For those of you who may not know what an Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus) house in Thailand looks like, here's a photo of the inside of one. This particular mushroom hut has 1,000 spore bags and the mushrooms grown help to feed nearly 300 children and teachers at Hsa Thoo Lei Boarding House in Mae Sot. Thai Children's Trust have sponsored this house with great results. Twelve students from grade 9 to 11 and a teacher are involved in the cultivation and today's conversations with them confirm for us that they are very happy to have a change from their regular diet! They're able to harvest enough mushrooms for one meal every two days. Once the project has been established a little longer the idea is to sell the extra produce in the local market with proceeds being used to purchase more spore bags (the bags generally produce for between 4 and 6 months), make repairs to the mushroom house when needed and buy other food, for example, meat, fish paste and rice. The cost of a mushroom house this size is B40,000 or AUD1,500 (approx) or USD1,200 (approx). We've been looking at other migrant schools today - looking for motivated school directors and interested teachers that will be happy to take on a mushroom house. And we think we found a few. :)

Wednesday 1st July

This morning we went to the Fr Ray Day Care Centre to work with the older children.  We took the puppet apron telling the story of the Enormous Radish. Greg wore the apron and worked the puppets while the girls told the story.  As they told each part of the story Khun Bonnie translated it into Thai for the children.  Soon they were joining in calling out "They pulled and they pulled" in Thai and getting very excited about what would happen next.  Khun Bonnie made them count the number of people and animals each time.  After the story telling, some of the children wore the hats I had made and the ears for the different animals, and acted out the story, pulling some real Thai radishes.  Afterwards Khun Bonnie did more work with them about size, colour  and fat and thin.  She found the session very good and was pleased with the richness of the story.  We then helped the children do some written work before they went for their lunch.  After they had eaten they went out to play on their beautiful play equipment. After play it was time to settle down to sleep, so we left them settling down.

This afternoon we went to the School for the Blind.  We thought we were taking them to the beach, but it turned out we were singing with them.  Luckily we had a few songs up our sleeves, and were able to keep them entertained.  The group bonded well with the children and enjoyed their company.

Tuesday 30th June

Today we visited the Vocational School for the Disabled.  It was a fantastic experience for all our students.  We were with a group who are just into their second year at the school, and they were very confident with their English and had extremely good conversation on a one to one basis.  Part way through the session we changed partners and had another really good conversation.  I remember the group from last year and the change in them is truly remarkable.  At the end of the session lots of photos were taken and email addresses were exchanged.  The students were all very sorry that they would not meet again because they all got on so well.  One of the students told me he wanted to marry an English girl - but he did not specify which one.

In the afternoon we went to the Orphanage again.  Some of the group went in with kindergarten groups and 4 went into the baby room.  After forty-five minutes everyone was taken to the entrance and all the children sat down.  It turned out that someone had bought cakes for all the children, but we had to wait until their father arrived before the children could be given it!  They still hadn't had the cake when we had to leave.

The group then went up to the elephant village for a ride through the jungle, two to an elephant.  It was a great success and everyone enjoyed it very much.  On the way back from the ride they were taken to see how silk is produced which they found fascinating. They then had some fruit before we were all taken back to the Centre.

You can read their latest news here. WIM will soon be visiting Mae Sot, the refugee camp where Hsa Thoo Lei School and SAW Safe House are based, and we will be bringing you updates of their visit.

Monday 29th June

This morning we went to the Orphanage.  We were greeted by Father and shown round the School for Deaf Children and then the rest of the Orphanage, ending up in the baby room.  The students had a great time playing with the babies and soon had favourites. We felt that the time went too quickly as everyone was having such fun!

After lunch we went to the Day Care Centre and were shown round as the children were all waking from their afternoon naps.  They put a DVD on to teach the children some of the Thai alphabet, and our students started dancing with the lady on the TV. Soon most of the children were joining in as well.  We then all went to play in the garden with the children and had a wonderful time with them.  They are amazing children and it is a fantastic project.  It was very humbling to realize where these children lived and what a blessing this facility is for them.  Gradually the children were collected and taken home, the last ones leaving at about 6 p.m.

