Bob and Elsi’s Last Day
Elsi spent the morning giving Chom her last piano lesson and packing .
Tasanee decided to go to Tha Song Yang (not to be confused with Ban Tha Song Yang which is only a short walk from Safe Haven) to pick up cement. Her son, Phon, drove and Bob and I (Rog) went along for the ride. We traveled south along the Moei river and saw some beautiful countryside with temples, terraced rice paddies,buffalo,and steep jungle-covered mountains partially hidden in the clouds. We stopped at a checkpoint where armed guards smiled as they allowed us to pass. Soon we noticed dung on the highway and found that we were following a caravan of ten elephants walking down the side of the road. There had been some recent fighting in Burma and the elephants (originally from Thailand but recently harvesting logs in Burma) had been returned to Thailand for safety. We picked up vegetables and a few other items at the market before returning to Safe Haven. After the vegetables and cement were unloaded we were again treated to a great lunch at our favorite eating spot (bamboo table and benches under a shade tree). Luggage was piled into the back of the small pickup truck and Bob and Elsi’s road trip to Mae Sot began. But first Tasanee, Chom (her daughter) and three boys plus Tasanee’s grandchild packed into the remaining portion of the short pickup box for the two hour ride. With Phon in the driver’s seat and Elsi beside him, the back seat was filled with Bob, Tasanee’s mother, and also her aunt (who was on the way to the hospital for treatment for malaria). Doo (mother of the grandchild ) didn’t fit in the pickup box so she just squeezed into the back seat. As they say in Thailand….No Problem! With prayers for safe travel and farewell hugs we waved goodbye and they were off. We are going to miss the camaraderie, shared meals, and evening card games.

Safety
We have felt very safe here and no one acts frightened or concerned at all (even when gunshots may be heard in the distance across the border). Tasanee has lived with this situation her entire fifty some years and says that the Karen tribe and the Burmese army are enemies ( I wonder how many people even remember why). She picks up the pieces of lives broken by war and mends them by adding to her family of loving and beautiful children. How amazing is that?!!


Jungle Children
Tasanee takes pride in being a tough “jungle woman”. Many of her children have spent some part of their lives living in the jungle before coming to Safe Haven. The kids know a lot about jungle survival and they know what to eat as well. We have seen twigs laid out beside their plates as if to be eaten for dessert and their teacher told us about how the boys would stay up all night catching and eating insects. Just a few minutes ago I delivered to Roger a roasted root ( cassava or manioc?)about the size of an ear of corn. It is very starchy and a bit dry but it has a wonderful aroma. The outside is roasted black but the inside is pure white and would be very tempting if we were at all hungry. Several of the boys were sitting around a fire wearing only shorts and some face paint while roasting the roots. They called me over and insisted I take some back to the man teacher.

Post From Roger:

Recipe for Happy Children
Why are the children so happy with no fighting or jealousy? Tessanne replied “Teach children not want more thing….make do with what have. Work hard and do right thing. Rich selfish man have many thing but when in hospital is there by self. No visitor. Good person who does right thing have many friend and many visitor in hospital.”



Meaning of Life (from a book I (Roger) found in the “library” at Safe Haven)
Why do we try to create our own little worlds so we have the illusion of being completely in control of our entire existence, when we know with absolute certainty that we are not?
We all have filters on, so we mostly see only what we want to see. When you finally open your eyes, you may be shocked at the obscured way you have been viewing the world to suit your own little plans.
With those filters removed, you can take a closer look into yourself and ask objective questions about the universe and your place in it. In other words, investigate the meaning of life.
The only theme that resonates throughout the numerous popular theories is love. Love, in all its fragile forms, is the one powerful, enduring force that brings real meaning to our everyday lives.
The love of life itself brings with it the passion and understanding that some things are worth dying for, but there is so much more worth living for.
The love of life leads us to help others simply because it feels great to contribute to those around us.


