Sunday, June 8, 2008

Rongaharn Setlaow! The Kitchen is Finished!

Mackenzie and I went out to Baan Puk Dek Nakrean this weekend. Yet again the upcoming possibility of dodging elephants was heavy on my mind and this was added to when I discovered that we had a flat tyre! We had no phone reception and no house, car or mechanic in sight. Just me and my 6 year old daughter and a hire motorbike! We decided to climb the mountain with the flat tyre, taking the numerous corners slowly. Much to my dismay I couldn't 'rush' through the elephant zone to get it over and done with...but had to take it really slow! Thankfully we didn't encounter any elephants but we did see a tonne of monkeys. We got our tyre fixed at the top and continued onto Baan Puk Dek Nakrean. Since our last visit the kitchen has been finished, more pathways have been laid and gardens put in. There is a rhythm that is becoming stronger. The children have a timetable that they stick to and without bells all 25 of them seem to go from one thing to the next smoothly.

Nathan and Sean are our current Australian volunteers. They have been there a few days and will stay into this coming week. They have been great friends for Samson, allowing him some 'down' time to play while the students are at school. Nathan and Sean bought the school a CD player and TV, along with some DVDs for children. Saturday night the children enjoyed watching Monsters Inc. I think watching a DVD will become a Saturday night special! Nathan is a filmaker and is busy videoing so as to make a promotional DVD for Connect and BPDN. Sean is a website designer and has offered to do a website for Connect and is busy drawing up site plans. We are so thankful for these guys coming and giving in such a practical way. We didn't know them before hand but they have very quickly found their way into our hearts.

I will leave you with a few photos.
Our new kitchen
Nathan and Sean with the students
SeySey and Kundej with toys that the LaBarge girls sent from America

I will be coming to Australia this week to update people on the work of Connect in Thailand. If you would like to attend any of the following events please email connect3e@hotmail.com.

# Melbourne - Sat 14th (Lomah Cafe. Ascot Vale)
# Cairns - Wed 18th (Woree High School.)
# Sunshine Coast - Sat 21st (Lakeshore Community Church. Nth Buderim)