Sunday 28th July

We had a fairly late start, leaving for the Camillian Centre at 10 o'clock.  We arrived just after 11, and had a powerpoint presentation about the work at all the Camillian projects.  We then had lunch with all the children, including the older ones from the Independant Living Centre.  After lunch the older children were presented with football kits from Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs. They immediately tried them on and posed for photos.  Suddenly Father Peter appeared in an Everton Kit and posed with the children, much to the amusement of all.

We then all piled into minibuses and trucks and went to Sattahip to the beach.  A great time was had by all. As soon as we found a place to put all our things, some of the younger children we running towards the sea, calling out to each other with joy.  We did not know about the beach trip, so were no really dressed for it, but still all went in the water, and managed to get our clothes pretty well soaked.  We soon dried off in the hot sunshine! Some of the older children played beach football with some of our students and had a great time.  At 4 o'clock we returned to the minibus and came home. 

Here is the next installment of her diary:

Saturday 27th June

We woke to find a beautiful sunny morning. We headed out to the new Fr ray Village, to see the houses and play with the children. The whole project is fantastic, the houses are beautiful and well kept and the children are all so happy. They all raced out to see us and went to the Sala and played with them there and on the playground. They were all an absolute delight. They then left to got the Children's Home to have lunch, as a benefactor had donated 850 lunches for the children in all the projects.

In the afternoon we went to the Children;s Home. We were shown around by Frances, but the children were mainly busy on timetabled activities so it took a while for us to be able to start playing with them. Once the ice was broken everyone mixed well and a very exciting game of volleyballtook place.

We got back and had a shower, then went to Mass.

Here is Sue's diary:

We had a good, if rather tiring journey on Thursday/Friday 25 and 26 July.  We had difficulty locating the driver who had been sent to meet us, so I left the group on some seating and went to find him.  Eventually we met up and I went back to fetch the others. We arrived late, but no worse for wear!

There is one student at the Vocational School for People with Disabilities who was born with no arms, but who can play the game of tak-raw beautifully. He has two very strong legs which he uses in place of his arms. He washes, dresses and feeds himself using his feet and when teams are being picked he is one of the most popular choices.

Before going off, we took them for a few days in the countryside so that they could talk about any fears they may have and also remember that our staff are there for them when they need help. Out into the countryside they went. They cimbed moutains, came across beautiful waterfalls and fast running streams and they hunted for their own food in the water ponds. It was a good way to say farewell to their friends and get ready for a better life.

For those who can't make it on time, click here for the is a listen on demand facility!

With the end of the school year upon us the end of term examinations are a nerve wracking time.  Rosemary teaches Listening & Speaking and during the first part of the exam her students were expected to be able to understand what was being said to them. The second part saw them answering question that were put to them.

Pattaya has been in the news headlines recently with anti-government protesters travelling to the city demanding the Thai Prime Minister resign and disrupting the ASEAN Summit Conference.

News programmes around the world have shown pictures of the demonstrators rioting through the streets of Pattaya, forcing past the military and storming the building where the conference was taking place.  Prime Ministers of several countries had to leave by helicopter.

None of the projects supported by the Thai Children's Trust in Pattaya has been affected, and we can inform our supporters that all the children are safe and looking forward to the Thai New Year Songkran festivals which take place this week

When:    7.30pm Tuesday 12th May 2009

Tickets:     £40 for the Thai Banquet, Cash bar.
Please pay in advance by cheque, cash or credit card

RSVP by:    ASAP to Jo Furlong, Thai Children’s Trust, 124 North End House, Fitzjames Avenue, London W14 0RZ    
Tel: 020 7602 6203
jfurlong@thaichildrenstrust.org.uk    

The ticket price includes a complimentary drink on arrival and a donation of £15 to Thai Children’s Trust.

