eleho - BLOG

We had the opportunity to take a couple days and head north. About 3 hours from Chiang Mai is another city called Chiang Rai that serves as the hub for travel around Northern Thailand. We had never been up to that area so we looked forward to getting out and seeing some new places. From Chiang Rai we took another bus ride a couple more hours north to a small town called Chiang Saen. Chiang Saen is in what is considered the Golden Triangle, the area where Burma, Thailand, and Laos all come together. The reason it is called the Golden Triangle is because of all the money made from drug running through the area, specifically opium. Although some reports say that has decreased drastically in that area we still know for a fact that drug smuggling is alive and well in Burma and the Golden Triangle area. Burma itself has become the 2nd leading producer of Opium in the world behind Afghanistan. We were told that about 60% of the heroine on the streets in the US comes from Opium grown in Northern Burma. 

One of the things that is popular to do up in Chiang Saen is to take a longtail boat up the river to that actual place where the 3 countries come together. Along the way you can make a quick stop at a riverside market in Laos.

It’s the only place you can enter Laos without a visa but it will cost you 20 baht (about 60 cents). What is funny is that most of the stuff you find at this market is the same stuff you find at the local market in Chiang Mai, got to love globalization. Of course there is one item that I’ve never seen anywhere else, snake whiskey.

Sounds great I could have got a free sample. 

There is also this really random casino right on the border of Thailand and Burma. Apparently since Thailand has made gambling illegal there are a bunch of random casinos just on the other side of the border in places like Laos and Burma. This one is actually two separate casinos and hotels in the same building. You can read more about the casino here  http://www.maxablog.com/2008/02/playing-blackja.html

Another stop we made up there was at the hall of opium. http://www.goldentrianglepark.org This museum/educational center was built by the King’s mother for the purpose of educating people on the many uses, both good and bad, of opium as well as provide a history of it globally and in the region. It was a very informative trip and well worth the time to go over there. Did you know that heroine was invented by Bayer, the aspirin company? 

Were now back in Chiang Mai for a while. We spent a lot of time with the Partners team that just got back from a trip into Shan State. Since it looks like we will be heading up there soon it was great to hear a lot about their experience and learn from them. The next couple of days will be shape the rest of our trip. Stay tuned.

In Thailand!

Why, you might ask? Read on, friends, and you may find out!

After our Summer 08 trip ended (for everyone besides Bryan, who stayed a couple of months longer than the rest of us), one of the greatest needs our team had was to spend more time here in Thailand, connecting with people. We had established some great relationships that we sincerely believe will be very fruitful, but with our limited time here had not been able to connect with the people we’re hoping to serve.

So, we put the petal to the metal, milked our bank accounts for all we had, and did the last thing we thought we’d do so soon—we came back!

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress of this trip. We hope to spend some time in the camps, visiting some of Partners projects (www.partnersworld.org), and eventually we’ll end up down in Mae Sot to do a little ground work for our friends at Grace Outreach (www.GOgrace.org).

Stay tuned…

There is a long, long list of the atrocities committed by the Burmese government inside Burma. I could go on talking about the ethnic cleansing, slavery, child soldiers, beyond poor education & health systems, as well as the affects of the cyclone. Sometimes though it’s the things that you don’t see at first, or hear at first, that really hit you they are the unintended effect of the war in Burma. We have seen the thousands and thousands of people living in the refugee camps because they fear for their life inside Burma, we have seen the kids that live with their families in the dump in Mae Sot because that actually provides a higher quality of life than the other side of the border, and we have heard the stories of the large group of children that sit homeless and orphaned from the cyclone and find themselves looking for a home on the Thai side. Well last night we took a tour of Chiang Mai at night. Prostitution in Thailand is prevelent but I didn’t realize how bad it was here in Chiang Mai. I was told that it has the highest brothel per capita of any city in Thailand. With that being said roughly 60% of the women who work in the brothels are Shan. The Shan people exist in Burma on a tiny ridgeline on the border of Thailand and Burma. The Shan State is one of the largest states in Burma geographically, however the SPDC (Burma army) has taken almost all of their land and left them with nearly nothing. I asked if the situation in Burma was different would the Shan girls still have to come over here to work as prostitutes and the answer is no. If they had a home to go back to they would, or they would have never had to leave. 

It’s times like last night that remind of how far reaching our work has the potential to be and maybe, hopefully our unintended effect will be good and reach way out past anything we could have planned for or imagined.

Or is it?

The majority of our trip is complete. There are only a few days left of the 08 Summer Trip to Thailand and Burma and it has been an overwhelming success on so many levels. There has been personal growth as well as organization growth. On the surface not much has changed, we don’t have any amazing media to display just yet. We don’t have a documentary that explains the situation out here. What we do have is the opportunity to gain access to some of the most amazing stories you will ever hear. The foundation of what we DO in regards to the people of Burma is beginning to build momentum and the relationships that have been made are somewhat remarkable considering the short time spent here.

