Children's Home Christmas Party

Tuesdays presentation

 On Tuesday as I was teaching my last class of the day an announcement came on and said that everyone was to line up and get ready to enter the meeting hall because they were having an assembly. I wasn’t really sure what was going on, so released my class and headed over to the meeting hall. Turns out the Children’s Home run by Catholic’s in Australia had come to present about Christmas. They had their main director speak for a few minutes and it was translated into Thai for the students. Then, the students from the home did different dances and sang. Most of the students were from our school, and the older ones who weren’t from our school had gone to our school before and were studying elsewhere now. It was a wonderful presentation, and at the end volunteers who had come from Australia stood at each door and handed out presents to each student. I stood by one door and reminded the students to say Thank You in English.

The Australians handing out presents

After the students all left, I was talking to the group of Australians about what they were doing and where they were from. They ended up asking me more questions than I was able to ask them and basically I ended up giving my testimony about how God brought me to be here over the last several years. They said they were so inspired by my story, and asked how you hear God and know what He is asking you to do. They invited me to the Christmas party they were hosting at the home tonight and were on their way.

This afternoon, I was having a bit of homesickness as I was at my house by myself and was making a handprint tree for the school. I hadn’t heard anything else mentioned about the Christmas party, so wasn’t sure if I was going or not. I decided to take a walk and see if anyone mentioned it and offered to take me. Several people mentioned it, but said that their table was going to be full and they didn’t know where I would sit. So, I finally kind of made my neighbor say that she would take me with the school. I came back to my house to take a shower as it would definitely be too cold to take one when I got home and as I was getting out, one of the ladies from Australia showed up on my doorstep to invite me and offered to come back and pick me up, but I told them I already had a ride and thanked them for coming to invite me. A little of my homesickness and worries were gone in that moment, realizing that someone had remembered me and took the time to come to my house to invite me.

The Father saying some words to open the night

the older children from the home singing

When we got to the party we were each given a glow in the dark bracelet and I was quickly whisked away by some of the Australians waiting at the gate to the head table. I sat at the head table which was decorated fancy in red and was front and center with the Burmese doctor, the couple from England who are leaving next week, one of the main guys from Australia whose name is Morris, and Father John, the priest. We talked for a few minutes until they decided it was time to start, and then watched as group after group from the children’s home performed, and then after so many acts they invited a group from the community up to present. It was fun to watch how talented they were as they sang in Thai, English and Karen, did dances they choreographed themselves, and just enjoyed presenting to us. I recognized several students of mine, and know that most of them go to my school and are probably in my classes, I just don’t recognize them yet. As I was talking to Morris, he asked me if I could come and teach English once or twice a week when the people from Australia aren’t here. He said that while they are here the children’s English improves, but then once they go the children forget what they have learned. I said that I will have to pray about it and will talk to him again when he returns after the New Year, because I’m supposed to start teaching teachers at the school after the New Year and don’t know what my schedule will look like in the evenings.

a group from the church singing, many are my students as well

I’ve been praying for an opportunity to work with a home, and haven’t yet figured out which one I will work with, then, within the last few days I’ve been welcomed by the people running this home and they have invited me to come and help them out. One of the girls that I had met on Tuesday at the school came up to me and gave me a present. She said that she had been shopping and bought some things. However, they were things that I’m sure she had purchased for herself or to take back to people, a piglet mug, some hair ties, a shirt, two notepads, a scarf, etc… I was so excited and blessed, to receive a present from someone I had met for just a few minutes who gave up the things they had bought for themselves was very special. I am always amazed by the people that God puts in my life and how he uses them to bless me and hopefully will use me to bless others as well.

Caroline after giving me the Christmas presents :)

As the children were performing, they had a special meal that is an 8 course Chinese meal. It was so good, at one point I realized that the children from the home weren’t eating and I felt guilty. I asked Morris if they were going to eat, and he said they would eat after the performance was over. I hope that they had the same delicious food that we had, but I’m not sure if that was the case or not… I feel guilty that it was their Christmas and we ate the good food and they might not have had all of the delicious things that we had.

a group of boys from the home dancing

At the end of the night, I said good bye to all of my new Australian friends and promised to come back to visit them on Saturday before half of the group leaves on Sunday. What a wonderful place that God has placed in my lap that is supported by loving, caring people and that has children that are respectful and well behaved compared to those that live at some of the other homes. I pray that over time God will show me what he wants me to do to be involved in their lives and that I can be a blessing to them and help them. Please join me in praying for these children and the opportunities I can have with them and what God is doing in each of their lives to bring them to this point.

a group of girls dancing