- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Wow! What an awesome experience! We are having a ball with these kids at the orphanage. Today we will help paint their gate, help with laundry and practice English. We love all the hugs we receive every time we come to the orphanage. Every child and adult staff member hugs each one of us. As a mother it is wonderful to watch the girls interact with and serve these sweet children. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. Sometimes It's hard to tell who's giving and who's receiving here. I definitely feel like I am receiving more than I am giving.
Claire Schrecengost
Mason, Ohio
I love all these kids! It has been so humbling to see such amazing children take the little that they have and happily make the most out of everything. They are all so talented, whenever we come up with a new activity to do they're usually better than us at them! They have been so kind in accepting us into their home, and they're alway trying to help us with whatever we're up to. I'll miss them all when we leave.
Kylie Williamson
Boise, Idaho
I have definitely been having the time of my life. Being able to spend time with these amazing kids at the orphanage has been so great. It is so cool to see how humble they are with so little. Their happiness and smiles bring so much joy to my life. In these few short days I have quickly grown to love every one of them. I feel so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to get to know all of them. It will be a very sad day when we have to say goodbye but I will always keep the great memories and friendships they gave me.
Olivia Moss
Boise, Idaho
- Posted using BlogPress from https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/999254_539676092745708_1767275349_n.jpg iPad
Country School at Khao Kho
Woops this was from first group!!
Hey its Kyle! Today we got to go to the school and play with all of the kids there. All of the kids were very shy at first. But after a while they couldn't get enough of us. It was super amazing to be able to connect with all of the kids even though we spoke different languages. I'm super excited to go back tomorrow!
David here! Getting to go to the school today was really amazing. It was a little awkward at first since the kids weren't too sure about us, but pretty soon they had really broken out of their shells. I had a great time playing with the kids and getting beaten by them at soccer. And I really loved it when one of the boys took me into a classroom to play Chutes and Ladders and Candyland with him. Very cute kid! The teachers and director are very friendly and appreciate us coming. It's definitely going to be a fun few days!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Hey its Kyle! Today we got to go to the school and play with all of the kids there. All of the kids were very shy at first. But after a while they couldn't get enough of us. It was super amazing to be able to connect with all of the kids even though we spoke different languages. I'm super excited to go back tomorrow!
David here! Getting to go to the school today was really amazing. It was a little awkward at first since the kids weren't too sure about us, but pretty soon they had really broken out of their shells. I had a great time playing with the kids and getting beaten by them at soccer. And I really loved it when one of the boys took me into a classroom to play Chutes and Ladders and Candyland with him. Very cute kid! The teachers and director are very friendly and appreciate us coming. It's definitely going to be a fun few days!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Date mix up
Hi Folks,
I just posted Group One's final blog entry, and realized that Jenna previously published the first blog entry of the second group.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I just posted Group One's final blog entry, and realized that Jenna previously published the first blog entry of the second group.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Chiang Mai Trek!!
On the Chang Mai trek we visited two hill tribes. On the first day we took lots of "shortcuts" by James to make up for lost time because we were slow "like turtle" according to Olip. I think we were making good time, except when we stopped at the waterfalls and each time it took the girls about half an hour to figure out how to get our swimsuits on as modestly as possible. The waterfalls were amazing, the sounds of the cicadas and crickets all around us, so much green everywhere . It was definitely a highlight...
Niki here!! Woah. Yes this trek was amazing!! It definitely wasn't easy... But I loved every minute. James, Nicky, and Olip were wonderful guides. One of the neatest things was how every so often, they would stop us and teach us about a plant or animal. The coolest was definitely using leaves to shoot with, blowing bubbles from stems, and using tree sap to blow fire! It really amazes me how we are constantly surrounded by such intricate and beautiful creations. It was really an incredible experience to be able to spend some time truly appreciating them while roaming the jungle :) And then there were the five waterfalls. Oh my goodness!!! Nothing will ever feel the way it did while I was underneath that water. Seriously so cool! But one thing I'll never forget was staying with the wonderful family way up in the hill tribes. Though sleeping on the bamboo floors was not exactly... pleasant, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. How could a lifestyle so simple bring them so much happiness? It was truly remarkable to interact with such a loving people. Even while it seemed they had next to nothing, they had each other. And that was enough.
Before we left I grabbed some pens and paper that I ripped out from my journal and crawled into their hut. As I passed them out to the five kids, I was overwhelmed with joy just from looking at their simple smiles. We all sat and drew pictures together until I had to get ready to go. Before I left, I handed the little girl a picture of a flower I drew, and was touched by how she cherished it. I'll never forget the example this loving family set for me, and the genuine happiness they showed.
