Being a part of this truly life-changing project has been incredible. The 3L Foundation built the 3L dining sala on the property back in 2012. It is the center of the village that serves up to 80 kids and staff three meals each day. It is also the gathering place for all special events. The CPDC allows kids to be housed and fed and off to school each day.
All the kids come from extreme conditions like poverty, and those that stay learn to read, write, take care of themselves, and have blossomed into upstanding adults in their community. Watching them grow up and be a part of their lives has brought more joy and happiness than we could ever measure to our lives. Over the years dear friends and family have visited as well and by the time they have to say goodbye the impact of time with the kids is indelibly marked on their hearts.
Our time in Thailand reaches beyond the CPDC – the Center in Pattaya – where we spend the bulk of our time. Being a part of outreach is valuable to understand what are the underlying causes of such extreme poverty. We have supported this particular slum for many years and have watched as some have been able to move on and out but most still remain and continue the legacy on to their children.
Right around 2012 we were called by a friend Andy who was beginning some projects in the town of Sanklaburi on the Thai-Burmese border. We spent some days with him to discover the great need to help these people. So many children’s homes are in this area, but too many of them are misguided in their approach to child welfare. Rather than separation from families Andy and his team at ONE SKY FOUNDATION, and with the assistance of Sakimar from the BORDER HEALTH INITIATIVE have begun to shift thinking. The goals are to teach parents better life skills to pass along to their children, provide schooling for the kids much closer to home, and offer therapy to children and mothers who have been the victims of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. By working with village elders they have been able to gain access to the most remote regions in Burma and offer educational assistance, family planning and medical services on a regular basis.
Time can pass slowly, but there are now children leaving the homes and going back to their families where they will receive the support they need to thrive. It doesn’t always go well, and there have been many failed cases and losses to mourn, but we stay the course and keep the faith that minds and attitudes can change and the governments of these countries will begin to value their most vulnerable more each year. With the support of our fans we continue to help these families. Most recently we have committed to supplementing teacher’s salaries and put roofs on some new elementary schools. We will continue to spend time there and offer support in any way we can.
