Visits to schools August 23-24, 2007

We went to three schools Thursday and Friday to see completed water projects. We were greeted at the first one by teachers and students. Some students were in their required uniform--green skirt or pants and white top--but these were dressed in their traditional tribe costume. This one is Karen, a state that is next to Thailand and one that has resisted becoming a part of the Union of Myanmar for over sixty years. The children with their hands together are making a "wai" pronounced "y" which is a Buddhist sign of respect. We were told about it at the mission conference--about who should wai to who. Usually younger to older. So as we meet school children, most of their hands are in this position. We like to shake hands with them, which they're not quite sure about.

I'm not sure of what the signficance of white and red is, but they're surely cute!

These girls were selected to hold the trays with scissors for the ribbon cutting ceremony. We've discovered that ceremonies are very important and there's a definite procedure that is to be followed. Ribbons and makeup look like this was quite a honor for them.

We went into the school where we are always greeted with soft drinks and/or fruit and a "rest period". The girl on the right gave the welcome address in the most perfectly enunciated words. It was really cute. Her father took a video of it and maybe we'll get a copy.

Always there are pictures to be taken, usually in front of the water tank. The man to the right of Carl is Dr. Win, who plans and coordinates all the water projects. We couldn't do them without him. He knows the government procedures and makes things happen. The woman to the left of me is one of Carl's students--an officer in the USDA, another organization that we work with that made it possible for us to resume teaching at the meeting house.

We are always given gifts of some kind. On Thursday we were given a big basket of fruit at both schools. On Friday we were given pictures--one is a framed oil painting and one is made of stones. I really like both. In fact, I think we've been given about six pictures. I'm not sure how we'll get everything home.

Now for a little explanation of the blog with no comments and lots of white space that follows this one. While I was working on it this morning, I suddenly got the message that I had lost my internet c onnection. I knew it was in draft so thought I could retrieve it and finish adding these pictures as well as writing comments. But I couldn't upload any more, and suddenly the draft was published. I assume I hit a wrong key somehow. I get so frustrated doing these, but I hope they're enjoyed and I know it will be a good record of some of our experiences.

I think the first picture is of water filters in a hallways in the school. When the wells are completed, the water is accessible, but not filtered. Dr. Win has worked with some people from Oregon who came to Thailand after the tsunami and produced water filters to make the water potable. So they & Dr. Win have started a factory here to produce them, to provide water that is as pure as bottled water. With some experimentation, a double filter has been developed so that water can be run through continually from the tube well. These have been put in schools and hospitals this year with funds that have been left from the cost of the wells. Though everyone still drinks from the same cups, it's a step in the right direction.

All students bring lunches with them, but these students were 1st and 2nd grade students who come for a half day, so it looks like they mostly bring drinks.

As we went into the classrooms, we were greeted and I taught some of them a song to the tune of Are You Sleeping. They catch on fast. Then they sang several of there songs for us.

As we left the school, the three young women with really long hair were just at the gate. I've read in a book about Myanmar that traditionally, girls didn't cut their hair until they were married. I'm sure many don't follow that tradition, but it looks like these girls have waited a long time between hair cuts.

The last pictures are ones from the street and just across the street. As we go into side streets, particularly those too narrow for buses, many people are riding tri-shaws. It looks like it would be more comfortable than on a crowded bus, but it's really hard work for the person carrying them. I don't think they make much money, but at least they don't have to worry about the cost of gas!.

When we first came, I noticed how much mildew there was on the buildings. From the time we came in October until the end of April, there wasn't a drop of rain. But since then, there have been very few days that haven't had rain, some really heavy downpours. It's not as hot, but the humidity and the moisture, make it very easy for mildew to form and many buildings look like this.

I love to take pictures of a mother and child, and the mother really wanted the picture taken, but the baby didn't! I still like the picture.

And the last is an add on that Clarence Jones gave me. He and Carl go out to a member's place and have their hair cut, paying what it would cost if they went were I go, but adding about 10 times what he earns from cutting hair. It's a retirement job, but neither retirement nor barbering give enough to really live on.

So you may know what the next pictures are about. I hope so.

Recent visits to schools

Water, water everywhere (and mud!)

