Thailand Children’s Home: Anything But Ordinary

Our second volunteer project was based out of Chiang Mai, Thailand at a children’s home called Nimit Asia.  The home provides 54 boys and girls (ages 4-16) a safe place to grow up, food, and access to a modest education.  We would slowly learn the children’s stories throughout the week:  some are orphans who have no one, while others still have one parent or grandparent in the picture.  The one commonality is that is that it seems that the opportunity to live at Nimit Asia, however briefly, is a better alternative than staying at home.  

Mike and I (and between 3-7 other volunteers) took an hour bus ride every morning to the children’s home in a small town called Doi Saket and spent about 5 hours there each day.  Mr. Boon, the house dad, would pick us up from the bus station each morning and shuttle us to the home.  The kids were on summer break while we were there so we had to fill the time however possible: playing sports, doing arts and crafts, teaching English, etc. There was no structure (which was tough for me) so we had to get creative.  

Mike had no problem getting involved from the start whether it was rough housing with the boys, playing soccer, or learning how to say and pronounce Thai words from the gaggle of adolescent girls that found him very “laaw” (handsome).  For me, it was a little more difficult.  I learned that, while I am an old pro at organized games and educational experiences, I have a hard time “just playing” or “hanging”.  These rambunctious children taught me that I need to learn how to take their lead, relax, and “just play” sometimes.  But, it did not take long for Mike and I to get into a routine.  After feeling things out for two days, we bought some coloring supplies and a simple book for teaching English to help structure some activities to keep the kids interested and occupied during down time.  

The days began with a hoard of grinning children running out to great us in the pickup truck each day. From there, we would color, draw, and teach English with the kids until lunchtime.  Like clockwork, each of the older girls at the home would break away from the fun to begin the meal preparation around 11:30 am each day.  Lunch was always basic but delicious and Mike and I loved watching the kids take the time to pray in unison before the meal.  After lunch it was kind of a free for all.  Some days we would play basketball, soccer, or some other game invented by the children.  Other days, when the sun was unbearably hot, we would stick to the shade and sing, learn to play their version of checkers, or watch one of their 2 DVDs (Alvin and the Chipmunks or Transformers). We even took them on a mini field trip one afternoon to a nearby lake to feed the fish.  Our days at Nimit Asia ended around 3 pm when Mr. Boon would round us up in the pickup truck and cue the children to yell “See you tomorrow!!” in their cute Thai accents.