Today started with a slightly lower note. Though i've expected the 2 runaway boys to leave, but part of me still clings on to the hope that they will come to the senses and return back to complete their studies.
I've spoken to Puu to give the 2 kids another 3 days to reconsider before having to pull the plug. And the reason is that after this week, we will no longer be able to explain the child's absence to the school.
Today was the same, with meetings and such. Met an old navy colleague who has just left the service, but the beautiful part, he too came to the saving knowledge of Christ. That was probably the highlight of the day :)
Dinner was fun today, especially in the company of old friends. :)
Tomorrow is going to be another long day. So thats all for now :)
About Me
- Eugene Wee
- Join us as we embark on this journey of faith. Journey with us by praying alongside & supporting us every step of the way. May this journal and our lives be a testament of God's love in a hurting world.
Friday, 20 May 2011
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Diary : 19 May 2011 (Good Start To School !)
People may say that after 4 years of dealing with street kids, I would be more resilient and it should not affect me that much.
But these kids are like family to me, our ministry runs like a family unit rather than an organisation. When one kid run away, it affects the rest.
Though I'm a long way from Chiang Mai running from meetings to meetings. My heart was with my staff who were looking high and low for these 2 kids, I knew my staff were trying their best, because the staff loved these kids as much as I do.
The good news came in around 11pm last night, just when I got home from meetings. Puu (My deputy head) tells me that the 2 boys were found 450km away from Chiang Mai in Phitsanulok province. Our staff was at the train station to pick them up before calling their guardians and parents.
Deep inside I'm terribly disappointed with the 2 kids and its the first day of school. Skipping school will mean that they have forfeited their chances of an education and will have to wait for one more year. But i was also relieved that Kig and Kua were safe back in Khek Noi.
We have left both of the kids to discuss with their parents if they wish to continue their rehab or they which to opt out. As much as I want to force a child to change, he has to desire to change, keeping him but not his heart will be meaningless and furthermore deprive someone of a chance to be on the programme.
Anyway, thats the end of the bad part. Here is some good news from Thailand.
The night before the children started school in Chiang Mai, they were very concerned that they will be looked down upon by the Thai students. So they prayed that they will not be looked down upon and if possible, find good friends.
The 8 kids came back from school laughing and in high spirits. When the staff asked what happened. They told us that "GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS!" everyone spoke of how great the school was, with teachers who cared and they were not looked down upon. In fact most of them even found new friends !
Tim was the cutest. He told us that his classmate asked him "How many pens do you have ?" He replied "Just one" so the little girl told him "If you loose your pen, i will lend you mine, and if you need to erase anything, you can borrow my liquid paper too"
Most of them feared school so much, but I'm glad the first day went well for them :)
But these kids are like family to me, our ministry runs like a family unit rather than an organisation. When one kid run away, it affects the rest.
Though I'm a long way from Chiang Mai running from meetings to meetings. My heart was with my staff who were looking high and low for these 2 kids, I knew my staff were trying their best, because the staff loved these kids as much as I do.
The good news came in around 11pm last night, just when I got home from meetings. Puu (My deputy head) tells me that the 2 boys were found 450km away from Chiang Mai in Phitsanulok province. Our staff was at the train station to pick them up before calling their guardians and parents.
Deep inside I'm terribly disappointed with the 2 kids and its the first day of school. Skipping school will mean that they have forfeited their chances of an education and will have to wait for one more year. But i was also relieved that Kig and Kua were safe back in Khek Noi.
We have left both of the kids to discuss with their parents if they wish to continue their rehab or they which to opt out. As much as I want to force a child to change, he has to desire to change, keeping him but not his heart will be meaningless and furthermore deprive someone of a chance to be on the programme.
Anyway, thats the end of the bad part. Here is some good news from Thailand.
The night before the children started school in Chiang Mai, they were very concerned that they will be looked down upon by the Thai students. So they prayed that they will not be looked down upon and if possible, find good friends.
The 8 kids came back from school laughing and in high spirits. When the staff asked what happened. They told us that "GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS!" everyone spoke of how great the school was, with teachers who cared and they were not looked down upon. In fact most of them even found new friends !
Tim was the cutest. He told us that his classmate asked him "How many pens do you have ?" He replied "Just one" so the little girl told him "If you loose your pen, i will lend you mine, and if you need to erase anything, you can borrow my liquid paper too"
Most of them feared school so much, but I'm glad the first day went well for them :)
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Diary : 18 May 2011
Today started on a low note.
The children at the chiang mai centre woke up at 5am only to realise that 2 kids (Kua & Kig) had packed all their belongings and left the streetkids shelter while everyone was asleep. And they were nowhere to be seen.
Their guardians have been informed and a police report will be made in the next few hours.
I'm terribly disappointed. Kig is one of the more promising kids on the programme although he comes from a background of substance abuse and gangs. But he wanted that chance in his life to break away from stigma.
Since Kig arrived in Chiang Mai, he already ran away twice. Kig has a tendency to run away when he faces problems in schools or in relationships with his peers.
Today is the first day of school and was supposed to be a fresh start for all the 11 kids. And the 2 boys probably ran away because they were just too fearful of competing with Thai students, and having to face the stigma of being a hilltribe kid.
The staff took months just to negotiate with the school to accept these kids and give them that credible chance. And now months of effort is about to go down the drain.
Such a heartache and while sometimes I want to knock some sense into these kids, but if you see it from their eyes, they are scared. And after all the years of being looked down upon, they have a reason to be fearful.
But i guess this is the nature of working with street children with shattered backgrounds. Pray alongside us that the kids will understand that if they do not fight for their future, they will never be able to fight off that stigma on their lives.
The children at the chiang mai centre woke up at 5am only to realise that 2 kids (Kua & Kig) had packed all their belongings and left the streetkids shelter while everyone was asleep. And they were nowhere to be seen.
Their guardians have been informed and a police report will be made in the next few hours.
I'm terribly disappointed. Kig is one of the more promising kids on the programme although he comes from a background of substance abuse and gangs. But he wanted that chance in his life to break away from stigma.
Since Kig arrived in Chiang Mai, he already ran away twice. Kig has a tendency to run away when he faces problems in schools or in relationships with his peers.
Today is the first day of school and was supposed to be a fresh start for all the 11 kids. And the 2 boys probably ran away because they were just too fearful of competing with Thai students, and having to face the stigma of being a hilltribe kid.
The staff took months just to negotiate with the school to accept these kids and give them that credible chance. And now months of effort is about to go down the drain.
Such a heartache and while sometimes I want to knock some sense into these kids, but if you see it from their eyes, they are scared. And after all the years of being looked down upon, they have a reason to be fearful.
But i guess this is the nature of working with street children with shattered backgrounds. Pray alongside us that the kids will understand that if they do not fight for their future, they will never be able to fight off that stigma on their lives.
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