Sai, we stayed right on the border of Thailand and Burma. The drop in center is
a safe place that the kids from both Countries can come to during the day. They
are feed, loved and cared for. Many of them are beggers, so during the
afternoon, they have to go on the bridge and beg. Many sleep on the streets,
many are very young.
On Saturday, it was Children’s day in Thailand. A big holiday where we
played games, had big decorations (balloons) gave out candy, small toys and
just loved on the kids. Towards the end, a pile of coats were brought down the
stairs and placed in a pile. We divided them by size, small and big. The kids
lined up and each grabbed a coat. They had very little choices and often
just took the one handed to them and said thank you with a smile. We picked out
a few larger ones that were pink and took them to the mothers sitting with
their infants. They smiled. Slowly the coats were fewer and the line was still
coming. My friend, Arna, a small boy wearing only shorts and a thin t shirt
approached, all we had left were vests. His expression changed only for a
moment, then he smiled and said thank you with no hesitation. I felt the lump
in my neck and had to turn and walk away, fighting back the tears. I had never
seen such gratefulness. The nights are very cold here this time of year, and
often the children will swim across the border just to get a meal for the day
from the center. The water is freezing.
size. He smiled as if he never doubted the Lord would provide for him (the
night before we bought him cheap crocs, because his feet were bloody from no
shoes) I was changed. Boys walked away in pink, some in jackets to short… but
all with a thankful heart. Imagine that happening in the States, I couldn’t.
