Well done! A very well written piece and very informative! I thought you might like to know that work at the orphanage is still ongoing
www.landofsmiles.co.uk
Update Hi Steph,
I've recently been to Home and Life orphange to help out for a few days and thought you may like to know of how things are now if you haven't been following them yourself. Its also nice for me to see how things have changed since your visit.
There are now 5 sleeping blocks of 1 or 2 rooms with the newer ones having fully fitted bathrooms inside. While we were there they also finished off a new kitchen building and have a fully working bakery where they make cookies to sell and a communal room where they watch movies etc. They have also reinforced the river bank but it doesn't stop the kids from playing in it.
From the way you talk about it the kids it seems they touched your heart in the same way they have touched mine in the short time i was there. I also hope to go back in a couple of years and see how they are getting on.
Hi Steph! I was actually at Home and Life at the same time as you were! I hope that you and your kids are doing well! I loved spending time with the kids out there and I would love to hear about how they are doing now!
--Sara
Re: Home & Life Thank you for the update Heidi! As you can see its been awhile since I managed to get out there! I plan on visiting again soon...in the meantime, do you want to write a mini-update? I'll post it here referencing you as author...thx!
Home and Life I just recently returned from doing a service project at Home and Life. I went with a group from Salt Lake City, Utah, America. I loved it there! I know Son, Nun, Nam, Lang, Pupay, Supai, and many more of the kids staying there. I would have you know that there have been many improvements made since you posted this blog. There is too much to explain now so research it a bit to see the changes.
Correspondence. Stephanie... we did receive the written acknowledgement for Nam and Kwang. It's further affirmation that your overall undertaking is "working". Congratulations. Keep us posted/informed.
Great piece + question A moving piece that does more justice to Myanmar and its people, than most media depictions at the moment. Do you know of any agencies etc that are taking volunteers at the moment? I will be in BKK for a few weeks and was hoping to get to one of the border areas anyway. I did an internship in Yangon this last summer and have many people there I would like to help in some way. I speak Mandarin and am finishing an International Development masters so could be useful hopefully!? Thanks
Burma Government The Burma government actions, clearly shows they don't care about the lives of the people in their country. To be so arrogant in believing the can handle a disaster of this magnitude on their own is truly mind blowing. To deny universal aid workers access to get help to as many people as possible, as soon as possible says only one thing. They don't care about the people of Burma, just themselves. Anyone who can deny the help getting to the millions in dire need, causing even more massive deaths, doesn't deserve to live among the human race. They have no compassion,
heart or soul, and don't qualify as human beings.
The aid workers from the different agencies aren't political, the government knows this, it's just an excuse, and rather have hundreds of thousands die
instead.
Their actions are no different than if they had their army go to the villages and mass murder everyone with their weapons.
The time we're on this planet is only a blink of an eye compared to eternity,
and come judgment day their excuses and lies will be ignored, and their fate
determined. I certainly wouldn't want to be any of them on that day.
Steph, a very well written article. This is yet another tragic incident to hit the world, particularly when occuring in a country such as Burma, who's corruption and exploitation makes the entire situation much harder to deal with. However, I am pleased to say that this is has hit mainstream media in the UK, and that we have seen a reasonable amount of actual footage, considering Burma's attitude towards the notion of free press. The coverage of the cyclone has emphasised the plight of the Burmese, and I hope that it is raising awareness amongst the British at least, as with awareness comes change (I hope!). I'm also pleased to see stats regarding the response from other countries in this article, so thanks! Keep up the informative and interesting blogs, and I hope to be able to provide with some pro-activity from myself later in the year!
Nam In Canada...amazing! Hi Steph, heard of the good news and hope you all are doing fine. I saw your travel blog (I have my own here if you search for "johnnymoretti") and came across your blog. Great to see the photos and revisit. Roong and I are still in California. Roong is returing to Bangkok to visit family then back to US. I'm working in San Francisco and getting ready to return at year's end. We miss the kids so much and can't wait to hold them again. Let us know how things are and drop us a note sometime! Much love and keep up the wonderful things you're doing for humanity. -John and Roong Moretti
More, More, More. Stephanie... what a great info background on Nam's arrival. Hopefully, more pics and "dialogue" will follow. Keep up the good work.
Take care....
No Easy Feat I'm Sure Congrats on all your hard work!! How exciting to be able to bring her over to stay with you and experience our world, so far separated from all the suffering. Please continue to keep posting, Krystal
kind words... thx for the support, I'll pass it on to Stacie though...she is really the angel behind this project!. I have more good news coming soon...stay tuned!
Very Inspiring! I hope you guys post pictures of the art after the exhibit. I wish that I had the ability to get involved in something to help the children on the journey ahead of them. Keep posting on your blog and let us know how things go.
Krystal
You look great in your sports day uniform. Your school day sounds very interesting, especially the art. I'm sure you are great in that class, I loved your Christmas card drawing. Glad to hear your math is 100% way to go Marrin!
Love you and miss you lots.
Right on Marrin!!! So glad that school is going so well for you. Congratulations on your 100% way to go! I can't do that elastic band game either...I can't jump that high!!! Well, you are going to have to teach me how to speak Thai when you get back to Canada.
Miss you guys a whole bunch, lots of love,
Brittany:)
Go Marrin, Go! Oh WOW! That is pretty much the coolest thing ever! Marrin looks so happy and fits in so well with her friends. A big hug to everyone from me!!! Much love, Britt:)
If I wait any longer to be a part of the life that I live inside my head....if I wait until my children are older, if I wait until my bank account is full, if I wait until my degree is complete, the cats leave home, the family approves...If I don't follow my dreams today, right now, then I am not living the life I was meant to live.
Ready or not.
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Steve Woodhouse
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Well done!
A very well written piece and very informative! I thought you might like to know that work at the orphanage is still ongoing www.landofsmiles.co.uk