One Treasure At A Time: Thim

She's my girl.

At least in the sense that this is the child Ken and I sponsor through the Hot Springs program offered at Highview. Her name is Thim.

I admit to shamelessly "claiming" her after our first visit there last winter. When it became clear that we were going to be able to go ahead and connect with Asia's Hope to partner with Hot Springs, and when it seemed clear that the best way to make this as personal and meaningful and effective as possible was to set up sponsorships, I claimed Thim. The rest of the team who was there got first picks too, actually. It seemed only right. We'd met them, afterall, and our hearts were mashed to pieces. Being able to choose a child to sponsor from ones who are actual flesh and blood to you means a lot.

I'm not sure why Thim caught my attention that night. Perhaps she stands out because she has uncharacteristically curly hair in a gene pool of mostly poker straight locks; all beautiful, but Thim's was caught back in two braids. I actually never saw her with it loose.

She's a very composed young lady. Seems mature for her age, and a little on the shy and quiet side. It was an interesting dynamic, being there last October, both of us trying to make our way through the relational and cultural weirdness, and all the while, both of us very aware that I was her sponsor.

There's no word for "sponsor" in Thai, so they just say the English word, only it's with an elongated last syllable. So it sounds like spon-SORE! The children are very aware that they have sponsors and that the sponsors are making it possible for them to be at Hot Springs, and go to school. Sponsors are highly honoured. Believe me. They have your pictures and they know your names. There was one morning when I sat on the girls' bunks and they brought me the picture albums you've all sent. They wanted me to tell them as much about you as I could, as they could understand.

Then Thim shyly brought me the little album I had sent. And quietly, carefully, I tried to tell her who all the people were in the picture. My family at Christmas, in front of the fireplace.

There was this weirdness for Thim and me. She didn't cling to me like the younger girls did. She didn't try to push her way in and claim her space as my special girl. She was certainly friendly and warm, and enjoyed herself at the zoo and hammed for the camera like the rest of her brothers and sisters. Still, her shyness and the "you're my sponsor" weirdness actually seemed to make for a little bit of distance. At least, that's how it felt to me.

I was glad I got to be there when Thim was honoured for her academic achievements. It was at the retreat at Wiang Pa Pao. A number of the children were acknowledged for the awards they had earned at the end of the last semester. (The retreat was held during a school break.) And Thim had come in first in her class with a very impressive grade point average. I loved being able to praise her for this. Suradet was sure to tell me, in front of her, how proud he was of her.

Next time. We're about ready to buy our tickets for next time! There's a small team heading out at the end of April, and then another solo trip for someone else in June. Our connection with Hot Springs continues, and I am so glad others want to come and meet our kids.

So next time, with Thim.... I hope we can know each other better. I hope that because I've been there before and we know each other's faces better, we can keep working on this. What a strange thing it is to love people you can barely talk to.

I have her letter on my fridge. Before I left she wrote me a letter and I have no idea what it says. But it's on my fridge.

Thim, I coming back. Soon.