Repairing the Water Supply
After running out of water a few times I asked to see where the valve is that controls the flow to our bath/ shower. Sometimes the valve is closed to allow the water to be directed to the fish pond/ garden area.
We discovered that the valve was open and still had no water so it was determined that the problem was uphill where the plastic water pipe had come apart at a connection. Several teenage boys worked to add additional pipe at the site of the problem then reconnected it. Next we took a short hike up to the source of our water. We walked up a clear mountain stream until we reached the place where it flowed out of the mountain. There a concrete barrier caught enough water to keep the end of the water pipe constantly under the surface and plastic screening acted as a filter to keep debris from enter the pipe. Sticks pushed into the ground surrounded the area to prevent cattle from getting close and fouling the water. I think I will continue to use bottled water when brushing my teeth!

Tessanne’s Family:
First I must correct the spelling of her name. Tasanee Keereepraneed. I had found my spelling from a website that was probably written by another volunteer…and I was told that Thai teachers change the Karen children’s name into Thai names, so often names are spelled several ways.
Tasanee has four children of her own and one grandchild. Two daughters & her grandchild live in Mae Sot which is two hours away. Her only son is in the army on the rescue team (EMS). Chom lives here. Her mother & great aunt live in Ban Tha Song Yang--right down the road. Her son was off duty & came to visit with his sister and the granddaughter. I was very surprised that Tasanee did not jump up to greet them nor did they come running. After they’d been here a while, she wandered over and hugged the baby and talked to her kids. A short time later, she was in her sewing room while they were in her living room. Perhaps it was a cultural thing.

My Grain Bin Classroom
Only 8 children are here after the bus pulls out and I have become their teacher. Their ages are about 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 11 & 16 so it is like teaching nursery school & one room class at the same time. We start in the grain bin. The walls are bamboo, the roof teak leaves & the floor is made of a very thin layer of the bamboo. Under the building there is a pen for the turkeys. Currently squash & cement bags are stored there. I sit on a cement bag (as I can’t sit cross legged nearly as long as they can) and write on a well used white board. Usually I have one of the little ones on my lap and the others come & go as they like--sometimes with pants on and sometimes without. The younger ones are learning the letters as the older ones work on the sounds. The 11 yr old works on spelling words. The 16 yr old is mentally challenged so I include her with the younger ones which she seems happy about. Next we work on identifying pictures in English & then counting. After about an hour, we move to an outside table to work on printing and I finish up with an art project which they love. Some stay until lunch while others go off to play. It’s a real relaxing and enjoyable way to teach and I’m very excited about the progress each one of them is making!! Who would guess bamboo, teak leaves, squash & turkeys could provide such a nice teaching environment??


Child Care for 3 and under:
Something that just astounds us is how the little ones just have the run of the place which is about the size of 3 or 4 football fields. They run among the rocks, in & around the buildings, up & down the paths with or without pants and without any visible adult supervision. They fall often, cry a bit sometimes, get up and take off again. I’ve never seen any of them go toward the road but not sure why not. Older girls wash & dress them and put them down for naps where often they cry themselves to sleep. During church service they go from lap to lap or wander up front. Christmas (3) even went up to the altar today without anyone acting like that was a problem. Just astounding.


Presents:
How do you accept gifts from those who have so little??? We now have quite a collection of gifts given with loving hands--one was even wrapped up with well used paper and bow. We hug them tightly and accept knowing well that there is much joy in giving.

MuMuSoe, my teacher:
I have been working hard trying to teach MuMuSoe English and today, she worked hard trying to teach me Karen. I always make her watch my mouth and repeat my words and that is exactly how she was teaching me. She walked me around pointing things out and then said the Karen word. I must say she is a faster learner than I am!

Girl’s Dorm:
Last night I visited the Girl’s Dorm and immediately they began to fix me up…they powdered my face, put lipstick on me, combed my hair (I so hope there wasn’t lice on that comb), put a crown and headband in my hair, a real flower behind my ear, a necklace & lei on me and then gave me a plastic wand. Then they proudly put a jagged piece of a mirror in front of me and showed me how to put my finger in my cheek and tilt my head. Next they pretended to take pictures of me using their fingers for a camera. One girl had a plastic cell phone which she used. Then they took my hand and led me back to my room and asked Roger to take a picture. He took one of all of us but then they insisted on taking one of just me. Guess I was Queen for the Day!!!