Today we got up and went with Ashley and David up one of the mountains to visit the main
pagoda in Chiang Mai- Doi Set Hep. It was beautiful and the statues and architecture are breathtaking, but this was the first temple that we actual observed people worshipping in. We had to take our shoes off to go up to the actual place of worship and it was surreal. There were
groups of people meeting with monks and making first time
commitments along with countless others who were carrying flowers and incense around, bowing to the idols. It was so crazy. I really didn’t know what to think.
In the afternoon we hopped in the back of the truck and road through the mountains for an hour to go to Wiang Pa Pao, the widow’s farm. It is so beautiful there! It is a farm growing corn, lychee fruit, other fruit, pigs, chickens, fish and more! The widows live there, help with farming and sew bags and purses to sell as a type of micro-enterprise. Tutu said that in the future they want to look into planting a certain kind of tree that attracts silk worms so that the widows can
make silk as well!
When we got there, we watched them kill and slaughter a pig for us to eat and to take back for the orphans. Talk about fresh meat! It was delicious.
The farm provides food for the orphanages. It doesn’t completely feed the kids, but helps cut down the price of food a lot for Asia’s Hope.
We spent a hot, bug-filled night, wonderful night at the farm, then headed back home the next afternoon, but not without praying first. There is a big need for support for this farm. The farm does so much for Asia’s Hope by providing food for the orphanages, a place for the widows to live and support themselves, and eventually- they want to have an orphanage there too! Some of the widows actually have orphans
that stay at other Asia’s Hope orphanages, so it would be awesome to possibly move them out to be w/ their moms! Please pray that support would be raised to pay for this farm!
We got back home in the afternoon and Ashley and I went in to the orphanage to play with the kids and help them with their homework. The language barrier is so difficult for me! I have even taken a course in teaching English as a secondary language, but was completely unable to help a girl with her English homework! It has definitely been the hardest part about this trip.
Ash and I went to the store to pick up some party supplies for four of the nursery students’ graduation to the “big kid” dorms! We’re going to make it a really big deal for them and I am so excited!
We then went back home and practiced the music for the concert at the orphanage which is tomorrow! It should be really fun!
Busy busy! Please keep praying for Wiang Pa Pao!
Post a Comment