Fun at the orphanage... and the hotel!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to put up a quick post with some more pictures! So I shrunk some pics down so they wouldnt take 2 weeks to upload on the dial-up we have here at the hotel. I will start this blog w/ just a ton of photos, and then talk a little about my experiences so far. I tried to get as many people as I could, so hope you enjoy some pictures of your friends!!

(my girls!!)

Before I forget, quick story. So after an amazing dinner tonight at Pi Foon's (sp?) place we all came back to the hotel and everyone was exhausted. So exhausted that no one wanted to wait for another elevator and tried to cram as many people in as possable. I took the stairs to wear off all the food, but those in the elevator wanted me to post this story about their experience!! So just to help visualize, the elevator is around 4 feet by 4 feet. The max the elevator can hold is "ten" people... but that must not be american sized people. Somehow 9 of them got in the elevator and started the journy to the 3rd floor. Usually it takes half a min to get up, so after about 3 min's and the elevator light still showing them on the ground level, they felt something wasn't right. And they hunch came to life as the alarm sounded after the elevator came to a hault. The hotel staff had to come and pry the doors open so that all of them could climb out... and if this story sounds too bogus, check out the pics below!

Ok so a few quick thoughts on the orphanage after a few days there. First off, I am so greatful for how everything has worked out, and a BIG THANKS to Fred, Paul and the others (you know who you are) who put all the hard work into organizing everything. "Thai Time" as you may know, is hectic and unpredictable, and we have made off well with all the little road bumps.

As for the orphanage, it truly is hard to put words to the experiences all of us have had. But just being able to spend time with all the kids is something else! All they long for is attention, and are soooooooo happy everytime we arrive. And when we leave, it is always a 20 min ordeal as they like to see us off and get a hug and a high five.

And it strikes me as funny that we talk about being able to be here and give the kids the much needed attention and love, but it goes both ways. Every day I have arrived I was greeted from my girls with a few gifts. I say my girls, because the first day we arrived, the girls just flocked to each of us, like they picked us out, and so all of us have some special girls that we spend a lot of time with. My girls are very artistic, and their gifts reflect that! Here are a few pics of the girls and their art...

So today was probably the most special for me as I really felt that I was able to connect with my girls. I got a thai conversation book at the mall here and was able to have a guide for communication. They are so excited to be able to communicate as well. For example, there was a prhase in the book along the lines of "I will bring you the photos", and I showed them that, and you could just tell how excited they got! They asked me when (by looking up a phrase), and I told them tomorrow. You must know that most girls have no pictures of them, so this is very meaningful to them! I printed off some (300+!!) photos at the mall and am going to give them to the girls tomorrow.

It is something else being around all these kids, especially knowing what is in store for most of them if they follow the crowd. I just wish I could bring them all back to the states and give them a proper up-bringing. But this girl, above most I REALLY want to sneak back on the plane!!

She is the cutest thing ever, and as I found out today SUPER smart! She is only 8 years old, but can read (thai) extrememly well. Without the phrasebook it was hard to communicate. I would ask her things and she would just smile and giggle... but when she got her hands on the book, she just started reading thru for prhases to ask me. And the first one she read was "I am glad you are here". I usually don't cry, but that one caught me off guard! I had to quickly cover up the tears so I wouldn't have to try and explain to her why, as it took me 3 days just to find out her age!!

As much as we try and teach them, we are learning just as much from the kids! A few days ago the girls taught me how to count to 10, and tonight my "homework" is to learn the colors! I'm mostly there, unlike college, I started this assignment early :)

Well it is getting late, I could keep going and going, but should get some rest as we are getting up and going to a Thai Christian church tomorrow. Hope you are all doing well at home and enjoying some of the March Madness for me! Talk to you all soon!

~Randall