Thailand #31
Up Country:
At 8 p.m. we met up with Cori (30 yr old from Idaho wheat farm), Skye (23 yr old nurse from hills of Alabama) & Jup & jumped into a cab to the bus station for a 6 hour trip to Bplaa Bplaa Chi in the Buriram Providence which is about the only area we hadn't been to. Around 3:30 a.m., we stumbled off the bus & got into the back of a pick up truck for the 30 minute ride to Prong's (Thai former bar girl) home. We crashed until 8 p.m. & then jumped back into the pick up to meet up with a group called Operation Blessings Foundation. They are all Thai except for one doctor who is English but lives along with the rest of them in Chaing Mai. They are a Christian group that do many outreach programs throughout Thailand--one of the very few Thai groups. We went to a small village of mostly Cambodians and set up a clinic that included taking blood pressure, height, weight, doctor check up, Rx if needed, reading glasses, lice check & shampoo if needed, haircut and time with a Christian prayer partner/councilor. Luckily we had several interpreters available as the local spoke Khmer to the Thai who translated it to English for us. I was kept busy at the reading glass center--guessing as best I could what each person needed--often I think they just wanted the free glasses as wearing glasses is very popular here. Rog spent the morning doing misc. stuff & the afternoon helping me. We chuckled when we finally decided which glasses worked for the locals & they gave us a huge grin--which meant showing their black, crooked & missing teeth. I could not help but think how much more they needed a dentist!!! We were sure ready for a shower & rest when we got back to Prong's. Around 5, we walked around her village to remind people that the clinic would be at her house the next day. After an hour or so, a pick up truck came by--so typical as we really never knew what was going to happen next--so in we hopped & soon arrived at a local church where we ate (well, I did the best I could) and then a rousing church service that began with Blessed be the Name in Thai. The minister--who had been at the clinic with us--announced that we had serviced 334 people and 135 had accepted Jesus. Long & loud hallelujah shouts filled the room. Next morning at 6:30, Rog & I were cleaning red hot peppers to be added to the breakfast menu that fed the clinic workers. While they ate, I washed my hands and ate a granola bar!! Though the crowd was smaller that day--Prong was beaming as it was all her friends & neighbors being helped...thanks to her. Again, I worked the reading glass station & Rog cut some hair. The local women prepared lunch--which included fresh ant & ant eggs cooked with the rice. I have pictures to prove that I am married to a truly crazy man who ate them and licked his lips when done. A local told us that it was a very special treat to have ants & eggs as you only get them once a year & it was a sign that the rainy season would be good. I much prefer plum pudding once a year and ate yet another peanut butter sandwich. After dismantling the clinic set up, shower & rest, 11 of us climbed on 4 motorcycles and rode around 8-10 miles to Prong's friend's restaurant. Dinner was fun as a bucket with a hot charcoal chula with a small grill on top was set in the middle of the table. First you poured chicken broth into a bowl that surrounded the grill& when it boiled added the cabbage, beans, etc.. You put some suet on top & then laid chicken & liver on. In other words--a fondue type experience. On the way home we stopped at a drive in movie that had been set up. Prong told us a local person had died & so his family was expected to give her village a party. Another day we'd seen several small groups partying & she had told us it was because the king had a dream that included a certain name so he had announced that anyone with that name must have a party for their neighbors...and Thai do whatever the kings says. Next morning 6 a.m., the pick up arrived so we could help at the clinic set up in another small village about an hour away. Since we were out of free glasses, I was measuring height...and did a mental survey of the condition of teeth compared to age. Not one my age had white teeth or all their teeth. By age 40, most had lost teeth & had many cavities. Even by age 5, cavities were obvious. Good thing they live on rice. Rog spent his day with the many kids helping to educate them about brushing their teeth, checking for head lice & do lice shampooing when needed. After a group photo & many, many hugs, we were headed back to Prong's stopping by to check out some Cambodian/Khmer ruins. It had been a full and fulfilling three days and we were ready for Sunday--a day of rest.
English Doctor:
One of the marvelous things about helping out, is meeting the other people who are helping out. The English doctor,Jill is just one example. She & her husband adopted 3 Thai children who were around 10 and after a couple years of trying to raise them in England, decided to move them back to their home country as the adjustment was just too great for them. They have lived here about 8 yrs now & she spends a weekend a month plus a ten day trip working with Operation Blessings clinics. She felt strongly that the Thai Christian churches needed to take over the work that western missionaries have been doing for years--allowing the Thai to become dependent on them. She was thrilled when a couple young Thai girls were assigned to help her so she could train them a bit & encourage them to become nurses or doctors. Jill felt that even though it was quite cheap for the Thai to go to the doctors & Thai has excellent health care--most Thai doctors... who are Buddhist... did not care about treating the poor (which is most Thai)--and to appease them, they just five them lots of pills--and more if they come back. She'd only met a few Christian Thai doctors who actually cared about truly treating the poor. And since there is much inbreeding in the small villages, there is a much higher number with genetic diseases. As I watched her with patient after patient, I could almost see the love flowing out of her hands & eyes.
Religion:
Several people have added to our understanding of major religions of the country we are in as we have travel about and it often seems that many of the problems stem from those religions. For example, the Buddhist believe in doing merit (good deeds) so that they can achieve a higher next life. Not that they care for the people they do good deeds for--those poor are poor because of their previous life. So the good deed is for themselves. Similar to the Hindu belief. Both for the good of self only. Also, there is little community feeling as they worship individually. Even the Christian churches have a hard time convincing their members to serve others as it's just not been their mindset. American's giving nature is very rare here...and for that reason & many more, I feel so lucky & proud to be an American and Christian.
