by Marie-Claire Munnelly
During December you may recall being hounded to buy some Christmas cards, participate in a 50/50, or some other effort to raise money for an orphanage in Thailand. Yes, guilty as charged, and I want to thank all of you for your help and generosity.
The time spent at Baan Unrak impressed both my memory and my heart. Baan Unrak is quite a way from Bangkok, requiring a lengthy van or bus ride on a few bumpy roads. It is situated in teh mountainous Kanchanburi province, which is extremely close to Burma. Many of the children at teh orphanage are from Burma, displaced for various reasons: war, disease, and poverty. I wasn't sure how receptive the children would be to us - a group of foreigners suddenly showing up, meaning well but also unsure of exactly what they were to do. But, the energy and love these children radiated was amazing. The kids range from a few months old to seventeen. The environment was one of genuine kindness, and each of the volunteers had different types of relationships with the kids.
Our stay entailed celebrating Christmas Day (which included each child receiving a gift from their wish lists), an outdoor candlelit dinner, and a performance put on by the kids. We also had a game day with the village children, helped out in a jungle school, painted, weeded, meditated, and lots of other activities. Just being present at the orphanage allowed us to talk to the kids, play with them, and participate in their daily lives.
It is difficult for me to express how much this trip affected me. I am not sure if it was the refreshing tropical climate, the smiles, or just a plain break from work here, but I came back from Thailand with new energy, and a sense of continuing this adventure we call life. You know the expression, "Every cloud has a silver lining"? As cheesy as it may sound, I feel like I have a new outlook that sees this silver lining - seeing the best in what is around me - it's changed me.