Wrap Up

The following five posts were all events that occurred during the last week I was in Thailand (Feb 22- March 1), so ignore the post dates. I have been home for over a month, and I am not caught up. My trip was very rewarding. I love teaching, and this experience forced me to concentrate on the basics, and making the basics simple- easy to understand, easy to translate. This was good for me, and good for the educational work I have begun locally. It all works together, which God knew all along!

I am continuing to teach, via Skype, at least until class starts up again, or possibly even beyond. This weekend, the few students who are there in Chiang Mai are going to Mae Sa (a refugee camp near the Burmese border) to keep the Passover and first part of the spring Feast with the 2 families there. We are all one, and it has been my great privilege to teach and work with these fine people.

As my local efforts pick up steam, I will be sharing occasional thoughts and news at my other blog, http://bdrawbaugh.blogspot.com/ Please stop by.

Two Baptisms!

Shortly before I was to return home, Lallian asked to be baptized before I left. While Leon was discussing preparations (how to get in the pond) with Seng Aung, he also said he wanted to be baptized. I talked Ben into letting us use the larger of the 2 ponds stocked with tilapia, and it worked well, especially with the long bamboo pole I could use as a handrail.







Lallian is almost under, as Seng Aung makes sure.


Wet and forgiven!

Seng Aung gets his turn. Leon wanted to be there in the water with us, but we talked him out of it- the bottom and sides are very slippery and Leon is still a bit wobbly after the strokes. He laid hands on them along with me when we all got out of the water.

U Tai gets a wet hug.

Our new brothers. Over 9000 miles away...still the same loaf!

They all wanted to sing a couple hymns, so I brought a guitar along.








The whole gang, except for Hkawn Din, who took the picture.

More Students and Tigers

Later the week after graduation, those of us who were still around went up to see the tigers. Other than me, no one had been there before. I do not think they enforce this rule.

I did not pay to go in with the tigers this time, so I handed my camera to Fon and asked her to take some pictures inside. The whole gruop went in at the same time, so the pictures are not quite as close-up and personal as you have seen before.

Norah and Fon gingerly try to get acquainted with a feline. Norah and Fon are from the same Lahu village. Fon's father is not living, and Norah's mother, by all accounts a sweet and loving lady, helps Fon out with some expenses.

Seng Mai was not thrilled about being in there with the tigers and she did not stay in long, and would not actually touch the tigers. She did get this close, however, so I gave her a copy of this picture and told her to save it to show her chldren and grandchildren that she was in a cage with tigers.

I have no idea what these tigers were doing, but it is a great picture. Rockettes?

Elainea making eye contact.

Hkawn Din and Beka.

David getting some one-on-one time with a tiger that actually looks awake.

People do not usually yawn when they are around Fon...but I suppose we can excuse this guy. (or is that a gal?)

La Nu Nan, Elainea, new friend and handler.

Lallian acts like he does this every day.

Beka cuddles up with an alert one.

Nice couple.

Mahulee and Mayulah. Which one is up to something? They could not go in the cages due to the 10 year old limit in force due to the age of the youngest cubs.

Seng Aung and the Tigers

I had wanted to take Surachai and Ah Moon to see the tigers…but found out that the cubs had grown to the point where children had to be at least 10 to go in the enclosures. So, we took the children to see, but only Seng Aung could go in. He was not sure he was going to do it, but he finally relented. As he was getting used to this first one, I picked up Ah Moon with my left hand, then Surachai with my right, so they could see. I grunted a little while I picked up Surachai, and this tiger jumped to life at the sound. Seng Aung jumped as well! The tiger never did settle down again, so they moved Seng Aung to a different one.


Notice the “tip of the finger” approach to this tiger. Seng Aung was a bit jittery.

Still tentative. In some parts of Myanmar, there are tigers outside the villages.

The cats are half asleep, and Seng Aung is getting a little more comfortable.

He even smiles! When we got back to the farm, I explained to Seng Aung what we mean in English by having a tiger by the tail. I said that one could say that when he got married to Seng Hpa, he had grabbed a tiger by the tail. Seng Hpa laughed, but I am not certain that she was amused. Myo Zaw and Tumar laughed also, because I think they knew. :)

Ah Moon told everyone who would listen that her father laid on the tiger. For those of us that speak English, she demonstrated. I think she was proud of Daddy (Awa).

Looking VERY comfortable!

You gotta wonder how the tigers feel about all this...

Seng Aung seems positively relaxed!

Wian drove us there, and hung around to watch the kids.

Doi Suthep

During the week after graduation, I finally had some time to go to Doi Suthep.



Doi Suthep is a temple and a mountain. It is that mountain I have shown in previous pictures that dominates the skyline west of Chiang Mai (as well as to the north where Legacy is located). The road up the mountain is just one switchback after another, seemingly forever. Once you get to the “entrance” there are many stirs yet ahead. Like le Mont St Michelle or any number of Italian hilltop historic towns near the Mediterranean, the way up is lined with places hoping to separate you from your money.

Then there is the long staircase that leads to the temple.

The staircase is graced by snakes on each side.

Some type of creature at the entrance to one of the rooms at the temple. Mom?

