It happens on a regular basis (getting asked to take children into our home) but sometimes it’s more special than others. Sometimes we get a knock on the door and someone is there asking us if we’d take their child? They have seen our kids and everyone in the neighourhood knows that we are a Children’s home. So when someone wants to get their child thru school, learn english, have half decent clothes and just generally looked after they come banging on our door. It’s hard to say no but we have to or we’d be overrun with everyone’s child that they don’t want to put the effort, time and money into themselves. We are white so of course we are “rich” (in their eyes anyways). I even had a policeman ask me one day to take his boy, he knew that this was a christian home, so we could teach him english etc. I asked “so are you a single parent” wanting to know why he wanted us to take him.
“No” he replied, “I know you do a good job as I’ve seen others come from this home before” meaning when my brother and sister in law lived there with their 33 children. They have been in Thailand for 30 years now.
Like this time we’ve been asked to take two children (twins) that haven’t been born yet. (coming soon, beginning of October we’ve been told) From a young single mom who has no means to provide for this double trouble family, nor any desire to. To bad they didn’t think about that when they jump into bed with someone eh? It will be a quick trip to the hospital once the babies are born as we have to be there to take them home one day after they are born. These two are coming from the south of Thailand so that means a 12 to 15 hour drive to get there, means travelling straight thru (oh well won’t be the first time we’ve done that) Should make for an interesting trip home.
Terry and I decided awhile ago that this would be our family and that we wouldn’t take any more kids but maybe the next home could get started with these two. It’s nice to get babies as they don’t have any bad habits, like stealing, lying and generally anything they had to do to survive etc. So I guess it’s still not a done deal but if it’s meant to be it will be.
Take care everyone, more details to follow soooooooooon. Dave
First of all we’d like to thank everyone that donated towards the home and had their name entered in the draw for the picture. The picture was sketched in Chang Mai and is of two “Hmong hilltribe children”. It held special meaning to us as most of our children are Hmong and seemed to be loved by everyone who saw it.
Hmong Hilltribe children
The winners are from Edmonton’s Victory on The Rock Church.
Congratulations Evelyn and Bruce
Thanks for your support.
Terry, Dave and the EL 2 children
This is a guest post from my daughter Jenn of her visit to Thailand. It’s a little old from last spring but I’m trying to get them all out of the drafts. May 31st, 2009 I boarded an airplane in Vancouver BC with my 12month old Daughter Joy. I was prepared for the 20 hour flight (including layovers), however I was nervous about traveling for the first time with my Daughter alone. As it turns out Joy is actually a joy to travel with (parden the pun). Unlike many of the babies on board the flight she stayed in the basinett playing, sleeping or being goofy with her mom. Travelling with a Baby is exhausting to say the least, however you are given ’special’ treatment. We were wisked through security in Bangkok ~ we got to go through the locals line instead of the foreigners line. It was so nice to finally arrive in Thailand, we had to wait at the gate for the baby stroller before heading through security, however I was done with sitting and needed to stretch my legs, I think I got to security before the rest of the flight regardless of them leaving the plane earlier than us. A nice Thai gentleman helped me gather my bag from the carousel ~ looking tired with a baby that looks to be ready to throw a tantrum helps get help. I finally reached my Mom, Peter, and David. After hugs and a currancy exchange we were into the truck and headed ‘home’.
In Thailand there are no seatbelts, so not much use for carseats. I held Joy in my arms like the ‘older’ days. I have to say I always found carseats a bit of a pain (besides the uses for safety), however by the end of the 2 week trip I don’t think I’ll complain again. A wiggling toddler who has a mind of her own makes you enjoy strapping them in!
The first morning came early, Joy wasn’t wanting to sleep regardless of her tiredness. Mom got up and took the kids to school (Peter and Mary work at home now so they remaind behind). The first day was spent sleeping mostly, Joy was determined not to switch the 14hour time change so I got alot of rest in that first day. The days ended up flowing together and this is an example of ‘everyday’ with my Mom and the kids;
5:30am Mom and I would go exercise at the park near by ~ the first day the ‘zooming’ on the motorbike at 5:30am sure woke me up in a hurry!
Return home to quickly shower, have a coffee, make sure all the kids have lunch money and out the door to School. It takes 45minutes to drop the kids off at the 4 different schools. There is so much more traffic than usual during the drop off at school and pick up times that they even change roads to one ways just for that hour!
Return home to make sure Mary and Peter know what they are supposed to do for the day. She sometimes gets time to sneak in some internet time here. Breakfast and lots of chores. Mom was busy with Mary’s help, I don’t know how she did it before she had her help. There is always cleaning, laundry, sewing, shopping, cooking etc to be done. Mom is also taking Thai lessons so she can learn the language and further her relationships with the kids. Lunch and errands usually wrap up the afternoon. Then it’s time to go get the kids. Again another 45minutes just to get them, if they are all waiting at the gates like they are supposed to be. When the kids get home they change out of their school uniforms and into casual clothes. Their laundry is spread out over the couches in the living room and they each pick through and gather what is theirs. Mom usually has to call out their names repeatedly as they always miss a few items of clothing. It is rather amusing to watch them all digging through the laundry calling out to the others identifying whose is whose. Dinner and Mom spends time with the kids. 16 kids is a lot to spend special time with each one. The kids do their homework and everynight there is family time(after showers). Mondays they have a Thai cell group, and the other days of the week the family just gathers around, sing some worship songs, read about God, talk and just visit with one another. Then they do any last homework and their chores (if they didn’t do them in the morning like they are supposed to). The kids have 3 different bedtimes depending on their ages. Soon it’s quiet and everyone is asleep and the doors are locked. We didn’t stay up much past the kids as all that noise and activity sure wears you out!