Thailand Mission and Cultural Trip 2013 - Journal 2

Getting water in contaminated containers

Villagers

The 2013 -2014 major International Service project that Rotary of Walla Walla will be involved in is that of restoring a sustainable water supply to a number of villages in Chiang Dao, Thailand. About 20 years ago ADRA (Adventist Development Relief Association) had a major project to bring water to every home in the area. It was good for 8 years. Rotary along with Heifer International also were involved in a number of projects in the same vein. But the pipes were small, rats were eating them, landslides were destroying them, and the population was growing. Today there are 12,000 residents, and Walla Walla Rotary along with many other Rotary clubs are partnering with Rotary of Chiang Mai in a $200,000.00 project to restore the water to these very under-developed villages way up in the mountains of Chiang Dao. Today I (along with Jarruwat Techawut [International Service chair for Chiangmai Rotary] and Promote Eua-amnuay [President of Boderless Friendship Foundation, and former Heifer official, and a Rotarian] visited 3 of these and listened to the stories from the village elders and leaders. The joy and happiness they expressed, and their overwhelming gratitude was worth the expense and time of the trip. We in the Developed World have so much and we complain so much. These folks have so little, and they are beaming! I’m so thankful that I belong to a service club that is willing to invest time and resources for international projects like this.

ADRA, Rotary, and Heifer old projects

The trip was basically an all-day trip – 2-hour drive up into the second highest mountain range in Thailand – gorgeous agricultural country! We also visited a Chinese town close to the border with Myanmar (Burma), and stopped by the border crossing as well. I ended the day with a lovely dinner with the officers of the Rotary Club of Chiangmai; and then shopping at the Night Market. PS: I discovered a huge, huge section of the Night Bazaar that I didn’t know -existed in all the years I have been coming here!

Village leaders

Thailand-Mynmar border

Rotary officers