My Buddy:
One the first day of the clinic I met a Thai woman who said she was Joker--I wasn't sure if it was her name or just a nickname but since I grinned, she laughed and hugged me. After that, every time we met she'd wink at me & say my buddy--then we'd lace our little fingers & she'd turn her checks so I could kiss her and she'd give me the biggest belly laugh. Every time the group got together for meals or pre/post meeting or church service, she was the life of the party shouting out things that must of been funny cause everyone would crack up. Day 2 she said if I came the next day, she had a green scarf she would give me. The last day, sure enough, she had a beautiful green scarf she wrapped around me and then she had an interpreter ask me to stay with her in Thailand. I said I'd rather have her come stay with me in America. She got so excited and started shouting America. I showed her a picture of our house & she kept saying--Me America. And since she was rather large, she indicated she needed a big seat on the airplane. She asked for my email & said she'd write. We parted doing our ritual one more time. I sure I could have brought that laugh home with me!!
Sunday Church:
15 people--mostly relatives & their kids--gathered in front of Prong's & soon the pick up came by taking us to the local church where for over 2 hours there was much passionate praising going on and followed by a potluck dinner. Lucky for us, Rog & I ended up sitting on mats in the back with the kids spending our time coloring & playing with stickers. Though it would have been nice to know what was being said--it was fun being with the kids who crawled all over us. We did get to spend time with the minister who spoke good English. He's a builder by trade which explained why he had a nice big home next to the church...which he & his wife share along with their college educated daughter who choice to join them in their ministry and 12 local orphan children they take care of. Several times, one of the orphans would come over to him & he would pick them up and hug them so lovingly. Truly a unique and admirable man in a land where most men don't even care for their own children.
Coconut Run:
When asked if I wanted to go get some coconuts, I said sure & hopped on the motorbike for a short ride to a neighbor's back yard. He took a large bamboo stick with a knife on the end and in a few minutes, I was dodging the falling coconuts. Jup grabbed a hatchet type knife and cut off the end. With a glass over the hole, the coconut was tipped over and out flowed the coconut milk. We drank that sweet stuff up & then cracked up the coconut so we could spoon out the meat. Mmmmmm. After about just a 15 minute stop, we headed back carrying six coconuts for later.
Pedicure/Manicure:
As we sat on the porch with the fan blowing on us, one of Prong's nieces walked over and asked if she could polish my toenails & fingernails. Sure! She meticulously worked on cleaning my toenails--a huge feat (pun)--and then polished them with much expertise...all while salamanders, mosquitoes, flies & various other insects buzzed around us. She also offered to give me a massage but I didn't take her up on that because she'd already done so much...for only a smile & piece of gum from me.
Thai Cooking Lesson:
The guide books tell you to make sure you take a Thai cooking class--and that's just what I did--in Prong's kitchen preparing fried rice & stir fried veges with a pinch of salt, cane sugar, spices , greens from her garden, soy sauce and freshly crushed garlic. Rog is hoping I will cook it often in USA.
Silk Production:
Silk has long been a main source of income here in the villages. Prong's mom has done it her whole life. We watched each morning as she fed her worms gobs of mulberry leaves and later as she pulled the silk from the cocoon & spun it ever so carefully. What a time consuming job that would end up earning her so little and yet produce such beauty!!
Prong:
A woman torn and struggling as she tries to recover from her life in Bangkok bars. She talked about how often she thought how hard it is to make money to support her two kids & mom by spinning silk & making dresses, purses & scarves from it. How much more she earned as a bar girl. But she knew that it was wrong and degrading and more than anything, she had to show her daughter, nieces & other young village girls that you could have a good life without going to Bangkok bars. What an inspiration!
Back to Bangkok:
As we pulled away from the bus station headed back to Bangkok, Prong, her daughter, sister, several nieces & nephews & our trusty truck driver stood waving & throwing kisses. We felt so much like they had welcomed us and that we had had a true Thai family experience. We were sure glad we'd taken that leap of faith. On the ride home, we had lots of time to hash over the last several days remember lots to laugh about, learn more about each other and also learn more about The Well from Jup, Cori & Skye.
Sex Trade:
During the Viet Nam War Bangkok came to be #1 in sex trade in the world. The friendly and mild mannered people are easily lured to the city as they search for a way to provide for their families and/or escape the labor of life in the rice fields. Debt and increased expectations for material possessions combined with low education levels and unwillingness to adapt to changing markets or use new technology efficiently has led to financial difficulties in the rural areas. Many young women are encouraged by their own parents to go to Bangkok so they can can send money to support their families remaining in the countryside. The best chance for the women to provide long term support for their families is for them to find a Western man who will give them money. This may also mean a life of comforts and relative ease. The women often feel that they cannot depend on their Thai husbands to stay with them and provide for their families. So when the men leave, children are left with relatives and they go to Bangkok to get money to send home. It becomes a terrible cycle of despair for families caught in this as they are the example for the next generation.
Sight Seeing in Bangkok:
In the two days we had to sight see, we crammed in: Jim Thompson's--American WWII vet who served in Thai and came back to rejuvenate the silk industry & at 61 went for a walk in the jungle & never was seen again--house which is now a museum as he had been a collector of Thai paintings & crafts; dragged Rog to the snake farm where they milk to venomous snakes to make the antivenin needed in this country where there's over 10,000 bites a year; rode the ferry all the way to the end & back; and enjoyed a quiet afternoon by a pond in a large central park.
