Karen and Hmong Kids for my heart

Nestled in the Inthanon mountain range, 150 kilometers southwest of Chiang Mai northern Thailand are two hostels/orphanages that were established by Ralf. These “boarding houses” [Filipino term] serve as shelter for the Karen and Hmong school children who come to school from the hamlets that are scattered throughout the mountain range. One is Mae Na Chorn Orphanage and the other is Mae Hae Hostel. see link: http://www.thaicare.org/. These hostels look after the daily needs of the kids and teach them the basics of Christian life.

The photos in this album were taken on my three-day trip to look into the physical and medical needs of the kids. Ralf, my gracious missionary host and owner of these hostels, and my sister and her husband in California made this trip possible. To them I say "Thablue" [Karen for "thank you"].

Kailee personally sees to it that her stuff is neatly 
packed and sent off.

Three red bags of medicines and used clothes

to bless the Karen and Hmong kids.

Mae Na Chorn Orphanage entrance

Chanchai Chaibureeopas aka P'San - Resident manager of Mae Na 
Chorn Orphanage. His wife Antima aka P'Aom and neice. The 
biggest surprise that I got was to find out that these three guys were 
SDAs [former]. P'san graduated from Mission College at Muak Lek
...course? theology no less, after 5 years there. His niece was a student 
at the  SDA academy in Mae Taeng. We had a great time comparing 
notes about how we found the truth and now live the truth. 
HALLELUJAH! (sanbureeopat@yahoo.com

Main building houses the kitchen, offices and

girls' quarters.

Having dinner: Kritsada, Panupong, Wisanu, Somkit

and Aekapop, all active and happy karen and Hmong kids.

Morning chores

Food cooking in the kitchen

piglets for future meals. I was imagining

lechon de leche and I missed the Philippines.

girls' bedroom

Momo - a Japanese volunteer. she teaches english to the kids. 
after introducing ourselves we found out that both of us come from
 the same church [ecb] and that we would sing in the same choir 
on Christmas. it was great finding a sister in the mountains. 
(momo_lydia@hotmail.com)

Frauleins Julia & Stefanie

Herr Thomas Singer an Industrial Engineer with a big heart

for the gospel work. (t.singer79@gmail.com)

Aids/HIV info posted around the countryside warning the

residents about HIV. What it says: Rak cheevit, rak

krobkruai, yahpathua pai thid aids. [Love life, love family.

Stay away from aids]

Pastor Kuyu. A Karen pastor/evangelist who was

diagnosed by the local doctor to have cancer of

the stomach... i thought otherwise.

The road to Mae Hae. note the oncoming pickup truck

loaded with cabbage. this region supplies the whole of

Thailand with cabbage.

Concrete floor blocks on steep climbs... instead of the

usual poured concrete. better traction during wet season.

The view from the Mae Hae guesthouse

Karen women waiting for their turn with the doctor.

The history taking was interesting because I would

first ask the question then Ralf interprets it in Thai

and then Yatu translates it in Karen to the patient.

the patient's answers go back through the same way.

I bet the same thing that happens in gossip happened here.

Kids watching my every move

more patients

a fire to keep us warm. In December to February icicles

form in water that is left outside. I was the only one without

socks and long pants and you bet I was shivering.

12 degrees Celcius

Breakfast consisting of melamine-laced cookies and coffee. 

no melamine in the pop-rice and bread.

Karen girls having breakfast

boys eat at the other end of the room

Pastor Sowi the oldest Karen evangelist alive in the mountains.

The kids singing a song for us.

Yetu the Karen resident manager of Mae Hae Hostel. a very jolly man 

and we bonded immediately like long lost brothers. Thats a karen 

shirt made by his wife. he also got my shirt tucked under an arm. 

fair trade, huh?

Thomas just can't resist the flowers actually all of us were out of the 

pickup picking the flowers and we got a good sized bagfull. they 

would be used to make a medicinal cream.

The road to Mae Hae. the village is 15,000 meters above sea level. 

That's much much higher than MVC.

awesome views

Vachiratharn waterfalls

Mae Chaem city in the valley

Doi [mount] Inthanon National Park

self-portrait on the bus to BKK. All the buses that night were full 

and there was a 'generic' [colorum] bus with cramped-in seats that was 

conveniently there for all the excess passengers. I got a seat beside a 

shy monk in his saffron robe who was silently biting a garlic clove, and 

the pungent aroma was wafting over my head. He reminded me of an 

enlightened friend in faraway Sydney.

Chiang Mai as seen on the map just in case you're 

wondering where in the world did this story happen.