Saturday, April 14, 2012

Day One- Chiang Mai





Today I arrived in Chiang Mai. It is my first day of mission. My room is small... but it has a comfy double bed, hot water and air con- what more could I ask for?

Thai locals are currently celebrating 'Songkran' (the Thai new year). To celebrate this, massive water fights break out everywhere- water is thrown all over the roads, at people, cars and motorbikes. So, I spent my first 3 hours on the side of the road with about 15 kids, playing under a large hose and throwing buckets and pots and pans of water all over the road and anything/anyone that got in our way... The joy on each childs face was priceless and infectious!

After that I was invited into my friend 'Cassies' house (where she runs a girls rescue home). I sat on a plastic rug on the dusty floor, surrounded by 6 little girls, who a prompted for me to say grace- shouting "Pii Sam, Pray!" ('Pii' in Thai is placed before someone's name when they are older than you). We ate dinner- rice, egg and some sort of pork and eggplant meal and as I looked around this tiny home of beautiful children and watched the bugs crawl around on my plate, I thought to myself- my world just doesn't compare to this!