Update #4



I'm getting use to waking up to the chickens.   It was a treat to call David on his birthday and talk to the rest of Jake's family.   Thank you WhatsApp!  Our routine is now working in the garden early, being in the library or classroom most the rest of the day.  They found a new driver for the school bus (motorcycle pulling a covered flatbed) so one day we rode along after school to see where the kids live.  We have spent time talking to the teachers giving them ideas and commending them on keeping the kids engaged.  The English classes are extra and the kids come either before or after their regular school hours.  Totally a bonus class but if they didn't like it, they could easily choose not to come.  On Friday, the teachers asked me to show them some classroom games so yet another country learned about Doggie, Doggie Where's Your Bone, I Spy with my little Eye, and 7 Up.  Kids and teachers loved all three.  During our lunch break, went to a market to get seeds & take one of the boys to the dentist for an estimate to fix his two rotten teeth.  $20.  Sue will ask his family to pay as she tries hard not to create dependent people. That being said, she & Hun do understand when the need is critical and they jump in with both feet to do whatever needs to be done…like the 2 young girls living with their aging grandparents in a shack.  Hun has figured out the cost of building them a better home and Sue is doing a fund raiser.  She does it mostly by writing their story & then posting it on Facebook and on their website.  In 3 days, she has raised $3200.  Only $800 to go.  (Her Facebook page is Sue Thompson). Once all the money is raised, Hun will arrange for the workers & supplies.  They make an impressive team!

Here's pictures of that family:





Pictures

Update #3


Monday morning starts our routine days. Up early at 5:30 giving us time to learn more about where we are at from Sue. Kids arrive around 8. I headed to the library where kids have free play with many activities & can explore the nice collection of books. I read aloud to them and also with individuals. Rog joined the English class just adding whatever and whenever he could. Kids left around 10. We had a good lunch of corn fritters. Soon after, we cleared a room & then Rog & some boys pulled down a rotting thatch ceiling. Dirty work. Jane worked on packing up donated clothes. After Rog cleaned up, Sue helped him make bread. This could be dangerous newly learned skill. Fresh bread was great with the delicious roast. At 7, we went to the evening English class where climate change was the topic. We were asked to teach a bit more about global warming.
Next morning was a repeat of yesterday with English class & library activities from 8-10 and again from 1-3. In the time between, Hun stop by & we put together some plans for the next two weeks. We then took him to his home at the temple. It was quite a massive area with lots of buildings and several temples. It was located right next to ancient, crumbling temple that is over 700 years old. The road we took to get there is through rice fields and ends at the local school. Hun was instrumental in getting it built so it is called Hun Road. It is a must safer route to school since most must bike there. We ended the evening walking down the road to a small market…where they sold cold Coke! Not Diet but it tasted wonderful! A hot air balloon was overhead so kids came running as sometimes they drop candy. They did. This adds to the rotten teeth we see in most the kids. We were in bed before 9.
Up at 5 & off to meet Hun. We had to drive through a herd of water buffalo to get to the pond where we'd agreed to meet him. At 6 we were sitting on a mat looking over the pond & learning about Buddhism, importance of Karma & the rules monks live by. He challenged us to meditate for 10 minutes. Then he blessed us by sprinkling water on us & tying a string bracelet on us. Pretty neat experience. A tuk tuk brought us home in time for our 8 am duties. We all went out for a very nice lunch where I got spring rolls & Diet Coke, Rog got a traditional soup & Hun got a hamburger & FF! He can't kill an ant but….
After our 1 o'clock duties, Rog worked in the garden & I did a thorough cleaning of the washing machine. With about 15 boys using it, the vents were badly plugged. We were both ready for a cool shower before dinner. The evening English class was fun as they were studying weather related words and had lots of questions about snow & ice. The teacher is very engaging & has a wonderful rapport with the kids.
Another good day.