The new building was paid for entirely by 'Hands Across the Water', a charity which exists in both the UK and Australia. Set up by police personnel from both countries who had been seconded to Tsunami duty in Thailand, Hands Across the Water enjoys a great deal of support from members of the police force in both countries.

Thai Children's Trust was incuded in the celebrations as a very gracious way of thanking the sponsors who make it possible for us to make a monthly contibution to the housekeeping costs. Your kindness is so much appreciated by Rotjana and her team.

But some hard thinking was done by Fr Weera at the Orphanage, and the result will be an extensive programme of rewiring, which is at present being planned, and the erection of two fire escapes, one of them paid for by Thai Children's Trust, which I went to see.

Fortunately looking at the fire escape occupied only a few minutes, and I was able to spend the rest of the afternoon visiting the School for Deaf Children, the Baby Room, and getting to know Fr Weera better. I enjoyed his infectious enthusiasm for his work at the Orphanage. Previously he was Vicar-General of the diocese, so there has been a marked cultural shift, but he plainly relishes the new challege. It was a very happy afternoon.

Each child has three uniforms, to allow for washing - done at the Day Care Centre. Each goes home at night with a little knapsack. Mrs Boonthavee and her staff are up early, baking cakes and preparing vegetables - each child gets two proper meals and two snacks each day, so no-one goes home hungry. Their dedication is outstanding.

The stories behind the children are no less heartbreaking than those in the Children's Home. The difference is that these children are still with a parent, or at least a carer. One little scrap is cared for by a neighbour: his mother has run away, and his father is in prison for life for murder. Another child lives by a 'klong' a canal. Because his parents must work all day, he was left alone. He has already been rescued from the canal more than once. Another child has parents who have no work. No work means no food. Another, aged four, has been used as a drug-runner. Poor people quickly get into debt which they can't repay, and arrears bring the drug dealers looking for people who have no choice but to take appalling risks.

The children may come from challenging backgrounds, they may come with unwished extra passengers like lice or nits, they may have poor health or rotten teeth. But nothing daunts Mrs Boonthavee and her team. They will settle for nothing less than healthy, happy children who will, when the time comes, leave their care looking forward to going to school and confident of their ability to succeed.

They visited caves and the Shell Fossil Cemetary, where 75 million-year-old shell fossils have formed giant slabs. They also visited a well-known temple, where the Abbot gave a dharma talk to the group. The rip was sponsored by Siam Solvay Foundation.

On the last day of the month, 50 children from the orphanage and Baan iTV were at Baan Tharn Namchai learnt how to cook Thai-style desserts. In particular they were taught to make Khanom Jaak.

The students, teachers and staff recently joined the people throughout the Kingdom to pay tribute to the late HRH Princess Galyani, elder sister of HM The King, who died earlier this year and was cremated earlier this month.

The whole school gathered together to sing national songs, say special prayers and read out special words of respect that the students had written.

The late Princess devoted her life to improving the health and education of the nation's children and was held in very high esteem.

Nai arrived at the Camillian Center on 31 January 2008. He was abandoned by his mother when he was a few months old, and neighbours looked after him without knowing he was HIV positive.

When he started showing symptoms of AIDS, he was rejected and suffered discrimination. He ran away and travelled 450km to stay with an old family friend. Seeing his condition, the lady took him to the local hospital and abandoned him there.

When he arrived at the Camillian Center, referred by the hospital, he was in a very bad state. So many of his vital organs were damaged, especially his liver. His CD4 count was 9, which indicates a very low immune system. Nai was very ill and his condition was deteriorating.

However over the next few months he responded well to medication, and was able to play with our children and enjoy the activities at the Centre. He put on weight and started to smile.

Two months ago he got a new infection, a variant form of tubercolis. It didn't respond even to the best medication given by a team of specialists from Chulalonkorn hospital.
Our teachers stayed with him in turn at the hospital. He passed away on the 15th November.

His body is back at the Centre and will be cremated on the 17th November. He is sleeping on a cushion of beautiful flowers and looks like a little angel.

