The Big Day Has Finally Arrived

By Athena Boulgarides, Western Region Development Officer (North) for Christian Children's Fund

Finally; the big day is here! Before we ate breakfast we were asked – ever so kindly – to eat light. The roads up to the project site were very windy and therefore can cause motion sickness. In addition, they had Dramamine available for anyone who needed it.

What were we in for? We climbed into several vans and began our journey. Our drivers estimated it would take about four hours to get to the project site. About three-fourths of the way there, the roads became windy and unpaved in some areas.

The last 10 miles were … how can I explain? We could not go faster than 5-10 mph without damaging the car or turning our stomachs. One question kept running through my mind. What happens during the rainy season? Travel must be virtually impossible.

Suddenly, the Mae Kapu School was in sight! Study Tour participant Nikki Headlee remembered, “When we pulled up to the school and I saw all the kids standing there waiting to greet us, I just cried.”

We were greeted by the children, teachers and directors of the school with garlands made from jasmine and quickly escorted to a multi-purpose room.

While we were waiting, I took a moment just to take it all in.

The children were absolutely beautiful. Each possessed a countenance that appeared to be open, bright and vulnerable. The school buildings were modest and clean. It was larger that I had imagined with several buildings and lots of land for physical activities.

We learned about the school from a board made by the children especially for our visit. Then, finally, came the moment our sponsors had been waiting for.

Every sponsored child was invited to come up to the front of the room and CCF sponsors were invited to come up for hugs and hellos.

I’m so thankful I was there to witness the kind of love that makes our world such a beautiful place. Love that transcends language, culture, politics and day-to-day difficulties we all face. It was a moment I will never forget.

Balloons and bubbles aided the celebration. I thought we might have to show them how to tie the balloons – silly me – they knew exactly what to do with them.



The girls made crowns and tiaras while the boys made belts with swords and headdresses. They were so happy. One little girl gave me her balloon that she had on her head.



Study Tour participants who did not sponsor a child in Thailand engaged in several activities with the rest of the children and students from the school.

The Mae Kapu School serves 174 children who live scattered in five Poks, or villages, from kindergarten to ninth grade. Some of the Poks are up to 10 miles away from the school.

To deal with the commute, children walk to school Monday morning and stay until Friday when they journey back home to be with their families for the weekend. During the week they sleep in simple dorm type rooms. They do have one old TV, but access is limited so it’s rarely on. Blankets are hard to come by and the winters can get cold with no heating.

The children are instructed in activities that will lead to self-sufficiency such as gardening, farming and weaving. In 2005 the school joined a Distance Learning Program via satellite to aid computer learning. Through the program they received four computers and Internet access. The program was so successful that they received two additional computers in June 2008.

CCF’s intervention in the Mae Kapu School has brought about significant changes and improvements not only for the108 CCF children who now face hopeful futures, but also for the other children whose lives are also improved through CCF services that affect the entire community.

Success at the Mae Kapu School demonstrates that child sponsorship and program support can change the life of a child forever.

One former student, Pra Prachak Sothano, a Buddhist from the Karen tribe has become a visionary informal leader of the school and the communities.

“I finished fourth grade from this school and had a dream that all Karen should have the opportunity to learn Thai language so as to be able to give back to Thai society and His Majesty the king who allows us to live in Thai territory,” Sothano said.

The day was soon coming to a close, but we were not ready to leave! We were treated to a traditional wrist tying closing ceremony conducted by a monk and the tribal elder who has 10 children and the happiest Thai smile I had ever seen!

We all hugged each other and promised to write and e-mail. And in case you are wondering about Luc … he had a blast; finally having kids to play with!

The traditional Thai “Thank you” – “Kop Kun Ka” and “Kop Kun Krab” – somehow made it through the tears and echoed throughout the humble school. We took one final group picture and we were back in the vans.

The ride home was silent.

This experience could give new meaning to the word overwhelming. The day left us truly speechless and our hearts were filled with gratitude. All was right in the world, if only for a moment. And that moment that will last for all eternity.

While we have another day of sight-seeing in Thailand, the mission for trip has been accomplished and will remain with us forever. Thank you for reading.

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Anticipation Builds to Meet the Children

By Athena Boulgarides, Western Region Development Officer (North) for Christian Children's Fund

Tomorrow is the big day! We are all excited to finally meet the children, see the school and celebrate Christian Children’s Fund work. Before that, we’ve taken in some more amazing sights from Thailand.

Yesterday, we visited Doi Inthanon, also known as the highest spot in Thailand. We also stopped at Luang National Park.

