Phetchabun, Thailand
Today we started our day eating breakfast with the kids...no pancakes, toast or even cereal...in Thailand breakfast is served like any other meal. Rice with veggies, meat, even curry.
After breakfast the kids had a short prayer time together before they started chores.
Since the kids were doing chores we thought we would help out too. So we had little groups that picked weeds, painted, and did laundry. I was on Jeremy's group, picking weeds. It went really well until Santee and Godt started helping us...then somehow we all ended up at the lake having a rock skipping contest. :)
After chores we spent time playing with the kids before lunch. They like to play soccer, basketball and jacks. We also played American football, which they weren't really used to. Keith and I started playing football with some of the boys and it turned into playing monkey in the middle, which was really fun.
On Saturdays and Sundays after lunch until 3pm everyone has a quiet time. Some people read, sleep or watch movies. Our team met with Rob Dunk (founder of Mercy International) and he told us stories of some of the children. What their lives were like and how they ended up at Ban Meata. It was awesome to hear the stories and see how far these kids have come.
One kid, Dtoi, has come a long way, even since I met him 5 years ago. He was living in Khon Kaen with HIV. He made a game of catching bugs and slipping them into my pocket. Praying Mantis' were his favorite. He loved to sneak the praying mantis on my shoulder and then tap right next to it so I would turn my head and look right at it!
One day he was getting his blood taken at the hospital and they couldn't find any trace of the virus! He is now living in Phetchabun and is doing very well. Here is a picture of Dtoi and I today:
Today we had a program planned for the elementary school age kids. Nelly and I had planned the program earlier before we came to Thailand. During lunch Jeremy informed me that I was leading the program. I got so nervous! I have taught in front of lots of kids...but I have never had to use an interpreter before. Jain did a great job translating and the program went really well. The kids loved our games, songs and craft. We brought paint and they made 2 big murals to hang up. And they especially liked the goldfish crackers we brought for a snack.
After dinner we had a program for all the kids. We did songs, skits, a lot of games, and it was really fun. When we weren't on the stage we were sitting with the kids. I couldn't go anywhere without Woot, Jeerawat, Godt or Ahm. They are so sweet.
Jeerawat and I:
-Tiff
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