Progress, but not with the blog...

Apologies for the lack of the promised posting yesterday caused by unavoidable technical difficulties.  The hotel wireless internet was running at the speed of cold treacle, possibly because of thunderstorms. Today is better courtesy of a Vodaphone dongle which probably shouldn't work but does.  Beat that!


So we'll brush lightly over the events of yesterday which included a visit to an astonishing school called Agape, a visit to the equally astonishing Mae Tao Clinic, a rather sad and disappoint visi to Kwe Ka Loke school and a thoroughly gastronomic visit to Hsa Mu Thaw school, who have a way with mushrooms....  Brushing lightly over at this stage does not mean they will be ignored forever, but they will be mentioned later.  Suffice to say that the team was completed by the arrival of Nick and Sophie Leventis.  Nick proposes to jump out of an aeroplane later this year, in tandem with another jumper, at an altitude considerably greater than that of Mt Everest which, for the sake of easy comparison, will be conveniently located nearby.  Nick and his companion will drop more than 20,000 feet before landing - gently, we hope - in the Himalayas at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet.  Money raised will becoming to children's projects on the Burma border, and given the severity of the challenge Global Angels are looking for some serious sponsorship.

Nick, Global Angels Ambassador

Sophie, Global Angels Ambassador

Rohan, Brunswick Films

Robbie, Brunswick Films

Jennifer, Room to Grow 

(fieldwork partner for Thai Childrens Trust)

Nobel, Room to Grow

Now the quick witted amongst you will have recognised that there is one mugshot missing, namely that of your humble servant who has totally failed to master the knack of taking my own photograph.  It may be remedied later.

That's the team.  Our challenge is to revisit 6 projects in two days, and visit one new project.  Today was a great start

9 a.m.  Agape School.

Nick and Sophie talk to the exceptionally capable and devoted Head Teacher at Agape.

Everyone joined in the Saturday morning singing and dancing.

After visiting the school, Head Teacher David took us to the bank of the Moei River, the border between Burma and Thailand.  Many families live in shacks on the dry areas of riverbed, which technically belong to neither country.  These communities can be difficult and dangerous.  David has persuaded parents to let 50 children come to his school.  The children would otherwise be in great risk.

A child of the Moei River.

Then it was on the the Mae Tao clinic where I was prevented from taking photographs by the necessity to do some work.  Apologies.

In the afternoon, first the wonderful SAW orphanage where TCT sponsors seven children going to Thai schools.

Sophie with the tiniest child at the Orphanage.

Nick takes a double helping!

Followed by a rapid shower - the temperature here today was 32 degrees with added thunderstorms, so impossibly humid.

Last call of the day was dinner as guests of Wide Horizons, a school for 24 young people between 18 and 30 who learn English, computer skills, proposal writing and other skills which will make them valubale contributors to their own communities.  This project is run by World Education, who operate from Boston, Mass.  It is not funded by TCT, but the young people kindly invited us to share the evening with them, which was a great opportunity for us all to get to know more about events inside Burma from people with first hand experience. We had a great time.

Thanks to all at Agape, Mae Tao Clinic, SAW and Wide Horizons for an unforgettable day.