On the drive up I had the chance to speak with our guide Sid about the monks. According to Sid there are an estimated 1 million Buddhist monks living in Thailand. Each morning you can see them in the streets praying for the people. You are allowed to give them food which is considered giving alms – a gesture that earns merit for practicing Buddhists.

I learned a lot this morning from Sid and I was grateful for his patience with my many questions.
As we reached the top of the mountain my ears began to pop. The summit is 2,565 meters or 8,415 feet and you can feel it. The lush green landscape is home to 363 bird species and the national park that protects it is 482 square kilometers.

When we reached the top we all took pictures under the sign that says, “Highest Spot in Thailand.” We followed a short path to a little drink stand and gift shop that sold hand made souvenirs. The coffee in Thailand was fantastic, and if you are a coffee drinker, I highly recommend it.

We also traveled to the Napamyatanidol Chedis – built to honor the 60th birthday of the king and queen in 1982 and 1992 respectively - near the summit of Doi Inthanon.


What an absolutely remarkable sight! The carved walls that adorned the outside of the temple and the mosaic paintings inside the temples were an inspiration. I even met a very sweet monk who allowed me to take his picture inside the temple.








I think I have my Wai down pretty good now – don’t know if it will ever feel absolutely right – but the ritual is soulful and deeply satisfying.

Today it’s off to the Underground Empire. Can you say buried treasure?

Half-hidden behind a tranquil neighborhood of traditional wooden houses, Buddhist temples and longan orchards are the sprawling remains of Wiang Kum Kam, an ancient capital city that briefly ruled over Lanna, the former northern Thai Kingdom more than 700 years ago.

In 1984, archeology enthusiasts flocked to see Wiang Kum Kam’s uncovered gems of this historic site. At the heart of Wat Chang Kham is the main Chedi – Wat Chedi Liam.

When we arrived on the property we quickly learned that the main mode of transportation around this area was an adorable horse and buggy.


We stopped for lunch at the Salad House – healthy Thai food that was absolutely fantastic! Andrew promised Luc that if he finished his salad he could do the splits and sing “Ooo eee ooo aaa-aaa” for the staff at the restaurant and all of the Study Tour participants. He finished his salad and he performed. Our new Thai friends thought he was just adorable. Some things – like comedy – just translate well in any culture.

But enough with the sight-seeing. We’re all ready for tomorrow!

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Thailand: More than I Ever Could Have Imagined

By Melissa Candela, CCF Sponsor and Athena Boulgarides, Western Region Development Officer (North) for Christian Children's Fund.

Today, CCF sponsor Melissa Candela wanted to contribute to our blog; here’s what she had to say:

I’ve wanted to come to Thailand since my ninth grade social studies teacher told the class about her trip here. She and her husband had traveled around the country for about a month in the summer of 1978 and that fall when we studied Asia in class she brought it alive.

I can only imagine what it must have been like getting here in the 1970s — it’s pretty grueling now (especially coming from New York where we live). Before the country was “discovered” by American tourists I’m sure the experience was even more foreign than it is to us. I’m sure far fewer Thais spoke English for one thing.

So my impressions? I’m just overwhelmed by Thailand, even more that I expected to be. And I haven’t even met Pornchanole, my sponsored child, yet. Talk about overwhelming! I’ve been writing to her for eight years, she is 16 now. What an experience it’s going to be to spend time with her.

Meanwhile we’ve had so many great moments here and it’s only Day 4. So far my favorite moment was when we first entered the inner area of the Grand Palace. The grandeur and grace of the architecture just literally took my breath away and I was wiping away the tears for the first twenty minutes we were there.

Again … I haven’t even met my sponsored child yet. I’m going to be a mess! It was also very moving to enter the Temple of the Emerald Buddha barefooted and to kneel on the cold tile floor. It’s a very elemental sense for me and it brought a feeling of gratefulness and humility. I want to know a lot more about Buddhism.

The temples, the markets, the people and the food … Thailand is more than I could ever have imagined and I’ve been imagining it for a very long time.


Yesterday and today we took in many more great sites of Thailand including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the adjoining Grand Palace, which is considered one of the greatest developments in Bangkok. It is home to more than 100 buildings and mosaics that date back to 1782.

We flew to Chieng Mai today to stay at the beautiful hotel called Kantary Hills. When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by our hostess, Fah, with gorgeous jasmine necklaces!

After lunch, we were off to visit Doi Suthep, a fascinating temple that sits on top of a mountain that rises 1,676 meters above the city of Chieng Mai. On that spot (legend the legend goes) the Temple was built in 1383.

