HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Here in the northeast of Thailand, the old year disappeared in cold, damp weather, and the new year appeared with more cold weather. Locals marvel at our hardy volunteers who for the most part, dress in light clothing, and not bundled up in coats and other heavy apparel. For the young volunteers, this weather is nice and balmy!
Everyone, children, staff, guests and volunteers enjoyed our Christmas party and New Year’s parties. For the very young, Brian O’Riordan had a projector and movies, while Debbie and the German volunteers prepared the snacks and food. New Year’s Eve saw the whole crowd of children from all our houses, plus staff and volunteers gobbling up Manchurian cook outs, 5-6 kids at their own barbecue, cooking veggies and sliced meat. Old duffers, such as me, stayed home and out of the cold, and hit the hay early. Villagers set up loudspeakers to play music and drink, eat and dance the night away. Villages turn into huge karaoke parties, and usually around 3 o’clock in the morning, someone will throw up onto a microphone, which usually thins the crowd out considerably!
Our farm has had quite a turn over. I fired the farm manager, who was stealing expensive animal feed and selling it, and pocketing the money. Everything was in disrepair, tools were missing, and animals neglected. I hired another manager and a husband and wife team to help, and they have turned everything around, and the farm products for the kids are really improving.
Our nurse Kate seems to be everywhere, bi-location, I think it is called. She is our nurse, runs the volunteer program, the Outreach program, and even the health of the children who became adults and left us. Last week she was grieving after hearing the news that one of our boys who went to a durian farm to work, died from the effects of AIDS.
Our education program is highly successful, thanks to Brian and Dtim. They keep close watch on the students, especially those in high school, college and vocational schools, motivating the kids, and Brian excels in visiting them whenever he can, no matter where they are.
We have Debbie, a retired English woman who is working with our rug rats and little children, even though she does not speak or understand Thai. And also Ben and Angelique Ummels, who work with four disabled children at Sarnelli and in the villages close to us. Ben is an assistant therapist from a large hospital in Maastricht, Holland. And our five young German volunteers, who work so well and give a real spark of life to our children.
So, we are blessed with our staff and people who donate so as to help our children flourish and live the life they most probably would never have had. May God bless you all with good health and happiness in the new year!
Fr. Mike, staff, and children
