This month holds special memories for me. On February 2, 1966, I arrived in Thailand, 60 years ago, at the age of 27. Now, like every other old fossil, I sit and memories of my active years return, as I envy the activity and capability of younger people. I can’t do much these days. I go to the gym three days a week, to lift and keep the blood circulating, plus sit in my office to greet people, listen to their problems, and listen to their criticism of how badly Sarnelli House is being run (by me!). I don’t go places, nor do I eat out anymore. In spite of this, people are good to me and I am blessed.
January was a really great month for Sarnelli House and the children. We had medical doctors here from the U.S. and Holland. They taught and worked with and trained the staff on how to deal with babies and little people and their physical needs plus Ben Ummels, an assistant therapist from Holland and his wife, who helps too. The doctor from the U.S. was Dr. Madi Sass, who as a young girl used to ride in a 100 mile bike ride, called Ceboride, to help raise money for Sarnelli House. The Dutchman, named Thjis von Meulenbroek, was a brilliant younger guy who really amazed me by running 10 kilometers (around 6 miles) in 50 minutes almost every day, on our treadmill. We learned stuff about the brain and emotional activity of abandoned babies and little people under 3 years old, that was unknown up to a few years ago.
In the middle of this month, we will have guests coming in who were once volunteers, spending a year with our children and staff. They had returned home to attend college and now want to come back for a while. Leon and Henriette from Holland who run the Friends of Sarnelli Foundation in Holland, will be back. They do fabulous work raising funds to sponsor projects from Sarnelli. My cousins Mike and Janet O’Connnor will be here with medicine for the children, that we cannot buy in Thailand. My nephew Mike and niece Amy will come back to check on repair work and paint jobs they initiated and bankrolled for each house. So, we are really blessed.
We have some children with serious physical problems, living in a special house, outfitted to meet the needs of each of the 6 little folk. One little boy was born early, and he must be tube fed. Another beautiful tiny girl has underdeveloped lungs from being born way too early. One great little guy has spina bifida. No parent or relative is coming down the road to take back and raise these pitiful little creatures. But they have generous sponsors and dedicated and skillful housemothers, thanks to the doctors and physical therapists who come to hold seminars and teach them. And we have our own nurse, Kate, who organizes the seminars and helps the visiting medical people with all their doubts and needs. God is good. And may Mary, the Mother of Perpetual Help, continue to bless the children, staff and guests who make it all possible.
