The Olivers In Thailand

Last weekend, we invited Paul and Rattanaporn to visit us in Chiang Mai. We particularly wanted them to see Ban San Faan, the children's home that we visit each week.

We had a medley of amusing telephone calls as I (Jenny) tried to make the arrangements over the phone. We kept thinking of different possible problems of mis-communication. Had we made it clear that they were to make their own way to Chiang Mai, or were they expecting us to collect them? To start with there was no signal up at Hoay Maw. Then I could only speak to Paul's mother who has a more rural accent which was hard for me to follow. Eventually I was able to speak to Rattanaporn and to confirm that they would drive down. I told her that we would put money in the account for petrol and food for the trip. She said that they would leave at 8.30am and arrive at noon. We arranged to meet at the Highway Hotel where I knew Paul had been before for a Wa Bible meeting.

Then I started to worry had they booked a hotel? I rang back and spoke to Rattanaporn again telling her not to book a hotel but that they could stay at Ban San Faan. We arranged that they would ring when they were near the Highway Hotel.

On the Friday, Paul rang and said they were on the way and would arrive at 4pm. We managed to meet at the Hotel and made our way to Ban San Faan.

Ban San Faan has a beautiful, purpose built home and so we were careful to prepare Paul and Rattanaporn not to just look at the facilities, but to look at the love and care.

Ban San Faan Dedication

Ban San Faan means house of fulfilled dreams. It was named because when the children arrived, they were asked what was their dream. They replied that their dream was to be part of a family, and that dream has come true because we would not call Ban San Faan an 'orphanage' but a 'family'.

When we arrived, Paul and Rattanaporn met the children and staff and were shown around the home. We shared a lovely meal of Khao Soy cooked by Pee Dto. After eating we chatted awhile before Adrian arrived with Jessica and her friend Sarah.

We asked house-father to lead worship that evening so that it would be in Thai. He did a great job accompanied one of the older girls on the guitar. He is teaching several of the children to play. Then Paul shared a little about the home at Hoay Maw. The children's jaws dropped when they heard that the children get up at 5.30am to do exercises. After Paul had shared, we all gathered around Paul and Rattanaporn to pray for them and for the children at Hoay Maw. House-father and one of the children prayed. We felt that Paul and Rattanaporn were blessed and encouraged.

Paul and Rattanaporn share

Prayer for Hoay Maw

Afterwards we played games with the children and chatted with the staff. It was good for Paul and Rattanaporn to see the staff playing together with the children as this is unusual in their culture but beneficial to develop family type relationships and quality time together.

We left them at Ban San Faan for the night and arranged to meet the next morning on the way to a fish farm project in Mae Taeng. Malee came with them. We met at a garage and then drove on to the farm. It was very interesting to see the fish at various stages of development from egg through to full-grown. Paul and Rattanaporn were interested in setting up a fish farm at Hoay Maw and were told that they could be helped to do that.

Interested	Eggs	Tiddlers
Jenny & Rattanaporn	Nets	Aeration

During lunch we discussed the situation at Hoay Maw. We had been able to allocate some money through Open Hands, the Hyttedalens and our own project fund, to cover the market bill for Jan-Mar.

We stressed though that this would not be regular support. Paul agreed that he would speak to the "families" about contributing towards food and schooling costs.

We were able to allocate money from the Links Christmas gifts towards the pig project. Paul is going to order a cage for the big mother to protect the piglets from being squashed. This will cost 4,000 baht (£60). We have also allocated 500 baht (£7.50) for repairing the existing water nipple feeds and for extending the water supply to the remaining 2 pens. A further 500 baht (£7.50) will be used to buy nutrient food for when the mother pigs are pregnant (the small mother is already pregnant again).

We talked about the mosquito protection at Hoay Maw and the concern for the children as there are Dengue mosquitoes in the area. Pastor Joseph himself has recently had Dengue fever and is still recovering. We said that the children had damaged the screens that had been provided by the TAG children at Arun Community Church. Paul said that the children had not been taught to take care of things but that now he was going to teach them. We asked if the staff could do the repairs themselves and he said yes. We felt that was promising and so we told him to get a quote and let us know the cost of the netting but not to buy anything without agreement.

Damaged mosquito Screens

Resourceful

Paul told us about how they are very resourceful in trying to use money for food wisely. In season, the children go into the surrounding jungle and collect bamboo shoots. These are preserved using the water from washing the rice and can be kept for up to a year. They also collect bananas from the jungle and sometimes cook them.

After lunch we went on to another children's home where they have a sewing project. This home was quite similar to Hoay Maw although they are supported. We saw the sewing room but they were not sewing on that day. Malee knows another lady who does sewing training at a home in Mae Ka Chan which is nearer to Hoay Maw. Malee is going to arrange for us to make contact with the lady, Pastor Lawan, when we next visit Hoay Maw. We hope that we will be able to arrange training for the teenagers at Hoay Maw to learn to make clothes. This will be a good vocational skill and will also enable them to make their own clothes including school uniforms.

Sewing machines

House of Blessing

It was great to have Malee to help us talk to Paul and Rattanaporn and to help us build contacts to explore new projects. Paul and Rattanaporn needed to get back to Hoay Maw that evening and so they headed home from there.

We felt that it was an encouraging and beneficial time for them.

We have now spoken further with the manager of the Mae Taeng fish farm who lives very near us and whose wife teaches at Grace. We will arrange to meet up and also meet with another contact based further North who could help. The other person is Dave Summers who is already known to us through Links and who we were already planning to meet - so we look forward to that opportunity.