These little signs are all over, to recognize those who have donated to the construction and upkeep of the temple. There are plaques all the way up and down the huge staircase as well.

Doi Suthep had more bells and Buddhas than I have ever seen anywhere. There were many bells in special enclosures all by themselves, and several racks like this one. If they could ever assemble enough people to ring all of them at the same time, there would be quite a ruckus.

Being so high above Chiang Mai, the temple is known for its wonderful view. Not today. This being near the end of the cool and dry season means that everyone has been burning leaves (to clean up) and wood (for heat) now for many weeks. There is a thick haze everywhere, every day. So, here is the view.

It seems that one of the most common sights in Thailand is the scaffolding around temple spires. They all seem to be under repair, or waiting for repair- from the little one in Mae Sa Lauang, where the school is located, to the granddaddy of them all at Doi Suthep. There is a relic under this structure, which explains some of the importance of this temple.

More Buddhas than I have ever seen anywhere.

Buddhas and murals abound.

There was a constant stream of people who would walk around the structure under the spire (where the relic is located. Many would hold flowers, and others would kneel at the sides and light candles.

Graduation

At Legacy, graduation is a BIG event. The students have been preparing speeches and music for many weeks…months, in the case of the original music that was composed especially for this occasion! On Sunday, preparation begins at the school with some last-minute rehearsing and the loading of all the sound equipment.

Graduation is at the Empress Hotel in /Chiang Mai (in the same room that Festival services are held, for those of you who have been there). Hotel staff had the hallway outside the room decorated with a tropical theme, complete with banana trees and thatched roofs.

There is much setup to do, so students and teachers arrive early. This being Thailand, everyone else arrives late. “Starting time” seems to be just a benchmark for westerners to calculate how late everyone else is. Elainea, Norah and Mahlulee are among the early arrivals.

The Empress Hotel is very good to Legacy, and they do a great job with everything they host for us.

While we were setting up, I gave Surachai my camera, and he took a hundred pictures or so. Here is a sampling. ... Setting up the video.

What’s a father to do?

Nathan at a rare moment without guitar in hand.

U Tai does not seem willing to pose.

La Nu Nan is always surrounded by electrical equipment.

David Beattie came to Thailand for graduation! When the Burmese students went back home the next Sunday, David went with them and spent some time in Yangon. Here, he shares a moment with Dola (Norah’s younger sister.)

Erika.

Jaseefu was involved in most every musical number. Like several others, he is at home with a guitar or a keyboard. ... I think it was after this photo that I took the camera back from Surachai.

Myo Zaw and “Auntie” Tumar. They are now back home in Yangon. The Burmese students are very close to this couple. All of them have spent time at their home on their way to Thailand. Seng Mai actually lived there for years while pursuing her education in the capital. She and Hkawn Din are like daughters to them.

Leon and Gloria have put so much effort into this evening- both the event itself, and eight years of work on the school, not to mention the time spent with the graduates. It is an emotional time. While Norah was giving her speech, she looked a Leon and teared up a little. The old softie that I am becoming observed this and teared up myself. Not only is this the culmination of 3 years of their lives, it is the last day that all of them will be see each other after spending 3 years living together. Several of them mentioned in their talks at graduation that they felt like a family…Thai, Burmese…Kachin, Karen, Mizo, Lahu, Chan, etc- all living together as one. It is a beautiful thing to behold.

Fon’s name is really Na Leh. I learned a lot when I looked at the graduation program. Names seem to be a bit more flexible in Asia than they are at home.

Hkawn Din and a better-dressed David.

While we’re waiting for everyone to show up, we take lots of pictures. Here you see the graduates and teachers.

20 or 30 minutes after the scheduled starting time, the place is still practically empty. The students continue to take pictures and entertain themselves. This is most likely the only Legacy graduation that has featured “A Pirate Looks at 40” as pre-ceremony entertainment :)

We finally begin! The first year students sang 2 songs in tribute to the graduates, including an original composition by Atiwat entitled “The Great Brother" In their Legacy uniforms, they reminded me of the Beatles in the early days! From left to right, Japur, Chalermsak, Wichai and Atiwat.

Jaseefu was busy at the keyboard. One of the songs was his original composition.

The teachers sang "My Wish" (a Rascal Flatts song)

Norah and Fon sing Jay's original composition "Love Is My Life" with Nathan on the guitar.

The Legacy choir performed 2 numbers.

“Doctor Penguin” and his partner-in-crime “Captain Treetops” (not pictured) provided some after dinner lighthearted magic and entertainment. They are 2 Farung friends of Leon who do shows for children to entertain and educate.

A thorn between 2 roses. This pose was at the request of the ladies. Notice Surachai, who managed to get into more pictures than about anyone…complete with bouquet here!

This picture tells you all you need to know about the personalities of Norah and her children. Mayulah is on the left and Mahulee on the right. Guess which one is always up to something? …You are right.

The graduates in their gowns. From left to right, (the ubiquitous Surachai),then Buut, Jaseefu, Seng Mai, Norah, Hkawn Din, Jay and Beka.

The graduates and the teachers.

Everyone.