Thailand Mission and Cultural Trip 2013 - Journal 3

Thepsadet village

Rotary donors

Today’s Rotary journey took me to Thepsadet to audit the project we were part of two years ago. It was a major $50,000.00 matching-grant venture to equip the new library with supplies and computers, as well as sanitary facilities. We partnered with clubs from Japan, Germany, Australia, Arizona and local clubs in Thailand. I was there at the initial opening with a representative from the Japan club. A few months later they had the big commissioning done by the Princess of Thailand. This area is also way up in the mountains in even a more pristine setting than yesterday’s adventure. And the village is nestled in a fabulous verdant valley surrounded by majestic mountains.

Library books

Library computers

Guestbook

Dr. Boonthong, the former President of Payap University, and a “Mr Rotary” par excellence, took me to the site – an hour and a half drive north of Chiang Mai. The new principal of the school is most efficient and welcoming. He first took us to the conference room and wowed us with a slide-show of the recent accomplishments and successes of the students in competitions on the national and regional scene. That was accompanied by a little snack and lots of photos (one of the teachers took my camera and was not reserved I  snapping away!). We visited some classrooms that Rotary had furnished; and then headed to the Library that our club played a major role in furnishing with books and computers. The students were studiously working in groups on the porch, as we toured the inside. They have very little books; basically only what we purchased with the Grant. But they have many computers and the Internet. The school is also equipped with a couple wireless systems, which are available to those with computers in the Village. I had to get back to Chiang Mai to catch the flight to Bangkok; but not before a fabulous spread for lunch – a dinner meal! We were served on the Library porch overlooking the school and lovely natural surroundings. They outdid themselves! The students then all lined up for us to take a photo with them before they headed to the cafeteria for lunch. I took the opportunity to give them a motivational talk on success and “victory!”

For the “Alumni” of our Thailand trips who are planning to go on the “Reunion” trip next year, I’m thinking that we could go to Chiang Mai for a few days. Among the things I would like to do is spend one day doing a mini-English Camp at Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, and one day doing the same at this school in Thepsadet. The Principal was excited over this idea. Dr. Boonthong suggested that we could be housed in the beautiful guestrooms of Payap University. Let’s talk more about it!

Victory!

 

And now I’m at our destination for the next approximately three weeks – Asia Pacific International University, in Muak Lek, Saraburi Province, Thailand. The rest of the team will be flying from Portland on the 2:10pm Delta flight to Tokyo and then on to Bangkok, arriving at approximately 11:00pm tomorrow night, Thursday. Please pray for journeying mercies.

Just in case you forgot to bookmark the link to the photos, here it is again: http://people.wallawalla.edu/~pedrito.maynard-reid/gallery2/main.php/v/ThailandCulturalandMissionTrip2013/PedritoThailandpictures2013/