Chiang Mai training

This week we went to Chiang Mai, actually a bit south of the city well-known for the nice natural scenery. But we didn't go for the fun it, but actually worked in this place where all Farangs (white guys) usually go for holiday !
Pi Tiou, the founder and director of the Home Hak Foundation, has a reputation that exceeded what I first thought. Not only a voice fighting against AIDS and for youth, but also she's got a pretty good standing in seminars about innovative thinking and group dynamics ! Now that came as something of a surprise to me, what with our limited mind placing people who care for kids far from anything having to do with business or the modern world, but actually Pi Tiou really has an outstanding charisma when it comes to dealing with groups, especially youths, and also breaking conventional ways of thought.

The Doi Inthanon National Park staff called up on her to share experiences and enrich their program concerning camps they organize for schools of the Chiang Mai vicinity. Pi Tiou, Yin, Peow, Dara, Pi Puu and I were the team chosen to help out. So for over a week, we discovered the motivated persons of the staff, aiming at making children discover the marvellous specificities of the biggest and highest park in Thailand. Days of training alternated with short camps when children were on site, and I really discovered the meaning of the thai, “mai pen rai” - it's not a problem – once more. Plannings for the days were changed about every 2 hours, not only because of the often-changing mountain weather, but especially because the main goal of the exercise was to constantly observe how the children were reacting to what was happening. If an activity really pleases them, run into overtime without hesitating, and in the same way, if 20 minutes into another you're hearing a lot of fidgeting and yawns, break it up and get them running ! Great training for me, also it's the first time I really see Pi Tiou in action, totally in her element leading groups of kids and adults alike to discover the riches the have within, and to find the energy to share and build on it.

Of course this was also a great time for me to discuss of many things with these key persons of the Home Hak staff, away from the daily routine and once again in an engaging natural environment. But I started missing the children from day 1 of the camp, and since I have then 2 weeks in Europe for administrative visa issues, these will be hard weeks !

Nong Nen is still at the hospital, but living away from all her friends seems to be taking a toll on her stamina... we're thinking of bringing her back home for her to try to get better. Never underestimate the power of the mind on the body ! And since nothing in particular is done at the hospital that cannot be done by Aude, a voluntary nurse, it's just as well.

Oh, and the staff back home phoned that Nong Pai, a 5-year old boy, hit his head real hard falling from somewhere in the new building. Now how is it that kids don't know if something is dangerous until they try ? But his crying was a good sign, better than still silence so we could laugh about it. He's a strong kid.

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Home Hak grows, Love Grows

New kitchen area, new clothes-washing machines housed in a new extension, new tiles where cement used to sand our delicate feet away... What will we not do to enhance the living environment of our 50+ little souls ? Often when the kids are at school, I take advantage of the free time to work with Deng on one of these many projects.

Deng is 26 years old, like me. I'm older by about a month, I get to call him "Nong Deng", which makes us both laugh because the kids always look at us funny : for them, he has always been Pi Deng, "older brother".

Back 5 years ago, when the Foundation was more concentrating on saving drug-addicted youths - AIDS kids arriving slowly changed the scope over the years - Deng was one of those fighting to free himself from drugs. The Foundation methods were pretty harsh by our standards : full severage from drugs, and also any eventual addiction replacements like coffee, alcohol, smoking. This would never have succeeded without the fundamental specialty applied in the Foundation : relaxing the body through massage and herb sauna cycles, administered by two assigned "guardian angels" who themselves often had been saved by the Foundation.

Deng has been living since then at the Foundation, gradually finding balance in his life. According to Father Tenaud, his rather lazy character greatly improved, he just finished a degree in civil engineering. He now takes on projects and responsiblities that today almost make me doubt that he was once a "troublesome" kid... So when I talk about spending time building things at the Foundation, you can put a face on the one who actually does most of the work !

Not all faces are fully relaxed though... Nong Nen is at the hospital now, a vicious bacteria invading her fragile blood stream. Since 5 days we've been awaiting blood from Bangkok for transfusions... Doctors opinions range from "no problem, just wait it out" and "she's only got a month left"... and next week we have a training camp 800 km away ! So many questions, what if she's not there when I come back ? Will the blood from BKK arrive on time ? Will there be enough ? And none of can be in my hands ! Nothing to do but wait, pray, and call for news as often as possible ! Perhaps the most reassuring is her cheerful smile on her thin face, shining joy and confidence from her hospital bed...
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From Glaciers to Greatness !

[Francais ici] [Deutsch hier]

Wow ! A couple weeks of trekking really do clear the mind ! Together with friends of many horizons, we hiked through the most incredible mountain range in the world : the Himalayas ! Rising every day to reach a pass at 5100m (19,000 feet), in a scenery of raw stone tortured by wind, ice and time, it was a great opportunity to realize how much the world as a whole is full of meaning. Always leading us to search for answers, each new discovery leads to a magnificent bouquet of new questions, the quest for understanding is never to stop !

But why should we understand ? Why should we feel compelled to find answers ? I’m going through pretty many shortcuts here in giving you my own answer: because each and every one of us, every one of you and I, have a place and a role to play on this Earth, in this universe, here and now. So looking at the world around us, and discussing about it with the people we meet, leads to understanding what we deeply want to do, demeaning the often easy wishes that pop up as initial answers to the question, “watcha wanna do ?”

But I’m straying a bit from the subject here – I better let a few pictures translate the grandeur that one can feel, climbing on the rooftops of the world…

[Papy] [Bridge] [Cyril]

[Cliff] [Summit] [Cold Waters] [Stupa]

[Me] [Mother_Child] [Prayer_Flags]