The past couple of weeks have definitely been the best of my life! I mean hello!! I got to ride an ELEPHANT!!! :D It's going to be hard saying goodbye, but I'll never forget any of the incredible experiences that I was lucky enough to have. :) Shout out to the fam, fource, and my "little homies" love and miss you! :) :) :)
Hey everybody it's David! This trip has been absolutely incredible so far, and the jungle trek really was the icing on the cake. Our tour guides were so funny and showed us so many cool things along the way. All of the waterfalls we went to were so cool, and it felt great to be able to shower under one after a long day's hike. The two tribes we got to spend time with really made me appreciate what I have back home. After sleeping on a super hard bamboo floor I don't think I can ever complain about my mattress again. Eating a tarantula was one of the cooler things I got to do on the trek (it tasted like chicken by the way), and of course the elephant riding was amazing. However, one of the absolutely coolest things I did was on the third day. We hiked to this really cool little waterfall in the jungle to stop, shower and eat lunch at. After I was done I noticed what looked like a wooden fence up behind the falls. I was very curious about what could be up there, so I climbed up over some large rocks. Once I got up behind the water there was a small path leading off to the side. I went to check it out. What I saw was so cool. There was a small shrine up behind the water, with a golden Buddha statue and a bamboo platform. There were some small candles and incense laying next to it. So, I lit some of both and sat down on the bamboo. I sat there for several minutes and closed my eyes, just listening to the water falling over the rocks. It was so peaceful up there. Definitely one of the coolest moments I've had on the trip. I'm so glad I was able to go on the trek. It definitely made me appreciate all the little things I have back at home that the people we stayed with don't have. But I still hope to be like those people, because of how kind and generous and happy they were. It's weird to think that I only have two days left in Thailand, and I will be sad to go. But at the same time I'm pretty anxious to see everyone back at home. Love you all, see you soon!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Niki here!! Woah. Yes this trek was amazing!! It definitely wasn't easy... But I loved every minute. James, Nicky, and Olip were wonderful guides. One of the neatest things was how every so often, they would stop us and teach us about a plant or animal. The coolest was definitely using leaves to shoot with, blowing bubbles from stems, and using tree sap to blow fire! It really amazes me how we are constantly surrounded by such intricate and beautiful creations. It was really an incredible experience to be able to spend some time truly appreciating them while roaming the jungle :) And then there were the five waterfalls. Oh my goodness!!! Nothing will ever feel the way it did while I was underneath that water. Seriously so cool! But one thing I'll never forget was staying with the wonderful family way up in the hill tribes. Though sleeping on the bamboo floors was not exactly... pleasant, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. How could a lifestyle so simple bring them so much happiness? It was truly remarkable to interact with such a loving people. Even while it seemed they had next to nothing, they had each other. And that was enough.
Before we left I grabbed some pens and paper that I ripped out from my journal and crawled into their hut. As I passed them out to the five kids, I was overwhelmed with joy just from looking at their simple smiles. We all sat and drew pictures together until I had to get ready to go. Before I left, I handed the little girl a picture of a flower I drew, and was touched by how she cherished it. I'll never forget the example this loving family set for me, and the genuine happiness they showed.
The past couple of weeks have definitely been the best of my life! I mean hello!! I got to ride an ELEPHANT!!! :D It's going to be hard saying goodbye, but I'll never forget any of the incredible experiences that I was lucky enough to have. :) Shout out to the fam, fource, and my "little homies" love and miss you! :) :) :)
Hey everybody it's David! This trip has been absolutely incredible so far, and the jungle trek really was the icing on the cake. Our tour guides were so funny and showed us so many cool things along the way. All of the waterfalls we went to were so cool, and it felt great to be able to shower under one after a long day's hike. The two tribes we got to spend time with really made me appreciate what I have back home. After sleeping on a super hard bamboo floor I don't think I can ever complain about my mattress again. Eating a tarantula was one of the cooler things I got to do on the trek (it tasted like chicken by the way), and of course the elephant riding was amazing. However, one of the absolutely coolest things I did was on the third day. We hiked to this really cool little waterfall in the jungle to stop, shower and eat lunch at. After I was done I noticed what looked like a wooden fence up behind the falls. I was very curious about what could be up there, so I climbed up over some large rocks. Once I got up behind the water there was a small path leading off to the side. I went to check it out. What I saw was so cool. There was a small shrine up behind the water, with a golden Buddha statue and a bamboo platform. There were some small candles and incense laying next to it. So, I lit some of both and sat down on the bamboo. I sat there for several minutes and closed my eyes, just listening to the water falling over the rocks. It was so peaceful up there. Definitely one of the coolest moments I've had on the trip. I'm so glad I was able to go on the trek. It definitely made me appreciate all the little things I have back at home that the people we stayed with don't have. But I still hope to be like those people, because of how kind and generous and happy they were. It's weird to think that I only have two days left in Thailand, and I will be sad to go. But at the same time I'm pretty anxious to see everyone back at home. Love you all, see you soon!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, July 1, 2013
- We are now in Cambodia visiting an orphanage organized and ran by an LDS family. These people are truly amazing. They have touched my heart in more ways then I could have ever imagined. I have noticed over my life that the people that are truly happiest are the people that have the least. These kids may not have very many things but they have the biggest hearts and the sweetest spirits with the strongest testimonies... I was talking with a 14 year old girl and was asking her about her family, (a lot of the kids in the orphanage have parents but their parents could not afford to take care of them so they were sent to live at the orphanage), she was telling me about her brothers and sisters and her mom I noticed that she didn't mention a dad I asked if she had a father she sweetly replied yes her Heavenly Father. Their faith is so strong and they just glow with beauty! I have grown to love them so much in just two days and am going to have a very difficult time leaving them!! Hope all is well back in the states! Miss and love you!
-Jenna
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)