Home and Life Orphanage Thailand

I guess now that is officially the middle of the month and I am finally feeling awake (well, sort of) it's time to move past December’s Challenge and actually accept that it is January. Does anyone else have a difficult time adjusting to a New Year? I always feel like I am not quite ready to accept that the holiday season is over. 

Well, I thought I would conclude December's Challenge with some photos of one of the orphanages we visited while we were there and some things I learned as a mother during our visit.

We arrived at Home and Life Orphanage and were greeted by their lovely staff with smoothies and pastries.  We met Root, the owner and manager, who left his career as an engineer to start Home and Life with his wife Rasa right after the Tsunami in 2004. There were many displaced children without parents, homes, and money at the time and he felt the need to do something about it. Truly such a great example of "Living for Others."




 Today, most of the 26 children are from families who have been affected by the Tsunami and are unable to provide for them and want to give them a chance at a better life. Root's philosophy is to create a "family environment" and really considers those children and staff members as family.

P.S. Have I mentioned that Thai people are so sweet with children? Little Man got plenty of attention and treats during his stay!


If you recall in a recent post (here) I spoke about wanting to teach my children to always be "anxiously engaged in a good cause."

 I have learned that children are never too young to grasp that concept... not even a two-year-old and we all know that for a two-year-old to share let alone give up candy and toys is a MIRACLE! I was blown away with Little Man's ability to grasp the concept of sharing with those who are in need of our help.



Refusing to eat a single piece of candy because he wanted to "Save it For the Kids," he anxiously was handing out toys, candy, and school supplies. He could have done that all day long!



Consequently, throughout the entire trip he continually was pointing out and wanting to help someone he saw in need. On a stop from a local convenience store he saw a man who appeared to be sick and asleep on the street. Little Man reached into his pocket and gave him the shiny new coin that he had just received moments earlier. We couldn't believe how much this TWO-YEAR-OLD was willing to share with others... that to me is "Anxiously Being Engaged in a Good Cause."

Root gave us a tour of the orphanage and told us more about the history of the foundation. One of their latest achievements is their coffee and bakery where many of the children are taught skills and how to work and manage money. The Bakery helps pay for the Orphanage.

We were able to see their garden, playground, and the rooms where the kids slept which have all come from funds they raised as a foundation. Even some of the buildings were hand built by staff and the children!

During the conclusion of our tour, Root showed us some art work that the children had done. He mentioned taking the kids to have an art lesson in a neighboring city. I was blown away with how skilled and beautiful each one of the pieces were!

 He talked to me about wanting to raise more funds to put towards their art lessons and a possible art gallery at the foundation. As an art lover myself, I loved that idea! Since then, my mind has been busy thinking up ways on how to help him make that possible. 

So, stay tuned.

Meanwhile, if you are interested in doing a service project and raising funds for an orphanage- I highly suggest contacting Home and Life. There is still so much need.

You can find out more info on their website: http://www.homelifethailand.com or follow them on facebook here.

 More Thailand update to come!

besitos xo,

"Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause"

I feel like I have neglected talking much about my challenge this month. 

Probably because I am striving to live it- there is not a lot of extra time! 

But I assure you I have been busy serving and doing what I can to get involved. 

THANK YOU to all of you who downloaded Bianca Merkley's Song and donated to the great cause.

If you still want to help- you can- we will make sure the money is put towards helping someone in need this Christmas.  

I did a How Does She post here on what we were doing for Hurricane Sandy- here are some of the images from Joshua Brown's video. 

What's my next project?

 Well, I have been busy these days planning and gathering things to take to two different orphanages in Thailand. I'll share more later next year.

 But for now I have to tell you that I have been inspired and corresponding with a woman named Allyson who has a family blog: http://www.carefreetimelessness.blogspot.com/ where she writes about her adventures traveling around different parts of the world, including Thailand, and serving for extended periods of time with her husband and FIVE kids! I loved going through her blog and reading about the experiences- it reminded me of visiting orphanages in Latin America with my family as a kid.

 If you get some time- go ahead and flip through some of her stories and images on what she has done... such a neat experience. How lucky are those kids to grow up with that experience?

In one of her first posts she writes about what she wants her children to learn. She writes:

I have been thinking a lot about what I want my kids to come away with from our home.  What ideas out of everything I teach them do I want to stand out?  Things that when they see, or feel or come across will be very familiar to them and the feelings in our home.  This is what I came up with.

To be anxiously engaged in a good cause.
To render simple acts of service
To be thoughtful and kind to the one- to love individually
To find the joy in all things
To be courageous in standing for truth and right

Isn't that awesome? I just may use some of this in our family mission statement!

Then she ends with this: 

So, with our whole theme of being deliberate, I am going to engage them in a good cause tonight.  We are going to rake leaves at an elderly lady's home that we have done the last couple of years-she has such a beautiful piece of property with an apple orchard as far as the eye can see.  So one experience after another it will help them see that that is what we do.  We help those in need.  And then when they are older and away from home they will naturally look for moments to serve...and their hearts will yearn for it because it will be a part of them.  I like how simple it is.  All it requires is an idea, some rakes, sweatshirts, and hot chocolate at the end.  Whalah! 

That is what this month's challenge is all about.

LIVING FOR OTHERS. 

May your holiday season be bright and shared with others you love.

xo,