Thailand Journal 16 – Sept. 9:

The entire team worked on the farm today. We weeded about 75% of a large field of corn. The five who are leaving early Monday morning for India, Korea, and Phuket said their goodbyes to Prasarn and Nang. Another sad moment! (Notice that Nang and I both had on our 2008 yellow t-shirts – unplanned!). In the afternoon we made our annual trip to Cabbages and Condoms to eat dinner. Those of you who have followed my blog over the last 6 years know what this restaurant is all about. It is part of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA). On last year’s version of their website (http://www.cabbagesandcondoms.com/about_background.php for the more recent) they mentioned that the organization’s goal is to reduce poverty and facilitate health and socio-economic development through family planning and agricultural development that is appropriate to the local

community. The website mentions that their efforts have contributed “significantly to the decrease in the annual population growth rate from 3.3% in the mid-1970s to 0.6% in 2005. During the same period, the number of children per family fell from 7 to under two.” They are doing a superb job in responding to the social and economic challenges facing Thailand. Sadly, the hours of the restaurant changed to 7:00pm, which was too late for us. But some of the team did the walk on the rope bridge. Scary! We had dinner at the restaurant across from the Monday night market. Ended the day at Vespers.