In coming to Thailand we wanted to take a rather different approach to the situation in Burma. Rather than waste time formulating a plan to help we decided to find out what was needed. We decided to come here simply to learn what is being done and how can we connect you, whom ever is reading this with the issues at hand in Burma. Shockingly it seemed as though we have been a breath of fresh air. We’re not another NGO (Non-governmental organization) looking to stake their claim in the development world. A question raised by one of our staff members was “are we even ready to be responsible for a development program?” The answer quite honestly is no. So where does this leave us?

The situation in Burma is long and extremely complicated. There are several ethnic groups needing several things. Division is the biggest problem. I personally don’t know if anyone is truly capable of uniting this place. Should that stop us from ever trying? Absolutely not.

Before leaving for this trip a common phrase heard from us was “just get ourselves on the plane”. In a meeting with Partners a member of their organization stated that we’ve received confirmation that we belong in the fight for the lives suffering and there’s a definite use for our talents. How will that look? I couldn’t tell you and neither can anyone else on the team. Rest assured that we are dreaming BIG. To achieve anything BIG there will be inevitable failure and from failure we will continue to learn and grow

So is the trip winding down or not? The majority of the team will be back in the states by next week. I mentioned an opportunity to possibly stay longer and help out in some ways unique to me. I would have the opportunity to travel into Burma and teach swimming and video to teams that provide aid and document atrocities committed against their people. We weren’t completely certain whether or not this would happen. The decision was not up to us but we were willing. As of now I will be going in in September! As far as anymore details I am unable to provide them for safety reasons.

Since I am going in September and it is so close, I will spend the rest of July and the month of August in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I will be working on learning as much Thai as possible and working on updating the site a bit. The rest of the team will be hard at work formulating a plan of action and deciding what the next 6-12 months hold for us.

It has been an unreal trip. We have been challenged at times yet surrounded by grace in ways we will never be able to explain. It has been pure joy to be here. I can’t believe it’s been almost 6 weeks for me and I’m only half way through the trip. From 4 weeks, to 6 weeks, to 3 months, I am left speechless that this is where my life is taking me. It’s no longer talk, it’s real. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

So much has happened. The long first week in Mae Sot with Christie and Skyler. We didn’t know anyone at that point but took chances and met a few people and ended up in the refugee camp experiencing the life of someone with no real home, no real reason to live. We experienced the children at the dumps. Living in heaps of rubbish 30 feet tall wearing nothing but a shirt. No pants and no shoes. We watched them pull watermelons they grew in the trash and eat them. The smell and the flies we’re ridiculous. We spent time at the migrant schools where brave teachers attempt to educate children in the most horrendous situations. 30 children often to a class with sweltering heat top 115º sometimes. We met Burmese children who cross the river on inner tubes and walk to town to beg.

The list can go on and on. The point is that there is plenty to make people aware about and there is plenty of work to be done. This is the beginning of the beginning for us.

So this weekend we finally got to take a trip out to the orphanage that Pastor Winai runs just outside of Mae Sot. It has been 3 years (which I can’t believe) since I was there last, about 2 years longer than what I promised the kids about when I would be back. It was an interesting experience on the long scooter ride out the orphanage. It gave me time to think back about how I got there and where I have been since. It’s an amazing ride I have been on since I had been there last but for me it’s a great reminder that when you are called to do something it’s almost impossible to shake it off.

For those who don’t know the orphanage, also called childrens hostel, is home to about 120 Karen kids. The kids mainly come from all over the region in Thailand but a few are from Burma. Some of the kids have parents however they are not able to care for them so they bring them to the orphange. The conditions are far from ideal however the kids are fed, educated, and loved. They learn english and the bible as well as a great respect for each other and the people around them. It’s impossible not to fall in love with these kids. Their hearts are as visible as their smiles and they just have this way of making you feel like the luckiest person on earth just being in their presence. As we have developed our vision for the work we want to do with Burma the ability to put our energy into the kids at the orphanage has diminished. Fortunately though Bryan and I were able to pass on this love for the kids to our pastor from Grace Church in San Diego. Tim was able to come out this trip to finally meet Pastor Winai and solidfy his vision for Grace to work with the orphanage. It’s going to be an amazing relationship and I am excited that we get to indirectly be a part of the continued progress of Pastor Winais vision for the kids there.

It was great to see some old faces of the kids such as Kawee and Bouchoy and I am excited that my next trip out here will be a lot sooner than 3 years from now.

Grace Outreach

Agape Childrens Home

There hasn’t been much posting on the blog lately because there hasn’t been much going on. Now if you’re familiar with the trip and the goings-on, then you might be wondering why I am writing to you still from Thailand. I will explain.

At the beginning of last week I was conflicted about going home or not. I wondered if there was really a reason for me to stay in Thailand two extra weeks. Was it worth sacrificing a quarter of school and extended that dreadful process? I wasn’t sure.

Early in the week in an important meeting with FBR we were invited to the directors house for a team meeting. I was under the impression that it would be just a planning meeting and that nothing of significance to us (or me) was going on. It was a chance to meet some of the team and get an idea of what was going on and how they operated.

I decided with guidance from family and friends that it was worth it. Instead of making a big announcement about it I wanted to surprise a few people that were coming out to Thailand but were expecting me to be on my way home.

