The names have been changed to protect the privacy of
the people in the story.
Submitted by a Californian sponsor.
Life Takes An Unexpected Turn, But Her Schooling
Stays On Track
Noy's story has reached past the umbrella of
coverage that the PSKSP's charter covers, but since she was beneath that
umbrella for years it seems fair to share an update... especially since it's
such a good example of determination and growth.
Noy, her mother and her younger sister (still
sponsored through PSKSP by a very good-hearted man) were just moving into a
home closer to a proper building when I began sponsoring her, and it was quite
a step up for them (the home, that is).
It's still a simple, single room building off
the paved road and beneath some evergreen trees, but it has four solid walls and
a good roof - something not many who are living on the fringes have.
As she neared age 18, Noy was on course to come
out of school with a trade. Like many her age, she'd changed her mind a couple
of time while deciding what it is she wanted to do with her life, and, again
like many her age she declined the
suggestion to become a beautician and decided to
become an accountant. That was a rather nervy decision, since math wasn't her
strong suit, but she applied herself and dove in head-first. I applauded the
effort while visiting there, and continued to do so from the other side of the
world.
Part of her schooling involved an internship,
and she began working after school and on weekends a government office. She
liked the job, and they all liked her. Not much NOT to like, actually... she's
been a delightful, bright, upbeat person every time I've been around her.
While on the job she met the son of a man she
worked with, and a friendship began. That friendship bloomed into romance; he a
bit older and doing his obligatory time in the Thai army, but they were
together often. With hormones sometimes winning out over sense, Noy found
herself pregnant.
It's seemed to me that Noy and Ton might have
married and raised their family, but his family felt that Noy, as a "slum
child", was of a lower caste than they were, and they refused to accept
her. Ton tried, but his family was firm on the point: he could not marry Noy.
When Em was born, everyone involved celebrated
the joyous event. I first saw him at about eight months of age, and he was
quite happy to try to laugh and grab at my face while I held him in my arms.
Noy and her mother were both beaming with pride, and her little sister was
quite happy to have the new little brother as an oversize living doll. She doted
on him. She did stop her Monday to Friday school, but found a way to continue.
When I was next able to make it back to visit
them this Spring Noy was just shy of 19, and Em was 20 months old. The
admirable part is how Noy didn't simply give up on her dream or educational
foundation... she's still in school. Not on a Monday to Friday schedule, but on
Sundays, when everything is crammed into a single day. The other six days a
week she's gaining credit for work experience by working two jobs: selling clothes
and souvenirs, respectively.
Her mother cares for Em during the day, but when
Noy gets home she does her motherly duties, too. That's raising a baby on top
of seven days of work and school, and I give her full props for that. It shows
not only that she appreciates the opportunities she's been given, but that
she's got a healthy work ethic, something I expect will carry her far.
Where's Em's father in all of this? Still in the
army, and although he bowed to his family's wishes and they're not a "couple"
any more, he's still an active part of Em's life - and that's not terribly
common in this day and age, either.
So... while some might shake their heads or
cluck their tongues, I count Noy as a success story. Life awaits her, she's got
the personality and drive to make the most of it, and she's getting the
education to put her ahead of the pack. I look forward to seeing her continue
to bloom and grow. As I've said before:
if you can break the chains of disadvantage,
that freedom can carry on for generations.
Registered Charity No. 1104335
100 Years From Today
It will not matter how big your bank account
was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the
world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.
