Greetings from Sarnelli House!
This month, I am taking over from Fr Mike Shea to write you the monthly update since he is away in USA visiting his sick sister and hunting for shekels for the kids. Fr Bird and Brother Keng are taking a one-month spiritual course in Rome, so I am a home-alone priest at Sarnelli House this month and I am happy to keep you updated!
The staff are praising God that the kids are back at school. We are back to our usual schedule – getting up early, chasing the kids ready to go to school, waving them off on the bus. When they come back at 5 PM the house moms help them with their homework, cook for them and listen to them as they talk about their day at school. Today when I entered the House of Hope (house for the toddlers) two house moms were arguing about how to do Kane’s homework. Kane is in grade one, and he simply looked at them and got more confused. That’s life here.
Some good news about our kid’s studies, Ying our eldest girl living with HIV/AIDS starts her 3 year nursing degree at Boromarajonani College of Nursing in Udon Thani, Miss Daling from Our Lady of Refuge Home for Girls, Viengkhuk has started her nursing assistant course in Khonkaen University. Tai and Fah also from Viengkhuk are making a new life in Bangkok. They are studying at Ramkhamhaeng University, and at the same time working at the company of one of our volunteers (Khun Auey’s). Plern from Viengkhuk and Gib from Nazareth House made an effort and have entered the best high school in Nongkhai, Prathumthep Wittaya School. Plern who flunked 8 subjects two years ago and was called by Fr Mike “Ploen 008” (as James Bond 007) has now completely restored her reputation. I am sure she will ask for a big present from Fr Mike when he comes back. These girls are good examples for the younger ones and make us very proud.
The rain has come and it is time to plant the rice. The male staffs have been preparing the paddy fields with the help of our older boys in the past few weeks. And this month we will load all the kids and staff up and take them out to the paddies to plant rice during the weekends. It will be muddy and dirty, but a fun and happy time as well. I am sure Kate will shoot some photos for the website soon. This year we are thankful that the Thai Children’s Trust helped us buy the 74 rai of land. We expect that this will help us have enough rice for our nearly 170 children for the whole year. Thank you very much!
On June 4th it was Visakha Bucha Day which is one of the main Buddhist celebrations in Thailand. There was a Bung Fai (rocket) parade. Our 40 kids became the dancers in the parade. Kate was asked to be the village sign holder. Marcia and Lena, our German volunteers, joined the kids in Thai dancing. Everyone was made up and was beautifully dressed in the traditional Thai costumes. Their participation really rocked the celebration. You can see this in Stories section “Bung Fai 2012 (Rocket Festival)”
On June 17th we will have a farewell party to say good bye to Marcia and Lena who have been here and volunteering at Sarnelli House since September 2011. Both are doing great for our kids, staff and people here, and are very much loved by them. There will be lots of tears during the party. Thank you so much for coming and being with us. We are looking forward to seeing you again.
At last, please be assured that we keep our benefactors and friends in our daily prayers and thank you so much for your continual support. And we pray in a special way for Fr Mike Shea, our dear Father who is working hard in the States at the moment together with Frs Chuck Beierwaltes and Dave Polek. All kids and staffs miss their father so much.
Gratefully,
Fr Ole