Doi Suthep is actually named for a legendary hermit, named Sudeva, who lived on the slopes. Before this, about 1,000 years ago, it was still known as Doi Aoy Chang (Sugarcane Elephant Mountain).

After a long trip down the mountain, we visited the Orchid Jade Factory where we were treated to a short video and a tour of their workroom. We learned how to determine the quality of jade and viewed the many different colors jade comes in including black, lavender and my favorite, imperial green.

The showroom was filled with gorgeous jade carvings, some smaller than a fingernail and an exquisite carved Buddha almost at large as the exercise ball in my living room. After a delectable buffet dinner at the Thai house we returned to Kantary Hills for the night! What a glorious day.

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Day Two: Boats, Bargaining and Feeding the Elephants

By Athena Boulgarides, Western Region Development Officer (North) for Christian Children's Fund

We awakened to another beautiful day in Bangkok. The weather is similar to the springtime in Los Angles, so I feel right at home. Today we get to explore the famous Floating Markets Damneon Saduak in the Ratchaburi Province about 55 miles southwest of Bangkok.

We arrived at the market and were escorted to a chaotic flurry of activity. Small “khlongs” or canals were filled with an unending supply of long-tailed boats powered by an above board motor that docked only momentarily to pick up tourists and whisk them off down the river.

We eagerly jumped into the boats and took off. As we sped down the river we noticed that either side was filled with traditional Thai houses and Spirit houses. A Spirit house, or San Phra Phum, is a shrine to animist spirits found in Southeast Asia intended to shelter spirits that might bring bad luck if not appeased or honored.

Is this safe? That’s just one of the questions running through my mind. The boats seemed to zoom by each other with unbelievable ease, narrowly escaping what looked like almost certain collision! Some of us got pretty wet, but we all made it to the markets.

Let the bargaining begin. Shopping at Macy’s was never like this! As you moved among the boats and the stands filled with produce and souvenirs the locals shouted prices at us. And they were more than willing to negotiate, sometimes lowering the price before you even said a word. 100 Baht Madame! Deal for you just 80 Baht! OK?

Everyone seemed to find something wonderful at the markets and enjoyed the bargaining process. Luc (see the previous post for details on Luc) found a real scorpion encased in glass and Dale Nelson purchase a bone necklace that was just spectacular.

We got back on the bus and headed for lunch, the Rose garden and then a cultural show. Lunch at the In-Chan Restaurant in the Rose garden was absolutely delicious. And dancing among the roses we discovered some beautiful pink flamingos.

As we approached the venue for the Thai Cultural Show, we noticed that some elephants would be joining us.

When Luc saw the elephants and realized that he could feed them he was so very excited. Bananas and sugar cane were available to purchase for a few Baht. Luc’s mom, Ceta, of course let him feed the elephants. Before he did, however, he asked me, “What if they mistake me for the sugar cane. Because I’m small they might do it, right?”

I assured him that they know the difference and besides, he didn’t taste like bananas or sugar cane, so they really wouldn’t be interested. With all the courage he could muster, he reached out and placed the food in the elephant’s outstretched trunk. The elephant eagerly, but gently, grasped the food and brought it back to its mouth – amazing!

Then, it was showtime! The show included traditional Thai dancing, a parade of elephants, a Thai boxing exhibition and a traditional Thai wedding ceremony.

After the show we traveled to the Swissotel Le Concord for dinner and enjoyed a World Class Spectacular show called “Siam Niramit” or “Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam.” The Swissotel is known for its remarkable stage that is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest in the world.

At one point in the show part of the stage was transformed into what appeared to be a river complete with rainfall and actors dressed as Kinaree, the mythical half woman half bird like creature. They flew across the stage … all the way to the top!

Unfortunately cameras were not allowed inside the theater so we will have to rely on our memories of this glorious show!

As the night ended, I know more sight-seeing is ahead, but I am eagerly waiting for the day our group meets the children they sponsor.

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Smiling the Day Away - Arriving in Thailand

By Athena Boulgarides, Western Region Development Officer (North) for Christian Children's Fund

A group of Christian Children’s Fund sponsors are visiting Thailand to observe CCF’s programs. Here is Day One of their trip:

“Is there a McDonald’s in Thailand?” This is just one of the brilliant questions asked by our youngest Study Tour participant, 9-year-old Luc Dochterman from California.

I got to know Luc on the plane ride from Los Angeles International Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and learned that this is his third Study Tour with Christian Children’s Fund. He previously visited Ecuador and Mexico. And he sponsors two CCF children.

