Category: News

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There have been a lot going on which I will fill you all in on later as I am planning a trip for the kids to the Zoo have have to run to a meeting with the manager of the Zoo to set the rest up. I wanted to talk about our trip to one of the Hill Tribes that a few of us went onwith Phra Ah Jon. We left the Wat Don Chan early in the morning last Wenesday and set out to the mountains. We were going there for an opening of a Wat in a Village were the Galyong Tribe lives and to see the conditions that they are living. This village is located 30 minutes from the Burmise border, danger, danger, well could be but we were fine. It took us about 8 hours to get there and the roads were windey and at some points very dangerous but fun all of the way. I was in the car with Wisit, the head teacher at the school, May-She Ji (a Nun named Ji which means heart in Thai) and 2 little girls from that tribe, they were going to get to see some friends from home and they were very excited.

When we arrived they had an amazing lunch ready for us that I later found out was just picked from the garden that morning and the pork we had was walking around the day before, it was so fresh and delicious! They were looking at me like I was from the moon but said they were very happy to have someone come so far to see how they live.They were bugging out over my beard, leg and arm hair, to boot it is orange, funny. It was so my pleasure as I have watched TV shows on National Geographic on things like this and now I was there, I was so grateful. I had baked them some Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and after they were done dissecting it to see what it was all about, they chowed it down so fast that I think some missed out. We took a walk through the village, which had about 90 homes and everyone was coming out to see what was going on. Some of the people invited us in for some food but as we were so full already the girl that was translating for us told them it’s not personal we are just full. There were a few of the home that had a single solar panel attached to help with a few luxuries, like a light or a small TV or radio, it was really great to see. I also found out that there are only about 12 of these village left. Some of the kids from the school will return to their villages when they finish and some will go to college or get jobs in different cities but the head Abbott hopes most will go back so they can help to keep their tribes going. I made fast friends and had so much fun, I know I will go back to visit and this time I will stay longer.

The opening ceremonies of the Wat were great! The monks chanted, performed blessings followed by another amazing meal and then the night came to a close with the setting off of Kom Roy. Kom Roy are hand-made balloons lit on fire but just in the middle and they then float away with our wishes attached to them, some had fireworks going off too. It was a experience I will never forget and I feel like I am doing it no justice as I write about it and I hope the pictures I add will help. We all slept close together on the floor and woke up to the Monks chanting, beautiful. More praying in the new Temple, a final meal prepared by the men and set off for home, Wisit had to teach the next day and it was a long road home. I am planning a trip to a similar village in March with one of the students, Jaw. His village has about 70 homes and is 16 hours away by bus and that’s the only way there. His parents are both rice farms and make about $200 per month and that is why Jaw is here at the Wat. Here he can get a good education, clothes, food and friends and does not have to work everyday to help support the family. He will help them later by sending money which he told me he wants to work at the place where we went Zip-lining, Flight of the Gibbons. We have been working on his English because if he wants a job there he has to speak it to keep the people safe. Next week I will fill you in on much more, there is lot’s of upward movement going on here and as always thank’s so much for the donations I have been getting they have been going to great use. Cheers, -Stu

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This celebration was this past Friday and it was so much fun. The kids did a ton of work and it took 1 week to get it all together. This is always a big party at the Wat Don Chan, people come from all over for 2 days to celebrate the day of this guys death. The donations of food, drinks (no booze, I’m at a Temple silly), dessert and flowers, I am talking about 4 palets of flowers. Roses, carnations, lily’s and the kids with about 50 other volunteers put them all together, beautiful and the smell was amazing. There were over 100 Monks invited and there was 2 hours of chanting in the morning and another 2 hours in the evening, it was so cool. They have rows of yarn above your head and everyone gets to tie a piece to your own head so we are all connected. Some people meditate and others pray while the chanting is going on, I prayed for every person I know and the energy is felt by everybody, it was amazing. The chanting is to wish everyone good, good health, good wealth, good times, you get it. After the chanting you cut down your piece of yarn and ware it as a bracelet and keep it on until it falls off, pretty cool, huh? I had them tie mine extra tight.

We ate all day long and the food was great, small portions of all types of food and after the evening chanting, donuts, warm sweetened milk, different juices, again it was great. It ended with fireworks and the setting off of lanterns, we all had so much fun and some cleaning even got done by all until around 1 in the morning. The next 2 days were also clean up but the kids took their time and still had fun. I met so many great people and that included 5 people traveling here from the good old US of A and they want to help with some of the project as they will be here for 2 weeks. Three of them are coming over on Wed. to help me with the planting of some herbs to help with some extra seasoning for the kids food. We are just teaching them as they will have to manage this project, we want them to be self sustainable, remember… Again I promise pictures to follow. Anyone know anybody that has a hook up on underwear? Most of these kids do not have any and it is needed, I have bought about 50 pairs already and I need more, lot’s more, anyone, anyone? These kids are so good, we manage to have fun even when working. Until next time, peace y’all.