The Camillian Centre asks you to prayer for Nai and for all of the children at this very difficult time.

At the Vocational School, the teachers, volunteers and students gathered to attend a ceremony where they offered prayers for the late Princess. Speeches were made by the students and staff where they praised the work and life of Her Royal Highness, emphasizing her goodness and how we can all learn from her life.

For three days everyone here in Thailand will wear either black or white as a mark of respect.  The people of Thailand revere the Thai royal family and Her Royal Highness was much loved and respected by the nation.

At the Drop-In Centre the residents spent a whole day making their Krathongs using slices of banana trees, banana leaves, flowers and candles. The competition was fierce as to who would win the 100 baht first prize and the 50 baht second prize.

The judges, two of our volunteers, were almost mobbed by the young people at the Centre. They were hugged, told how handsome they were and asked if they would like to sit down and have a glass of water. Unfortunately all the attention stopped when the winners were announced.

However, within two minutes of arriving one of our boys had thrown himself in the pool, quickly followed by a few of his friends. And since they were wet, they decided everyone should be wet, and they went around throwing everyone else in the pool. Some tried to run away and other tried to hide, but when we announced dinner was ready there was not a single dry person.

The students from Hong Kong got to know the street kids at the Drop-In Centre very well in such a short time and it is good for both sides to meet people from other backgrounds, see how other people live and meet people from other countries.

Loy Krathong is a very special and traditional ceremony that is celebrated throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. It is the time of year when the Thai people pay respect and give thanks to the Goddess of Water. At the same time people ask for forgiveness for the water they have wasted and for polluting the waterways.

Krathongs are small beautifully decorated floats, and with candles, joss sticks and flowers they are floated on the water. At the Fr. Ray Foundation the young children dressed in traditional costume and after a few words from Fr. Patin the children made their way to the small paddling pond and floated their Krathongs. 

Birthdays are special at the Camillian Centre: until recently, the children could not rely on seeing many birthdays. Now they are happy and heathy, birthdays are something to celebrate.

Speaking warmly of the visit to Sarnelli House by Bupa volunteers in 2007, Fr Mike recounted the achievements of the volunteers - the buildings painted, the kitchens, washrooms and sports facilities built, the gardens stocked. They had bought new bedding for all the girls, 'since which time', said Fr Mike, 'not one girl has wet the bed, a miracle in itself'. Bupa had sent a dvd of their visit, which his children had seen, and had been amazed to find that the people they knew in paintstained dungarees as painters and gardeners were in fact people with busy, responsible jobs in grand offices: the kids were amazed that they would take time out to go to Sarnelli to help.

'You can see the face of Christ in the face of a child', said Fr Mike, 'especially a little two year old who is brought in very, very ill, unloved, unwanted, despairing and frightened.' He told the story of one of his children, a little girl from Laos, whose mother had died of AIDS, and who was abandoned in his care by her aunt. The child has been horribly disfigured by shingles. Parts of her face were simply missing - nostrils, lip, a cheek. 'She looked ashamed', said Fr Mike, 'utterly humiliated.' His reaction, like everyone else's, was to take a step back in shock, then he was ashamed. He felt he had let the child down. Now, he says, 'we have made up for it. She is a lovely, happy smiling little girl, full of life. In her we have seen both faces of Christ, the suffering Christ and the Christ happy, laughing, loving.' And this, said Fr Mike speaking directly to the donors in the church and beyond, 'is due to you. God's love is shown to people like her through people like you. God bless you!'

Following the Mass Fr Mike had lunch with some of the Bupa volunteers from the 2007 challenge, and was presented with a cheque for £5000 by Claire Atkinson (pictured, with Fr Mike), of Bupa Community Connections, who was the main instigator of the 2007 Challenge in Sarnelli.