The last weekend of June we traveled out to the Ayeyawadee Division west of Yangon. It is the most highly populated area in Myanmar and the most productive. But during the monsoon (or rainy season) each year there is widespread flooding. Most of the "fingers" of the big river are in this division, and as the rain falls for several months, the flooding in this flat delta region increases. Then as the water subsides, the rice paddies are planted with rich new silt from the rivers and the rice is grown. The rainy season began in May so there have been three months of rain. In Yangon as of yesterday there have been 89 inches of rain since the 29th of April! That's over 7 feet! We travel by car, are let out under a canopy, so here we see the rain but are not affected by it. But we had a first hand experience that weekend.

After riding nearly three hours by car, we reached a point where we got on a small boat, (covered) and rode more than an hour to reach a place near the village where we were headed. These pictures are a composite of a two-day trip where we went to three villages.

As we started, we could tell that we were on a river and as we were going upstream the boat crossed several times, I guess catching the current. But soon it was hard to tell that we were on a river as it looked more like a lake. On either side of the boat, the water extended far.

We stopped briefly at one point and saw how the roads in the village had become streams. And we were told that by the end of August the water level would be much higher.

So, instead of walking down the roads, the people travel by small boats.

Or they walk on muddy paths! When we left the boat to go to one village, we were met by a group with rubber boots for us to wear. We decided we could hop, jump over the muddy spots and walked over a mile to get to the village. And back!!!

At another place where we left the boat we were greeted by a group who had brought motorbikes to take us about four miles to the village. They were good drivers and got us through a number of muddy places. Unfortunately, the bike I was on hit a couple of bumps and I hit my tailbone hard twice. It is still bothering me, but not nearly as bad as at first.

We are always greeted by a line of people with whom we shake hands and greet with the one work of Myanmar we know: Mingalabar". When we reached the water site, some children dressed in traditional clothing lined the way. Many people here are very proud and conscious of their tribal roots.

We are always greeted with food, sometimes just as we arrive, or after the ceremony. And we are always expected to eat with many watching us--and none of them eating. I think maybe this little boy was hungry as he got very close to me. Though we were reminded again at the couples conference we were not to hold or have close contact with young children, the 'grandma' in me held out my hands and he came very willingly. Most young children have been quite reluctant to be close to us, so I was quite surprised. He ate a couple of cookies, as other children looked longingly, and then I put him down.

The young boys seem more excited to have their pictures taken. Most children in the villages and here in Yangon wear "thanaka", the white paste, which both acts as a cooking astringent in the heat and also a protection from the hot sun.

Another group of boys happy to have their picture taken.

And I just unintentionally deleted a picture of a couple of girls while bringing the pictures closer together. They aren't usually as comfortable having their pictures taken.

Mothers, though love to have their babies' pictures taken, though the babies are quite sure about it.

Just deleted another picture so will quite before I lose the entire blog. Stay tuned and I may do this again, though at the end of each post, I'm quite frazzled.

A few pictures from Changmai, Thailand

We arrived in Chang Mai on Sunday afternoon, July 15th and were met at the airport by the tour guide who arranged all the sightseeing for the week. After checking in at the hotel, we had something to eat there and met three sets of missionaries and a couple from the mission office just finished their dinner. We learned that there was a night market near by and also an old "wat" (the Thia name for pagoda). So we walked around that, the market--didn't buy anything because it was Sunday-. Some stopped for dinner but we'd eaten late so went back to hotel. It was good to meet the other missionaries.



This is part of the wat we walked around and is not being restored.

The schedule for Monday was sightseeing until the afternoon, so those who chose to go (all except Dad, who felt he had already seen an elephant camp in March) rode out in a bus about an hour up into the hills. The bus was very comfortable and the roads were smooth!! Amazing after being in Myanar for 10 months.

Included in the trip was an elephant show and ride. I have the pictures reversed, so these came after the ride in real life.

This was a very talented elephants. He actually painted the picture you can see in the forefront with his trainer placing a brush in his trunk. First, he drew the stems, then the flowers, and then the leaves. Afterwards he was demonstrating that he could kick a soccer ball. Fun to watch.

Here the elephant was placing a hat on her head. He did it to me, but no picture.

The rides we had at the Myanmar elephant camp were quite uncomfortable, but these were much more comfortable. Easier to get on and softer seats! Everyone rode in pairs except for me.

As I was riding behind this elephant, I asked the trainer if the one ahead was pregants and she was. Looked ready to deliver!

At one point the trainer got off, took my camera and took my picture. As the other elephants were going one, mine started to go too. Luckily, it was well -trained and came back so the trainer could get back on.

