Bahrain sponsor's visit to his student's family.

 

After a bit of a confusing start (as Khalid had stayed in Bangkok overnight and was coming through by taxi  which proved rather slower than he’d anticipated) we managed to pick Khalid up and go straight to lunch, since we were all hungry by then.  The ladies (Chompo and, her Mum) chose M.K., which they love and Khalid and I really don’t.  That said, while they and Boonying tucked into very healthy fish, tofu and vegetables, cooked by themselves at the table, Khalid and I decided to share roast duck and rice.  That said, I think the person who enjoyed his food the most was Sunan’s baby, who was a joy to watch and has a very healthy appetite.  He’s nearly three now and into everything and was a little gem, but has very definite opinions of how he should be placed in the supermarket trolley during shopping.  No sitting for him – he would stand up and will the trolley along, and when there was no propulsion he had ways of letting you know.  Actually he was very well behaved, and lots of fun, but it was grandma he wanted to have carry him – Chompoo was no substitute.

 After filling the boot full of ‘goodies’, we went to Art in Paradise, just off Second Road.  It was less expensive than I’d been led to believe (300 B for farang and 180 B for Thais and children under a certain size, free) and I think it was good value.  We could not believe the size of the place, and had no real idea of what to expect, but Khalid thoroughly enjoyed himself, clicking away, or having Boonying click away for him, so he could be in Egypt, painting a masterpiece, putting his head in the alligator’s mouth or sitting under a giant question mark considering the mystery of life. 

  The walls and much of the floor area is murals representing different countries or scenarios and you have various point at which you can ‘enter’ the scene and be photographed.  He took one shot of Boonying ‘painting’ a design on the back of a scantily dressed lady – which we said would be blackmail material!  It’s a good job he has a sense of humour and knows us well.  There were lots of different rooms and part of it was mezzanine style, so you could look over the railings and watch others having fun joining their favourite personality or trying to hide from the dinosaurs.  Definitely a place to bear in  mind for other sponsor visits, I think.

 

Although Boonying and Khalid were happy to be part of the action, it wasn’t easy persuading Chompoo, although she was happy to do it if Mum and nephew were beside her.  She is still so shy, although she’s almost 13 yrs old now and has known us for years.  She’s growing like the proverbial beanpole  though, is still very pretty – and still loves pink.  In fact Khalid had brought her a pink camel – which the baby immediately took a fancy to.  I’ve never seen a pink camel before – pink elephants are more a Western thing, wouldn’t you say?

Anyway, having had fun for several hours, we returned Khalid to his hotel about 6.00 pm to catch up on some sleep and we returned the happy family home again.

I think it was a really enjoyable day for everyone.

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.

www.slum-kids.org 

American sponsor's visit to Pattaya

Thailand based America teacher Don paid a visit to Pattaya to meet his sponsored student and Suky prior to the start of the new school year.

Suky and Juthathip met him at Tesco Lotus and she brought along her twin sister (her family having been told that this was the only other person permitted to accompany her). However, there was no problem about finance, as we'd assured him that MERCY would pay for any school supplies bought for the sister.

Don bought stationery supplies and basic items of school uniform for Juthathip, but the store didn't have the shoe size she needed, so Don gave her the cash for those to be bought at a later date.

A happy trip for all, we would say

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.

www.slum-kids.org 

Kids in Pattaya

Visit by three UK sponsors.

Yesterday I met Tom and Tim and Tim’s Mum – a very glamorous lady and very interested in all things Thai.  She is here until a week on Wednesday, and I think the ‘boys’ will be taking her around and showing off ‘their’ homeland. 

Boonying picked ‘Fah up at 11:00am and brought her to me  (where Tuey and Jaay were, of course) and we all bowled along to Maes Y Ruen to meet the sponsors.  It was just as well they’d got there ahead of us and kept a table, as it was so busy and people were queuing up all the time we were there.

