They have enough because they have each other. Something lost in much of the world where I come from, even amongst families, real connections with value greater than anything you can wrap in a box or spilled from your mouth. A concept easy to understand and valued in society but rarely seen. This is a special place, where everyone is from somewhere different with different backgrounds, with a different talent and a different story. They don’t all understand each other, but they all respect and care for each other. The “other” is greater than the “self”, but in thinking so the self becomes supreme. And if everyone thinks this way, no one is abandoned. This is what I love about this place. This is what makes me want to go back next year.
Christmas Bear
Keeping the Flame
I remember talking to Didi, the founder of Baan Unrak, about adoption at the orphanage. I remember first being surprised that none of the children get adopted due to bureaucracy and whatnot. Then I realized, to adopt these children would be doing them an injustice. Bringing them into a world of prejudice, materialism, away from those that love them and those they love. Walking away from a philosophy (Neo Humanism) that instills morality while not restricting exploration and thrown into the confines of exclusive religion. At the Home of Joy the children learn and develop talents and become strong mentally, physically and spiritually.
Flour Victory
Practice
The week I spend at Baan Unrak Primary School and the Home of Joy is always a week worth a year of my life. Seeing the changes with the kids, and the familiarity from the last time I saw them. The young girl I mentioned earlier was in 2nd grade last year. This year she was in 4th grade. I remember telling her last year to study hard. I told her again before I left.
Sharing a Story
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