Back in Thailand and the new Dining Sala
11.01.2011
We are here! It is hard to explain the feeling you get when you come back to somewhere you leave with such good memories. As John O’Donohue says in his blessing for a traveler, “New places that have never seen you will startle a little at your entry. Old places that know you well will pretend nothing changed since your last visit.” Indeed this is true. The smiles, the hugs, the laughter have picked up where it left off without any distance of time. And the new skyline with the Dining Sala is the crown jewel of a sanctuary for these great kids.
Driving down the road to the CPDC, I saw the roofline jutting above everything else. At first, I thought it was perhaps not the Dining Sala and was rather one of the local luxury houses that is being constructed in the area. The closer I got, the more I was excited to see it was in fact the Dining Sala, complete with the lovely details of Thai traditional architecture.
Upon arrival, I saw Pam and Ashley coming out of the sala with several kids in parade and a few enjoying rides in their arms. My old friend Gung (Shrimp) was there to greet me and gave me a big hug, still happy to point out my tummy isn’t as flat as he thinks it should be.
Ashley gave me the nickel tour of the new Dining Sala and I couldn’t help but be impressed. Construction workers were will busy putting the final touches on the new building and it is obvious from once glance form the outside, especially in the context of the other buildings that something special and sacred happens in this building. It is a temple, not in the institutional sense, but a place of nourishment of body and spirit none the less. Its beautiful roof, its spacious interior, its respect of the elements of wind and light for interior comfort while being sheltering is wonderful. We have been so blessed to have charmed hands that draw the lines on paper to the hands that put materials in place.
Pam and Ashley had their usual wide smiles and hugs welcomed me back to two friends and our shared adventure’s next chapter. I am putting together a bit of a teaser-trailer film about how the Dining Sala looks now and will get it online as soon as I can. I do have some pictures to share with you here as well more in the gallery.
One of the fun moments of the day was to be there when the majority of the kids got home from school. We planned it to be a bit of a surprise for them. None of them knew we were coming. So I stood out in the visible area of the street and Pam and Ashley hid behind the gate to the CPDC. When they saw me taking their pictures in the distance, they got a bit of a puzzled look on their faces. Many started to run closer to see what was up. Then Ashley and Pam came running out from the gate and a spontaneous cheers, smiles, hugs and kisses made for a wonder symphony of reuniting friendships.
Most of the kids seemed to have grown several inches since we saw them last and their outlook on life and its possibilities seems to continued to grow in a positive way. A couple of the kids were enduring a nasty stomach bug and we helped them into the nurse’s station for some relief. One poor little boy that Ashley helped was so sick, we were surprised he was able to walk home. Kindness is something my friends Pam and Ashley have in abundance and they seem to always have an inexhaustible supply for every child in every circumstance.
I will continue to keep you up to speed and get more pictures, videos and stories online as soon as I can. Take care and stay in touch.
Much love to all Matt, Ashley and Pam and the wonderful kids. HUGS ALL AROUND