The mid-year vacation for this year started on 6^th October 2008 for the school-age children at the Pattaya Orphanage. Apart from having longer free time with sports and good television programs, the group of children in level 1 of primary school, including some from the level 3 of kindergarten, spent time learning a life skill, manual laundering. The explanation and demonstration of all the necessary steps, combined with the very sunny weather, allowed the children to enjoy the wash thoroughly, be proud of their own product of clean clothes and school bags, and learn a very useful skill.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, one of the buildings of the Pattaya Orphanage is being equipped with fire extinguishers and two fire escapes. The classrooms of the 36 deaf preschoolers are on the 1st and 2^nd floor while bedrooms for the deaf boarding students are on the 3rd floor. Four teachers and caretakers sleep on the same floor. The 4th and 5th floors have sections for the boys and girls, accommodating 58 orphaned children, aged between 5 and 13.There are also eight night-shift teachers and caretakers for both dormitories. Following the installation of the fire escapes, a total of 15 fire extinguishers will be mounted on each floor and regular fire drills will be scheduled. Thanks to our supporters, the children and their teachers will be, and feel, very safe and secure.

It is not just a new group of volunteers who have recently arrived at the Vocational School, but we also welcomed a new group of volunteer English teachers. From Denmark, the UK, Germany, Singapore and Australia this new group will teach each day until the term ends in March next year. 

A new term means a new group of very nervous young disabled students arrive at the School for the Disabled to start learning their chosen subjects. The first day is for the new students to get to know each other, the teachers and their fellow students, and it is a great day of fun. It is the old students who devise activities for the new students and there is always a lot of singing, dancing and humiliation.

Once the students have spent the day getting to know each other, the evening is the time when the teachers welcome the students. This is done by the teachers tying small white strings on the wrists of the new students.

Many of the students have had very sad lives before joining our School, but after the initiation ceremonies they know that they now have friends, and their new lives are about to begin.

The monsoon rains have been heavier than in previous years and during one recent weekend the rains flooded Pattaya. But this did not stop the residents from the Drop-In-Centre going to camp. In fact the heavy rains provided more fun.

Early one Saturday morning they travelled for one hour into the countryside where they were split into teams and were expected to perform tasks which would earn them enough food and utensils to be able to cook a beautiful meal.

Once the tasks were completed the fun started. Wrestling matches were held with opponents balancing on a trunk of bamboo placed over the dirty muddy water. The basketball game turned into a rugby match with everyone throwing each other into the mud.

Great fun was had by all.

The new building will provide a home for up to 4 families while their parent is at the Camillian Social Centre and then enable the family to stay together while the HIV+ parent completes their treatment and rehabilitation.  It is close to local schools and facilities.  Each family has their own vegetable plot.  

Catterick is the largest Army garrison town in Europe, with more than 25,000 soldiers and families based there, including a vibrant and generous Catholic community which has adopted Pattaya Orphanage Trust as one of its two charities for the year.

'We had a great day in North Yorkshire.  It was a pleasure to meet Fr Timbo and his parishioners, and to have the opportunity to thank them personally for their generosity to the children in Thailand', said Andrew.

Tak-raw is the national sport here in Thailand, and come the early evening there are games being played throughout the country. There are three players on each team and the aim is to get a small rattan ball over the net and if the opposing team does not return the ball then a point is won. It is similar to volleyball, except that hands and arms can not be used- not as easy as it looks! Thai men learn to play from a very early age,and recently our students from the Vocational School for the Disabled participated in a competition and they played very well, so well that several medals were won. 

The students from the Vocational School for the Disabled recently joined the blind students at a local petanque competition and some of our students played better than we thought they could, bringing several medals back to Pattaya. This is just one of the many sports that the disabled students can take part in and we always encourage the students to take up at least one sport. Well done to everyone who participated. 

Children learn to read and write as soon as they start school, and the blind children at the School for the Blind are no different. From an early age they must learn how to use a slate to write the words and also how to feel the words that they are reading.

Reading and writing Braille looks difficult to sighted people, but for the blind it is the way they communicate with others, and it is their way of reading the same books that we all enjoy reading. 