On Saturday, in the meeting, I learned they needed some people to teach video and swimming. For those who don’t know me yet, the significance of those completely unrelated topics is that I’ve been working in video for several years and I’ve been a swimmer and swim coach over 15 years. It’s really the two things I’ve done passionately my entire life.

The time frame I may be doing teaching is from August to September. It isn’t set in stone, in fact I haven’t heard from them in a couple of days. Either way, I’m out here for a while longer.

Initial Thoughts:

Wow! I never expected this and it’s a great opportunity. Only good things can come of this. I can’t wait to get out there! This is a perfect fit and what I would love to do.

Current Thoughts:

Holy crap I am not prepared. I’m sick of wearing all the same clothes already. I’m scared out of my mind. I’m gonna be alone. I miss home already and now two more months? I’m scared. It’s dangerous.

The purpose of this blog is to be honest about what we’re feeling. Up until now it has been pretty amazing. The hardest thing for me being the sight of children in the dump. As a group we have a lot of fun. Things like Hot Apple Burritos make us laugh. It makes us who we are. This organization will be founded on humility ad honesty. No more veils will be held up. Our fears our real and the only way to make an impact is to share both sides of our heart, the good and the bad.

It’s not going to be easy. I wasn’t bred to live in exotic places. I’ve lived in one place my whole life with friends I’ve known a long time. All the insecurities are making their way into my head and it isn’t easy to fend it off.

In my late night wandering about the city in thought I have realized how real this is. I have no doubt that the lessons learned here will now create opportunity to build relationships with those who are in need of love throughout Burma. The people involved in this group are amazing and I’m so thankful to have them here and bummed to have said good bye to the few that have gone home.

At 9:30 pm Skyler, Christie and I get on an overnight bus to Bangkok. After an unavoidable day in Bangkok, we are off; the two of them straight to the states, me to Cambodia and Tokyo and then home.

I wish I could say that I accomplished everything I wanted to on this trip, but, as a filmmaker, I barely got started. In the end, the trip was too short, it took too much time to build relationships, and I never really got access to the stories I had hoped to.

However, I leave Thailand with a heart far from heavy. This trip was a success for a thousand reasons. We built relationships with some of the most important and successful NGO’s on the ground here in Thailand, strategic relationships that will be integral to any success Eleho may have in the future. I am alreadly planning my next trip. The groundwork is laid. It’s time to build.

Take care. Thanks for all your prayers.

So this may look like we are not actually doing anything but I really couldn’t figure out a way to make meetings look cool on film so you’re stuck with the parts where we just have fun. 

And just to make sure you know this video was edited by Ryan (not Austin or Bryan) with my mad iMovie skills…Final Cut is so overrated

1. My plan to follow the Burmese street children from crossing to crossing. Around about the time when we bought them flip-flops and they told every street kid in Mae Sot and before we knew it we had a herd of 20 or so following us around. Never buy them anything.

2. My camera lens. When Christie was running with my camera and the strap broke and it fell crashing to the pavement.

3. Some of the art Skyler did with the kids. When it disappeared.

4. My scooter’s key. When I lost it.

5. 200 baht. When I had to get a locksmith.

6. My patience. When I couldn’t buy a bus ticket to Bangkok for tomorrow, because they were sold out today. But tomorrow there will be plenty. Apparently.

7. My dignity. When I left the bus station and promptly ran out of gas.

8. Skyler’s scooter. When the starter kick thing lost its peg somewhere in the mud.

9. Christie’s dinner. When she puked it up for the second night in a row.

10. Our plans for tomorrow. When they all fell through.

I don’t know how many total miles I will have traveled by the time I get home but I know it’s a lot. Currently I am sitting in the Bangkok airport watching the rain and waiting for my flight to leave. I flew down here for a day to attend a CCSDPT meeting. Now although I don’t remember what that acronym stands for the meeting was really good and it was highly beneficial for us to attend. Other important acronym named organizations were there too, some of which you might even recognize such as: UN, UNHCR, IRC, HRW, TBBC, and others. If you need a translation on all the acronyms please give me some time, I’m still trying to figure them out myself. This meeting happens once a month in Bangkok and is essentially an update of everything that is happening on the Thai/Burma border. They go into specifics about topics such as the refugee camps, migrant workers, migrant schools as well as the relief efforts in Burma. I would call the attendance list of the CCSDPT meeting the “who’s who” of NGO’s working on the Thai/Burma border.

Even more important than heading to that meeting though is the fact that we can split the team into multiple groups and still run efficiently and affectively. Right now we have people in Mae Sot, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and back home in San Diego. I can’t even tell you what an incredible feeling it is to be blessed with such a great team of people. Any affect that eleho has on the people and situation in Burma is going to be a result of a team effort. I really couldn’t have planned a better first step than where we are now and it’s time like this that I really look forward to what can happen with eleho.

BLOG UPDATE: CCSDPT stands for The Committee for the Coordination of Services to Displaced Persons in Thailand.

Just incase you wanted to know. There will be a test later.