More Visits to Schools/Government Offices

This past week, Ron and TG made more visits to surrounding schools and local government offices.

TG is presenting them with a booklet explaining how SAS sets up safe houses in Asian countries to provide homes for poor girls.    

While we may not find girls through these sources, sometimes we have referrals from teachers or social work personnel.  In any event, it is good to have a good relationship with them in order for us to operate officially with their goodwill.

They plan to make a second visit soon to the Udon Thani Home for Girls.    When we left Udon Thani to drive to Mukdahan a few weeks ago, I saw a large two-story building on our right and at the top in large English letters it said Udon Thani Home for Girls.    It was not very far from here.   TG knew nothing about it.   I did computer research and found this U.S. Christian based foundation.  It does not not state a specific religious affiliation.    They have homes for girls, boys and orphans in Thailand and Laos.  It is a very large organization.    Ron and TG stopped by, but the director was not there   They only talked with a receptionist.   

They learned that there are 200 girls in this home, ranging in age from babies to high school.  Ron and TG plan to make another visit to meet the director.   It is entirely possible that they will cooperate with us as to how they find girls or where to go to get more referrals.  They may even have to turn girls away for lack of space and be willing to give us some leads.   This is what we are hoping.  Ron said there were other buildings on their campus, possibly housing boys or other groups of children.   We will find out soon if they will be helpful or a real competitor.

TG visited the home of a poor family and talked with the girl's grandmother about her coming to live at the safe house.   The girl was interested and willing to come.   

Here is some information about her living conditions and pictures.  We hope she will be the first girl to come to the Udon Thani safe house.    

Her grandmother wants her to come for a better life, but her grandfather is against it.    They are members of another church of Christ further from here.   Hopefully, her grandfather can be assured of our work and the many advantages his granddaughter will have here.   Maybe he will finally agree to let her come.   

She sleeps on the floor at the foot of her grandmother's bed.   

Here is where she lives. 

Just from looking at the pictures, you can see that she needs to come. 

What a difference it would make in her life!

TG has learned the office procedures for completing the Evaluation form for a new girl and submitting it to Ron for approval.   She knows to send me the New Student Information Sheet, once a girl has arrived so we can add her to our computer system and assign her a sponsor.   TG will prepare the quarterly reports about each girl for the sponsors.

Ron has spent a lot of time with TG teaching her how to keep receipts and report them on her petty cash report.   She has a lot of items to break down into various categories, including the mileage on her car that pertains to the SAS work.    Keeping good records for the petty cash report that is submitted monthly, is probably the hardest part of the job for a new house parent.  From the beginning of the remodeling work, she has assisted Ron in translating receipts and maintain proper accounting records.    She is very smart and understanding the procedures have not seemed difficult for her.  

I prepared a typical chore chart for her to use to train the girls in the work around the house.   TG should not have to do it all herself with a houseful of girls.   They will rotate doing the chores so each girl will learn to do the necessary things to keep a home clean and operating smoothly.  The older girls will help and teach the younger girls.   

I also prepared a proposed list of rules for the girls to follow.   In order to maintain disciple over the girls, it is much easier if they learn from the beginning what is expected of them.   We will review this list with TG and have a full discussion about problems we have encountered in other safe houses so she can decide what she will do to prevent problems and how to deal with them when they happen.  

TG worked in the garden all day on Friday.   Friday is not a good day to make visits; too many officials take off work early on Fridays and do not want to meet with visitors.

TG has many vegetables coming up.  It was a hot day but she prepared containers to begin hydroponic growing of plants.  

I don't know yet what vegetables she will grow hydroponically.  She is excited to try this new gardening method.     She has containers of leaf lettuce coming up and the tiny plants are so cute!

TG loves vegetables and she is trying to cut down on just eating white rice, as is the custom of most Asians.  She loves meat but she will add many fresh vegetables to her stir fry dishes.    

The mango trees have a good quantity of half-mature fruit in spite of many small ones falling to the ground.   I look forward to trying the first ripe mango in a few weeks.

The girls in this safe house will learn how to grow a garden and prepare dishes using the various vegetables.  They will eat healthy and never go hungry.