With so many students and staff at the School for the Disabled, and with the school providing three meals a day the amount of washing up liquid that was needed was a huge amount. Detergent is also needed to clean the classrooms and other rooms at the school, so Sister Pavinee decided that instead of using chemicals that could damage the planet the students should make their own. Using many ingredients, all natural and not harmful to the planet the detergent comes in three different scents. As well as saving money for the school it is also an opportunity to teach the students about ways of helping to protect the planet and it is a skill that they can use when they return to their home village. 

The workers on the agricultural farm needed some emergency help recently so they made a phone call to the Drop-In Centre and within minutes several boys had arrived to help. Little did they know that the job they would be doing was to help clear all the dirt from the compost heap. But they were there to work and work they did, all afternoon until there was no more dirt to move, and by the look of them after they were finished it seemed that they had more dirt on them than what they had shovelled. 

Each Saturday morning several of the boys from the Drop-In Center for Street Kids take a short drive up to the Vocational School for the Disabled to learn how to play the guitar. Most Thai boys, especially those from the countryside can play the guitar, but they all wish to improve their skills, and the music group from the school have some very good musicians. We are hoping to have some chart toppers in the future. 

A message received from Paw Ray, who is our contact with Hsa Thoo Lei School highlights the dangers faced by the children and families remaining in Burma.  Paw Ray says (October 9^th)

‘Three days ago heavy fighting took place. The heaviest fights were located in the KNU stronghold of Kaw Ser and Ka Law Kaw Area, inside Karen State. SPDC and DKBA combined troops launched attacks and even crossed the border by attacking the Thai village of Mae Klong in Umpamg area.

SPDC/DKBA put landmines and forced people to run away. Three schools are located in the area.

Villagers were forced to flee.  They hide scared in the jungle with no shelter and no food.

Our contact person inside Karen State called me this morning and asks for help. People there have nothing and need food such as rice and corn, mats, plastic to protect from the rain, blankets to be able to survive.’

There is an unhappy sequel, received today (October 16). Paw Ray’s colleagues from the Burmese Migrant Workers Committee sent an aid mission into Burma -

‘I share with you some updated information about the emergency situation. During clothes distribution mission we met difficulties. Unfortunately the group got under fire and one person died. The clothes have been taken and we lost them. We are so sad’

The help which Pattaya Orphanage Trust can offer is confined to the children who have escaped Burma to the safe haven of Thailand, but these reports bring home the reality of the dangers they have been forced to flee. Dangers which are still faced by family and friends who remain on the other side. 

The London Mass is at St Augustine's, 55 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8AU on Saturday 8^th November at 11am. Light refreshments will be served in the church hall afterwards.

The Dublin Mass is at the Redemptorists Church, Marionella, Rathgar, Dublin on Sunday 9^th November at 1pm. An optional lunch for €20 at TKII, a local Thai restaurant,  is also available. Please email the office at jfurlong@pattayaorphanage.org.uk to book. 

Please let us know if you can attend by emailing us at jfurlong@pattayaorphanage.org.uk. 

The school was responding to an appeal from the Trust for Hsa Thoo Lei Learning Centre, a school for Burmese migrant children in the Thai town of Mae Sot.  The appeal is supported by Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

More than 700 children attend Hsa Thoo Lei, which also supports education at another 45 informal schools serving some of the thousands of children who have fled from Burma to Thailand for safety.

There is a film about the work of Hsa Thoo Lei on the projects page of the website

www.pattayaorphanage.org.uk/projects/refugee

A man using the name of Timothy Crawford is attempting to recruit fundraisers on a commission basis - usually in the USA or Canada - claiming that they will raise money to help orphaned children via Pattaya Orphanage Trust.  This is a scam.  If you accept such a position you will receive a cheque in the post which you will be asked to pay into your bank account before sending the funds, less commission, to Mr Crawfor or an accomplice.  Your cheque will clear, the cheque you received will bounce although it may take weeks.  You will lose your money.

If you are offered a fundraising job at Pattaya Orphanage Trust please email info@pattayaorphanage.org.uk to make sure that it is genuine.