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Wow! This was amazing, we had so much fun. It all started when Joe from Friends of the Wat Don Chan (a little group that helps the kids here at the Wat) told me that a guy called Tony from Flight of the Gibbons would let orphans go free for a month. Well I just got here and the kids were on holiday from school so I got right on it! Tony said I could bring 35 kids a day to go zip-lining, have lunch and go to a great waterfall. We had 140 kids sign up and they where so happy as you will see in the pictures once I get a minute to put them up. For me it was great because Ihad never done it before and now I was going to do it everyday for 5 days. I got so sick since it rained one of the days but the kids wanted me to goso I could take pictures and video, how could I say no? Tree Top Asia is the name of the company so thanks guys and of course thanks to Tony. Here is the low down they pick you up in a great van with tons of Karaoke, suit you up to zip away, which there are 14 different stations, make you a great Thai lunch when you are done then take you to a great waterfall and serve you an amazing drink from an herb that I can’t remember the name of but I know they add ton’s of sugar but it’s still good. Most of the kids slept on the way home and I slept great those nights. The rain forest was great, the locals make their living from harvesting tea and coffee which we saw while flying as the guides call it. The guides were so nice and knowledgeable about the forest, if you come to visit me you must give this a try. I promise I will post pics soon…

 Wow! Where to begin? I thought if I blogevery couple of weeks that it would be ok but so much is happening. Well when I arrived th kids and the Monks welcomed me with open arms, I cold feel their energy, it was great. I am sleeping in the boy’s what they call “nurse’s office”, it’s very nice but the next day I had to get a fan because the heat made it difficult to sleep. The kids are holiday from school for 4 weeks so most of them are looking for stuff to do. Some of the kids have gone to visit family for this time. The ones that are here are busy with me cooking, making cookies, practicing English, a well I am working on my Thai and the Monks show them a movie every night on a big screen that some nice person donated to the Temple. There are a group of people that are coming to the Temple to teach the kids English on the weekends while on holiday, this group is so nice and they love the kids already after only 2 days, but who would’nt. Feel free to come see for yourself.

 Last night the kids got to make wishes and light off lanters which I took some video and when I have time I will post it.T he kids seem to be very happy and well taken care of. They have food but not much of a variety so last night I bought some chicken and I made a geat dinner with the girls to serve to everyone, it was a blast. People come to see Phra Ah Jon, the head Abbott and when they do they bring, fruits, veggies, rice, noddles and sometimes meat or fish and that is what the kids have to eat I have been tryng to show them different uses so they don’t get board of the same old style.

  I feel I am going to be needed to also help the kids work on their cleaning style, 700 kids so there is lot’s of mess and they seem to walk over a lot instead of picking it up. I am very happy to see that they are now recycling, YAY! So much more to tell you but I am off to work on getting their Karaoke machine fixed for a little show tonight. Peace and love, thanks for all of the support. -Stu

 Well I made it! The flight was great, watched one crappy movie then slept most of the way. My last days in LA were so crazy and  I was so tired between work, packing, phone calls and trying to see people (which didn’t happen as much as would have liked, sorry) I was ready for a long nap. On my last night at home, before heading to the airport  I had  a great dinner with my dear friend Jenna  at my buddy  Warrens place, Westside Tavern, it’s awesome you should go eat there. It was so hard to say goodbye,  well for a year anyway. I already really miss everyone so much.

  Ok funny story so I was so busy getting everything ready to go that I never looked at my flight info, I just went on what I remembered and I guess I remembered wrong and got to the airport a day early…I really could have used that extra day at home but I was packed, I was at the airport, I had nothing to sleep on and they had a flight leaving, so off I went with just enough time to let Stevie know I would be there a day early since  he was going to pick me up in Bangkok.

 Bangkok was AWESOME! Steve bought a house and let me stay with him. It’s so beautiful, Koi pond, tons of room and he did most of the cooking. My jet-lag was pretty bad this time so being taken care off was so nice for a while. Bangkok was mostly about hanging with friends, old and new, ton’s of eating, a bit of drinking ( Lot’s of whiskey but they put so much ice and club soda that you spend plenty of time running to the bathroom), saw 2 movies (shrimp and BBQ flavored popcorn, yum) 1 day we went to the Floating Market and bought ton’s of fruit, mancout and fresh coconuts. The weather was ok most of the time, I wanted to hit the beach but of course those were the day’s we had rain.

 Last year when I was in the South of  Thailand in Sa Keao I met a 17 year old boy named Um and he has Polio. We noticed something was not right and I took his family a chicken and we asked his grandfather if we could take him to Bangkok to see a doctor. Well Um has been in Bangkok for a year now and has had 2 surgeries and is doing great. With the help of an angel named Joy he is now in a group home and is going to school and living a good happy life. Dean is a guy in my Thai class in LA and he got someone to donate a new wheelchair to Um, Thai airways let me take it for free and I delivered it to him a few days ago, he was so thankful and let me tell you, it was needed. I told  Um I wanted to take him somewhere, anywhere and all he wanted was to goto the mall and eat pizza and ice cream, so we did, I have a few pictures to be posted soon.

 I just arrived a couple of days ago at the Wat Don Chan in Chiang Mai but   one of the Monk’s needs something on the computer so I am off to play soccer with the kids. I will fill you in on more in a few days. Peace and blessings, -Stu

Welcome to my first shot at blogging, I am looking forward to sharing some great stories about the kids of the Wat Don Chan orphanage. I am leaving for Bangkok, Thailand on September 27th, I plan to visit with some friends and get over the jet-lag and stay there for a week or so before heading to Chiang Mai. I currently have a 3 month Visa and all I have to do is re-applying with the immigration office for a 1 year extension when I get there. I have heard some horror stories about the Thai immigration officers but once they know what type of work I am doing with the kids, it should not be a problem and showing up with a few Monks should help too. As of right now I am just getting all of my ducks in a row for leaving my home for a year. I do have to say I am a bit tired and overwhelmed but there is lot’s to do when going away for so long. This being said when I think of seeing those kids, it all goes away… First posting, DONE!