Along the way there were huts where sugar cane and bunches of bananas were being sold. The elephants didn't want to go on until they had had their treat, so I bought some. Amazing how much they can put into their mouths at one time!!

After the elephant ride and the show, we had a ride down the river on a bamboo raft. It was a beautiful ride, with jungle on both sides. For a short while, there was a rain shower, but not for long.
We stopped for lunch along the river and then headed back into ChangMai for our first meeting. All the other women were wearing skirts--had been told to--but I had missed the message and was glad I had slacks on. So I had to hurry back to the hotel, only a few minutes away from the church--and change. There were two couples from Laos, two from Thailand and the two of us from Myanmar that are serving humanitarian missions. There was also a couple serving in employment services, one in public affairs, and two couples who work in the mission home, plus the mission president and his wife, whom we had never met as she hasn't come with him on his two trips here.

A lot of the touring included going to "factories" designed to showing us expensive stuff to buy which none of us did. But we really enjoyed going to this orchid farm. I always enjoy flowers!

Not our best picture or at least mine!

I've got the pictures out of order again. We visited a place where several ethnic tribes are located--for tourists. This girl is from what is called the "long neck" tribe, where the tradition is for a ring to be placed on her neck each year until she marries. It looks very uncomfortable and I wonder if they really live like this--but maybe. I'm glad it's not our tradition!

Another tribe was called the 'big ear' tribe. Notice the earrings. Again I think this is traditional dress not everyday dress, but the visit was interesting.

One evening we went to a 'traditional' show--again probably for tourists. We listened to music--soundeed very atonal to us--.

Beautiful dancing and costumes. We were seated on the floor but with a pit for our feet. Still not too comfortable and easier to get down than to get up.

Afterwards we watched "fireworks". Caleb would have liked these as there was no sound at all. Something like a roll of toilet paper soaked in something flamable and inside a cotton tube was lit and then released. I guess sort of like a hot air balloon--it rose and was visible for a long time. Very pretty. Those faint spots below the close one are ones that were lit earlier.

The conference ended on Wednesday and we had two extra day since the plane tickets were quite a bit less by staying. We spent part of one day at a big mall--very much like any in Asia--except Myanmar. We enjoyed having lunch at a Sizzler and I enjoyed a small steak as well as the salad bar. We went to the night market two nights and Dad had a whopper at Burger king each night. At the airport before we left we had a blizzard at a Dairy Queen. You can tell we' ve missed having western food. Oh, we also ate at a place where we had Mexican food.

The conference was great--sharing favorite scriptures, testimonies, being reminded by Pres. Dodge to keep mission rules. Since our name tags don't have Sister or Elder on and we don't use those title unless at church, we all have become a bit casual. There are times when we feel quite isolated here, and this was a good experience.

These last pictures were taken at the King's palace up in the mountains which we visited our last day. I thought I had lost this post after working for over an hour, so will quit while ahead.

On the 16th of June, we visited a monastary to donate 200 school bags. This monastary runs a school for over 600 street children--those who are too poor to have uniforms and pay fees to attend regular school. Over 200 live at the monastary--because they are orphans or because their parent cannot take care of them.
We were taken upstairs where the head monk lives--always barefooted in a monastary and visited with him for a few minutes--through Dr, Win interpreting--before some children were brought in. This little boy, about three, treated him like a grandpa. He had several sores on his head, but looked happy. A number of the children sleep in this room, because of the overcrowding.

Hands together is a sign of reverence and these children had been trained. They were wearing what looked like summer pajamas. The "thanaka" which is on their faces is a kind of astringent that protects from the sun. Usually the children have their heads shaved completely. We were told that leaving a patch of hair on their heads allowed them to identify "their" children from other street kids if some are accused of mischief, etc.

We were amazed at the numbers and the sound in this huge classroom. There were maybe 6-8 teachers over groups, and each group was reciting loudly. It's hard to understand how learning can take place in this kind of condition.

The girls who live at the monastary are dressed in lighter color robes and do have their heads shaved. They are not required to go out daily barefooted to fill their bowls. But they do go out and ask for food or donations. Again--loud recitation and crowded conditions.

We were told that the bags themselves would be donated to the neediest, but the notebooks, pencils, etc. in the bags would be divided so the contribution would go further. These bags are mostly a goodwill gesture on the part of LDSC. We have taken them out to villages, but there simply aren't enough for all the children, so they become "awards" for outstanding students, not necessarily the neediest.

As we left, Carl and the monk shook hands warmly. Two good men who enjoyed each other's company.