I feel so fortunate that all of the tour participants will have the opportunity to view this extraordinary experience through Luc’s unique youthful perspective!

We had a long day’s journey into night – or should I say into the wee hours of the next morning. We left L.A. at 1:50 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 and landed in Bangkok at 1:06 a.m. Monday, Nov 10.

Time flies when you cross the international dateline!

Our tour guide Kiterom “Andrew” Kasemsri greeted our exhausted crew at the airport with a beautiful jasmine and rose garland called Puang Malai.

He taught us the proper Thai greeting, the Wai, along with the sentence Sawasdee ka for women and Sawasdee Krab for men.

I have to admit I did do some research on the rules of the Wai and was astonished. Suffice it to say “To Wai or not to Wai” will be the question du jour.

As we boarded the tour bus adorned with hot pink and light pink curtains we were excited to reach our final destination for the evening – the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel. Sweet dreams of Thai smiles and the exciting journey that awaits us will assuredly fill our hearts and minds as we drift off.

I awakened to a remarkable view of the Chao Phraya River also known as the “River of Kings.” The group gathered at 10 a.m. in one of the hotel conference rooms for a briefing about the project we would be visiting in Chieng Mai.

CCF Thailand staff greeted each of us with warm Thai smiles, Wais and Saswasdees. If you ever watch a Thai perform the Wai, you’ll quickly see that there is more to it than meets the eye.

It is an amazing skill that requires patience, grace and lots of practice. I wondered how they performed it if they are carrying something? Do they just structure their day-to-day activities so their hands are empty and they are always Wai-ready?

At this point I was relaxed enough to really watch our CCF staff perform the Wai. OK, I think I’ve got it. Now my turn. My first attempt at really trying to Wai correctly – here goes. Hands together in Lotus position placed in front of the mouth, look at the person you are greeting in the eye, then bow slightly, as you rise look back at them, hands down.

Whew, I think I did. Surprisingly, I like it. It gives you time to really acknowledge another person’s presence and honor them in a way. I think I’m going to like the way of the Wai!

As the meeting began, we met Dr. Kanchada Piriyarangsan, the CEO of CCF Thailand. Dr. K, as they called her, treated us to a presentation about the project called “Love Beyond the Frontier.” The Chieng Mai Child Welfare project started in 1982 and now serves 1,872 families. In 1994 CCF Thailand started to work under the gracious patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Dr. K shared CCF Thailand’s vision – Thai children are cared for, protected and developed to their fullest capacity, enabling them to be smart, good and healthy as well as contribute actively to national development.

During the briefing we also learned about the school we will be visiting in Mae Kapu. The school has been pursuing a learning model called P+Learn or “P-learn,” which means having fun while learning. The P+Learn teaching model has a standardized curriculum that is used throughout Thailand, but can be adapted to the unique teaching and learning styles of individual teachers and students.

We were all excited to see the school, but that would have to wait a few days. For now we are headed to the Bangai Arts and Crafts Center of HM Queen Sirikit.

The center has a fascinating history. For years, one of Queen Sikrit’s royal duties was to visit people in all parts of the kingdom. During her visits she encountered tremendous poverty and substandard living conditions. She was determined to relieve poverty through job creation which focused on improving the quality of the products produced.

She arranged for instructors to help villagers improve their skill levels so they were able to sell their products to the queen.

The successful project continued to expand and was formally established in 1977. Eventually land was dedicated to the project in 1980 and on Dec. 7, 1984, the center was inaugurated as the Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre, the SUPPORT Foundation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand, or “Bangsai SUPPORT Centre.”

The center featured rooms filled with one-of-a-kind creations made from various materials including glass, ceramics and silk. It was truly special.

Throughout the day our youngest Study Tour participant Luc sang what I suspect might become the unofficial theme of the trip – the tune from “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” I think you might know it so sing along if you like … “Ooo eee ooo aaa-aaa… Ting tang … Walla walla bing bang …Ooo eee ooo aaa-aaa ting tang walla walla bing bang!

A long and exciting day left us in awe of CCF’s work in Thailand and filled with memories of new experiences, new faces and a whole new culture to appreciate.

I think I am beginning to understand the Thai smile. While Thai eyes seem to laugh and sparkle they give nothing away. At times they seem to reveal an entire world filled with unexplored adventure lying just beneath the surface.

And if you Wai, and your eyes meet, you can catch a glimmer of the deep sense of knowing and joy they possess that I believe may be born out of their faithful commitment to serving their fellow human being. I can’t wait to see what surprises tomorrow holds.

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