Fah seems to have grown up all of a sudden.  She’s always been tall for her age, but she’s filling out now and is far more assured – quite the young lady.  Susan was so thrilled she had come along and was quite emotional.  She gave her 1,000 B note but had Boonying explain that although she could use it for anything she wanted, she didn’t need to spend it if she’d prefer to save it for something later.  Then she gave her a 500 B note to take back to Mum, to buy something for her sisters.  Very sweet of her, I thought.

Fah said she would like to buy some school uniform items and so Boonying went along with she and Susan, to translate, and I went with Tom, Tim, Tuey and Jaay.  Like Susan, they had decided that as the boys were growing up now, they might also like to choose something for themselves, and so each was given a 500 B note to make their choices and they loved going along the shelves at Tesco to pick out various toys (no thoughts of school uniforms for them) – and Tom and Tim bought them books and pencils for school.  They were allowed to keep the change and were delighted with that, of course.

Unfortunately, Fah had wanted a school blouse, but there wasn’t one in her size, however she would be able to buy one in the shop near school no. 8  I was told, and she’d do that later.

Then all the children were invited to choose doughnuts to take home – and you can imagine how that held up the queue, with all our lot!

Tom and Tim had asked if it would be possible to take Susan up to see the Home, so Boonying went over to meet David to get the key for the van, and brought it over so we could all pile in, take Fah home, and then go over to BKP to return our little charges and introduce Susan to Sharon,  and give some of our boys the chance to have a bit of rough and tumble with Tom and Tim.  They just love throwing them selves at them and being swung around etc – and Omsin just attaches himself to Tim whenever he sees him.  That child is just so sweet natured.  Tom had just had a wart removed, and so he had a bandage around his leg – which proved very interesting for everyone, and quite a feat for Tom to keep it away from prying eyes.

When we arrived they were all watching ‘E.T.’ so they made us all feel very welcome as they made room on the couches (because there was no way Susan and I could have sat on the floor – two old ladies with bad knees and arthritis) and Sharon very kindly went to make a coffee for Tom, Tim and Susan – as Tom had forgotten the tea supplies! (They do look forward to a cuppa on their visits.) 

Sharon showed Susan the girls’ rooms and Tim enjoyed taking her to see the rest of the house.  She will be able to envisage everything now when they write to her in future.  This was her first trip.

I think they were all happy with what they’d been able to achieve, and on the way back Tom very kindly gave us 500 B for petrol, which was gratefully received.

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.

www.slum-kids.org 

Sponsor's shopping trip for 'Nat'

Suky took this student out for his ice cream treat, as requested, and you can see from the photo's how delighted he was.

Looking at the pictures, you can be fooled into thinking that the family is well off and that he maybe doesn't need financial help, but although they live in a big house there is no water or electricity and the very minimum of furniture. Mum has mental problems she is unable to hold down a job and they manage on something like 300 B per week from a son who lives on his own and makes living of sorts, painting/sketching portraits of tourists on the beach, mainly during high season and a government disability pension of 500 B per month.  They can't afford a regular electricity supply, but cook with gas and use candles at night time.

The boy also displays 'strange' (immature bordering on abnormal) behaviour, according to Suky and the school has trouble dealing with him. 

Apparently, when he got his ice cream he was so excited he was shouting to passersby to see what he had and you can see how every time she took a photo he was making a face of some kind.  (Mind you, his Mum used to be a fortune teller dabbling in the occult, so perhaps he thinks he's frightening spirits away.)

Seriously, I find myself wondering if this might be the result of having so little food, possibly.  300 B per week is a very tiny amount to feed them both.

I should think it was overwhelming for them to receive such a generous gift of groceries.  I can't imagine what Mum felt when she returned home.

I'm sure your sponsor will have been happy to know that his wishes had been carried out - especially as the boy was able to buy some shoes/slippers.  He wasn't wearing any shoes, and when he was taken  home Suky saw that the only shoes he had were so small he couldn't get them on his feet - heartbreaking.  It's a long time since we saw a kid without any shoes - they may have been ragged, old and ill fitting, but they usually have something on their feet.

This sponsor did a great thing and we can't thank him enough.

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.

 www.slum-kids.org