At the moment I am backpacking around the world. After I finished my bachelor as a social worker in The Netherlands it was time to see and learn more about the world (not just Europe). While travelling I made a list of places I would love to go back to some day. Sarnelli House which includes Nazareth House, St. Patrick’s, House of Hope, Viengkhuk Girls Home are all on the top of that list.
For two weeks in May 2008, I cycled between these places. Fortunately while I was there, the kids had school holidays so I played some football with the boys, made cakes with the girls, assembled artifacts and crafts with the little children and had a beauty day with the older girls. Also, the children and their house moms taught me to speak Thai (a little bit) and I taught them English. And besides all this I helped with the laundry of all the kids living at Sarnelli House, in between I visited, or went with the children to the hospital, just being there can mean a lot to them.
Now that I have been away for over two weeks already, I miss the smile on the faces of the kids, just as much as their hugs or the look on their faces when they make a funny face or painted my toenails in all the colors of the rainbow.
So while I'm traveling further around the world, meeting many people and seeing many things, I won't forget that all 130 children are special to me and they have provided me with a backpack full of impressions and memories. All of which make me realise that coming back is still on top of the list of places I want to return to some day!
Marloes
May 2008
