We have helped the missionary in Thailand

They will be celebrating Mother’s Day in Thailand these days. This day is dedicated to all mothers and above all to the all mums’ mum, but that doesn’t mean to Mary, but to Queen Sirikit.

In 1976, Thai people  moved  the mother’s day from April 15th to August 12th, when the present queen, the wife of the deceased king Maha Vajiralongkorna, celebrates her birthday.

A king and a queen at every step

There is still mourning and grief going on because the king was so popular. In practice that means that monuments or rather “altars” are set up in every state institution and even in some churches.

Billboards with his photographs are everywhere in the streets. The King and the Queen follow us at every corner.

A day off

Mother’s Day is one of the most important holidays in the kingdom. There are celebrations, events, fireworks, especially in the capital, Bangkok. August 12th is a day off, so our children on the mission will also be able to stay at home. Their schedule is extremely stressful, so we are glad that they have a decent vacation and free time.

From dawn to dusk

Boys and girls wake up at six in the morning. Some chores have to be done before they go to school. They feed animals in the stable and prepare breakfast for the whole community.

At five in the afternoon they return from school tired, but there is not much time for resting.

The lobby and the corridors of the houses, bathrooms, their rooms are to be cleaned every day. They need to go  to the garden to pick up vegetables, to prepare the evening meal.
When they finish their obligations, they come to us.  A group of youngest kids has an English lesson before dinner.

After an English lesson we have an evening  meal, followed by dish washing and an evening mass or PRAYER in a missionary chapel. After the mass, the youngest go to the bathroom and prepare for a night rest, while there is a turn for an English lesson for a group of older children.

We like preparing for classes and enjoying the time when we are together with children. But I must admit that I would rather skip the lessons knowing what day these young boys and girls had spent.

The temperatures are bearable

Well, if nothing else, at least the temperatures are good. From those 40 degrees in the Philippines and Vietnam (I know, I know, you also have recently experienced them), the air is slightly cool to the north of Asia. Now we have a pleasant 26 degrees and a very heavy rainfall – practically every day. Rainy weather.

The risk of malaria

The rain, though, cools and calms, while moisture attracts insects, mosquitoes and other insects that barely await the new human host.

When we checked the risk of malaria in Thailand before we started the mission, the map was reddish only in the border area with Burma, where we currently live.

The mission of Changchai reassured us that there are not many “malaria” mosquitos here (as opposed to villages in the mountains, where we often go), but we are still very careful.

Tripple protection

Not only because malaria can be fatal without medicines, but also because treatment is extremely expensive, even if you come from the West. Prices for medicines and health services are five to ten times more expensive for foreigners than for locals.

So we are protected three times against mosquitoes. Compulsory mosquito nets on window frames, sleeping net covering the bed and, of course, the supply of sprays.

But the truth is, love, mosquitoes and care for protection are a small price for what we live and experience on this mission.

The missionary will finally be able to buy a lawnmower

The time that we are spending here is a truly blessed time. We enjoys peace, the joy of children and the rich tropical nature surrounding our property.

“Fr. Changchai, you will soon be able to buy that laser lawn mower to use on your property!” We told the missionary when we received a donation from the Slovenian company Linea Media in Operando.

That day, we were trying to figure it out how to transfer funds to Changchai who represents the mission as a  person and not within any formal organization.

Slovenian Tax Law

The problem is that Slovene legislation deducts a 20% tax on charity societies if they donate to natural and not legal persons.

Because this would amount to 20% less money for the mission, we decided to transfer the funds to another organization, the head of which is a Bishop of a Bishop Nakhkon Sawan (where our city Maesot also belongs and it is as big as four Slovenias), and they will transfer money to the missionary’s account.

There are not many such bishops

For this purpose, the Bishop even came to the mission, so we could arrange all formalities. You can not meet such a simple man like Bishop Phibul Visitnonthachai very often. He often visits our children He is in his seventies and he usually comes to the mission on his motorcycle.

He refuses any special treatment and always wash up himself. That day he spent the day sleeping on mission and, as usual, on the ground of the missionary chapel. How many such bishops are you familiar with?

Thank you for your support

We made the selfie in the courtyard of the Catholic school, which is also attended by the children of the mission.

We are very pleased with your support, the encouraging messages you send to us and the prayers you accompany us with on the way. Without all your support, we would not have received all the graces which God blesses us with all the time.

Your donations also testify that you know how important the help for another person is, although that person lives far away.

They say that the chain is as strong as its weakest link. We are glad to know that this chain is not limited to the people of the home land, but to all the people of this world.

Operando.

Nace Volčič