After doing a couple of hours of that Monday morning, we went out on Re-cycle collection, first to our friend Blues’ house near Wat Suan Dawk, Chiang Mai and then calling in at the American Pacific International School Kindergarten in Hang Dong Road.

Whilst at APIS we got confirmation that the schools Main Campus wishes to join in our project and we will be contacting them this week to sort out collection details.

On the way home from there we also picked up a decent haul from Kwan Wiang Moo bahn.

Picking the Mattayom students up on the way we then returned home.

Emilie then switched to Volunteer carer mode and joined in fun and games with the children. As well as some karaoke going on Emilie did a great art exrecise with the children producing “sand pictures”

In the evening there was a Buddhist celebration going on at Wat Mae Salaab and we took all the children along for an hour after dinner.

We first watched the parade headed by a “Prince” on pony, before taking the children to the fair that was set up, where the younger ones spent time on the Bouncy Castle and the older ones had goes on Balloon popping and shooting games.

Then it was back home to get that all important homework done before bed.

Tradition has been formed that a show is put on every Xmas Eve, with performances by local residents and school children.

Year we watched Yong doing her bit on stage and this year was the turn of Jor , who with her Prathom 6 classmates put on a contemporary dance performance to the jolly sounds of Jingle Bells.

Other performances included on exercise routine by elderly members of the community, hula hoop dancing by Mae Salaab schools little ones and a Nativity Play by some of the older children.

Free food including Pad Thai and other local cuisine was provided for all who attended and many gift prizes were given out in between the performances.

yet more prizes were given out by Santa who arrived around 9pm at the end of the show.

Our children benefited by many small prizes including snack food, washing powder, toiletries and, most impressive, a toaster.

It was a great show and everyone had lots of fun…loved Jors dancing…though I’m not sure she should give up her day job..555

That said, my work with the children of Stratton House has melted my objections a little.

They have all done so well this year, with their studies, our projects, behavior, everything, they make me so proud.

Although this is a mainly Buddhist household, we will be celebrating Christmas Day as the purported Birthday of a special man and using the opportunity not only to give all the kids that special day of fun but to teach them the spirit of giving too.

Thanks to many donations recently, added to gifts already purchased, our Xmas Tree is surrounded by many gift wrapped presents. Some of these were numbered, and last night each child picked out a random number from a box and took the gift with the corresponding number. Today they took those gifts to school, to give to another child who they feel may get less than others on Xmas Day.

Thanks to all those who have helped to ensure our kids will be having a great Xmas this year.

Oh..and Mum! All the kids say please, please, please look after yourself and make sure you are fit and well to come and see them again.

Sometimes, simply giving someone the chance to explore what they have inside, for themselves, is worth far more than hours of instruction.

He did stay for the Tamboon ceremony that was held at Stratton House over the weekend. This is a special Buddhist ceremony where Monks are invited to the home where they perform special blessings in the presence of friends and neighbours.

On Saturday the head lay helper from Wat Mae Salab came with others to help us make the correct preperations.

White string was tied from the entrance gate all around the property, back to the gate and then back to the house.

A special blessing and offerings were made close to the properties water well.

Inside the house the living room was prepared with mats on the floor and items brought from the Temple, in readiness for the Monks arrival the next morning.

The word was sent out inviting all our near neighbours and other friends to.

The children we very well behaved and in the afternoon I took them to the playground in Mae Salab school as a thankyou.

The next morning there was more last minute running around making sure everthing was properly prepared.

This is an important cultural ceremony and I was at pains to make sure we did everything right and am very grateful for all the local understanding and support we received. Wasanaa worked very hard in the kitchen, with help from some local villagers, preparing the food.

There was a great turn out of local well wishers, as well as our landlord and also my good friend Ally and her partner Pee Took, who is a fellow Director of The Stratton ABC Foundation, with a couple of their close friends too.

At 9.30am myself and Somboon walked to Wat Mae salab to collect the four Monks and one Novice Monk , who would all perform the blessings for us.

Somewhat nervous about performing my own duties in the correct manner I was taken by the feeling of serenity that took hold as I walked beside the Monks to our home.

There was a slight delay as the Head Monk was held back for a short while to accept merit giving by some Temple visitors.

Once he arrived proceedings began with me lighting candles and incense sticks on the prepared ‘altar’ and paying due respect to the teachings of The Lord Buddha, his followers and to The Buddha himself.

There was then a series of chanting performed by both the Monks and also the lay followers and all Thai visitors in the room. I would have loved to have joined in the lay peoples chants but was concerned that unpractised repetition, with possible wrong tonal inflection, may cause offence, so I sat in respectful silence. Although I cannot deny extreme discomfort whilst kneeling or sitting cross-legged, and being unable to prevent a degree of fidgeting, I did mangae some prolonged periods of stillness and once again experienced profound serenity as the Monks chanting took me into a meditative state.

Indeed Somboon had to gently nudge me out of this state when it came to me to perform more duties, passing gifts into the hands of the Monks.

The Chants and blessings went on for approximately three quarters of an hour and throughout the blessings the Monks held the white string that now led into the house from outside. In this way, I understand, the blessings are applied to the whole of the property.

The children present looked on with keen interest and Jack even came to sit beside me and joined in with the lay persons repetitions of the chanting.

It was then time for the personal blessings for all present where white string is tied around the wrist, before the feeding of the Monks, which had to be done before 11a.m.

Most of the visitors went to our kitchen/dining area outside.

The Monks ate at low tables set out in the living room and before they left I was able to chat with them for a while. Thankfully the head Monk spoke good English and I thanked them for their blessings and talked of my love for Chiang Mai, its people and its culture. They in turn thanked me for the respect shown and wished The Foundation every success and welcomed us to the village.

Although the Monks left shortly after 11 , many people remained to enjoy the prepared food and drink and , like the Monks, they welcomed us warmly and wished us success, some placing their own personal Tamboon to us in our collection box.

The day was not about money, but about acceptance within our local community and proper respect to the local culture which happens to be genuinely close to my heart.

I hope and believe that the day was a great success and certainly left me an ever growing confidence about the future of The Stratton ABC Foundation here in Mae Salab, Sarapee,Chiang Mai.

For more Tamboon photos please visit our photobucket album here.

Impressed by the childrens patience and behaviour throughout the ceremony, a tired crew made the effort to reward them with a trip to the popular waterfall picnic area a quarter of the way up Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, later in the afternoon.
For more picnic photos please visit our photobucket album here.

Thanks again to all who attended.