By Yun Kwansub | International Volunteer
The past three months at MRICRH has been filled with rain and new activities. The rainy season of Thailand in this year was so long and had exceptional amount of rain. The heavy torrential rain caused serious flash floods, landslides and inundations; it caused many deaths, missing people and property damage everywhere in Thailand. Although MRICRH, The Swimming Home Shelter, had no collateral damage by down pour, humidity surrounds us with that sticky wet environment making it feel lethargic and tired. With this rainy season, we were able to conduct different educational actives in the afternoon or on holidays instead of farming activities at Ban Klang Na. Our new volunteer from Korea, Mr. Yun, started working with us from this July and he helped to teach children swimming, musical instruments and basic painting skills.
Our five children really love to swimming and run right to the pool after school. We have swimming activities, which focus on not only learning advanced swimming skills, but also basic lifesaving skills and knowledge in water safety, rescue, and resuscitation. With the recent statics by Thailand Strategy, more than 2,650 children died drowning every year and half of all children deaths in the 1-4 age group caused by drowning. The children are so happy that they will be able to help someone in need.
The children have also learned to play a musical instrument, the ocarina, twice a week. It is an ancient musical wind instrument All of them are very curious learners, so they were open to new experiences to learn to play it. Sometimes some of them were desperate when their performance was not good, however they learned patience from their struggles. Although they were slow in learning, but their inner confidence and positive attitude are remarkably developed.
“I want to play an ocarina better and better. So one day I will play my favorite Thai songs with my ocarina to my classmates.” said Pare after finish the activity.
With their daily swimming and weekly ocarina lessons, the children also started a weekly drawing activity. The children were told to draw without limitations so we could see what was going on in their minds. Fai (12) drew an impressive landscape and explained that she cannot meet her family because of money problems now. But she wants to meet them again one say and travel together to seaside. Titu (7) was not afraid of showing his potential ability to draw. He drew a hero who saves the world from a monster. Although he is an orphan, he wants to become a great hero to help someone and be a valuable person for the world.
As the old Thai proverb says: rainbow after the rain. Though a rainy season makes everything look gloomy and miserable, the clouds pass and the sky becomes bright and blue with a bright rainbow. Our 8 people in MRICRH may understand that bad times do not last forever. With a rainbow as a symbol of hope and the future, we would like to thank all of our supporters for your generosity. We are always grateful for your continued help and hope you will continue to follow us along this journey.
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