Please note these points:

1. We do not employ Timothy Crawford.

2. We do not pay commission to fundraisers.

3. We are not currently fundraising actively in the USA, Canada or Australia, which are the countries from which we have had reports about Crawfords activities.

4. We only support work in Thailand, so we have no involvement in Orphanages in Africa.

5. All official Pattaya Orphanage Trust emails come from an @pattayaorphanage.org.uk email address.

If in doubt email info@pattayaorphanage.org.uk.  Don't be taken in.

Each Saturday evening the music group from the School for the Disabled make their way down to Walking Street in the centre of Pattaya. Once they set up and tune their instruments they spend a couple of hours entertaining the locals and tourists. Apart from playing some very good music, they also raise funds for the school and thankfully Pattaya has some very generous tourists. 

When he was just a young boy, Metee, or Moss as he is known, stood on a landmine in his home province which left him with both legs amputated. Having no legs has not stopped this young man joining in the daily soccer matches that are played at the Children’s Home. Goalkeeper is his favourite position and when he is sitting on the floor he is always the smallest player, but watching him jump and throw himself on an approaching ball is just amazing. At a recent in-house soccer competition Moss was named ‘Man of the Match’ and was also in the winning team.

As the Olympic Games were being held inChina, a group of students from the School for the Blind took part in the National Inter-School Games for the Blind. It is always amazing to watch these young students taking part in sporting competition.

How does a blind man jump the long jump, or run the 100m race? By listening to their coach the blind students can take part in most sports. When they run a race they tie their wrists together with their trainer who runs along side them. In the sprint races the trainer will run along side the track calling instructions. In the long and high jump competitions they count the steps they run before it is time to jump.

It takes many hours of training to be selected to represent the School and compete in sporting competitions, but like most sighted students our children love sports.

Khun Suporntum Mongkolsawadi, known by his nickname of Adjan Dhan, has been at the Vocational School for many years, first as a student, then as a teacher before becoming Principal. During his time atthe school he has achieved so much, making the School what it is today- the best vocational school in Thailand. He has been an inspiration to the hundreds of students who have graduated from the School.

Adjan Dhan has decided to step down as Principal to head a new project, The Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities. This Foundation will reach out to disabled people in the community and offer assistance. It will also fight for equal rights for the disabled of Thailand.

We all wish Khun Suporntum the best of luck.

Fr. Larry has had a busy week presenting birthday presents to the children at the Street Kids’ Home. Each child receives a large plastic bag filled with goodies. Each gift contains the usual candy and snacks, but the older boys and girls also receive toiletries.

For some of the children it may be the first time they have ever received a gift on their birthday, and it is always a very happy day for them. 

As a special treat to celebrate the beginning of Buddhist Lent the children and staff from the Drop-In Centre for Street Kids were invited to spend the day having fun at Dream World. After a three and a half hour bus drive to Bangkok everyone was given a book of free tickets which allowed everyone to go on any ride they wanted to, with no charge.

There were plenty of rides to choose from but everyone wanted to go into the Snow House, as none of the children have ever seen snow. After waiting in line for thirty minutes they entered, swapped their flip-flops for a pair of wellies, donned a thick padded anorak and entered the main room where the temperature was 1 degree Celsius. It was so cold that everyone gasped at just how cold it was, but there was fun to be had so an inflatable rubber ring was grabbed and everyone made their way up the snow mountain so that they could do some sledding. But the cold was too much for the kids and they could not wait to get back into the 35 degree heat.

On the recent Teachers' Day the students held two separate ceremonies. The first one was for their own teachers, where all the students presented flowers and paid respect to the staff who not only teach them in class but take care of them when school is finished.

The second ceremony was for invited guests who have helped the school over the past year, and Fr. Larry took centre stage and received the floral arrangements on behalf of the invited guests.

As usual there was entertainment, provided by the young boys and girls who performed a song and dance number. The older students provided music, both modern and traditional Thai.

This is an important day for the students as they remember how hard the teachers work to make sure that they receive a proper education and are well taken care of.