All on a Saturday

 

There’s a different vibe around here when the kids are not at school. 

You’d think it would be noisy.  And while there is the sound of laughter, and sweeping brooms and scrubbing in tubs first thing before breakfast, and then playing Uno around the table, or even simple conversation while walking to whatever next thing any of us are doing, it’s remarkable how relatively quiet twenty-five children plus their caregivers can actually be out here away from the city.

A lot more happens in the cool of the day, very early as the rooster is literally crowing and a veiled sun rises behind a clouded sky.  It’s the best time to get things done, before it gets too hot.  And since jet lag is still enough of a thing to have us up way before any alarm, Abby and I are taking advantage of that too, cutting and prepping what will be needed much later, at the end of the day, when we get to evening worship.  Personally, I find it oh so much better to set up what I want on the white board right after breakfast, as the meeting room can become quite the oven later on.

Today I have given Abby an assignment for when I will be busy at the New Family Foundation Management Committee Meeting at 9:30.  She’s to walk around with her camera and try to capture some casual shots of the children and the grounds.  Some of her creative work I use here with her permission.

 

Our meeting is so productive!  It’s never lost on me the huge benefit of being face to face in order to work out all manner of things that can get rather messed up in translation online.  There is laughter when we see how the translation ap missed the point in previous emails.  There is sadness in talking about some Staff changes, and the adjustments that have been made.  There are questions about the future, about next steps in the property and this long travail of obtaining the land deed.  There is news of a new connection with a government run organization of support and continuing education for those involved in ‘alternative child care’ in Thailand.  And there is excited planning for next visits.

The children have already gathered for our Saturday reading time of ‘just before lunch,’ perusing through the books that we put out on the porch to be ready.  And then a delightful hour of chasing down monsters and figuring out all the things we can do in the snow.  A book that shows close ups of animal parts before the big reveal at the end starts a giggle-fit when one part is a small tail, but seems to be hilariously mistaken for the animal’s rear end.  Sometimes on a Saturday, when something strikes you as funny, you just can’t help it.  And it gets contagious.  Good thing that was our last book because I’m not sure we would have accomplished too much actual English learning after that!!!

I’m grateful for lunch and the forecast of heavy rain in the afternoon.  Didn’t sleep so great yesterday, and I may have overdone it just a little, last night at worship, in the actions to “Stand on the Rock,” the part that has my house falling dow-ow-ow-own.  As much as it seems counterintuitive, I’m still at a stage where I’m most helpful if I can make sure I’m off my feet for portions of the day.  So a little napping yes, but more just some quiet work/writing in between.  And, hey, I’m already ready for tonight’s evening worship so…

 

Tonight we do the conversational bit where someone asks how old you are.  There’s writing it down on a card, then standing beside one another in order of age, then taking pictures as a way of recording it for Sponsors, and for all of us.   Spoiler alert:  I’m the oldest person here. 

 

 

 

It’s a three-day weekend.  That gives this Saturday an even more elongated, unpressured feeling, since we also have Monday to enjoy together, with Sunday in between of course. 

 So hope you all have a great Saturday, whatever you need it to be.

We just did.