baby tears, haircuts and monkey love

Today I was at the baby house, and Chat (the house dad) was giving the little boys hair cuts. Min Min sat still and was so great. Noan Wai, also endured it pretty well. And then it was lil' 2 year old Nai Nai's turn. He sat in the chair and instantly started crying and reached out for me. This was the first time he's ever reached for me, and I guess his fear of the buzzing clippers was greater than his fear of farang (white people) (Remember he's lived in a prison his whole life, and hasn't ever seen the outside world). I sat and held him while he got his haircut and he clung to me and cried like his heart was breaking, his face pressed up against mine, with his tears running down my own cheek. By the end of the haircut we were both covered in hair and tears. I'm sad he cried, but loved holding him.

It reminded me of when I lived in the village and we had a pet monkey, Ling Ling, oh I miss her! She knew I was her friend and ally when others shooed her away. (I am not really a pet person, but when it came to this monkey, I was in love). So she would come up and cling to me, the only problem was, the dirt and fleas, so we decided to give Ling Ling a bath. She was terrified of water and clung to me tightly at the sight of it. So we decided the only way to give her a bath, was to give me one too. So we began pouring buckets of water over her, and all down me, and soaping her up with shampoo. I swear she was going to break my skin she was clutching me so tightly. But I think, that was the moment I bonded with her so tightly.

Let all that you do be done in Love

This week we were taking a couple of our kids to visit their mother in prison. While we were there one of the guards asked why we had custody of the children. We explained that we have a safe house for children in high risk situations where they are homeless, in danger of being trafficked, or abused. They said, Oh! Can you help us too? There are five babies living in the prison with their mothers and they need a safe home. Wow! How do you answer with anything but Yes! Of course we will! We don't have a house yet, or the staff, but we know that this is a need, we were asked to help, and we must respond! So we have agreed to take in 5 more babies by the end of the month! Please pray that we can find a house to rent and loving and safe caregivers to take care of these children, and sponsors for the babies, and SOON! God loves to answer our prayers. :) I can't wait to tell you how He answers.

Today after our Compasio meeting, in Mae Sot Thailand, we were talking about how ultimately we exist, as people and as a group, to have a heart of love and compassion. We are called to love God and we are called to love people. Those are our two highest aims in life, everything else is just icing on the cake. Working with the poor is definitely not just a job. None of us are in it for the benefits. But each of us are greatly blessed and feel a deep reward when we are able to walk alongside someone who is discarded and overlooked, and look into their eyes and see them as a friend and fellow human. We are not any better than them, we come to serve the dregs of society as Jesus did. It's kind of mind blowing and local people are confused. Like they might warn us, watch out there's a beggar kid following you, and we would turn around and say, yeah, they're with us. And hold their hand proudly as we walk through the market to buy them some lunch. People
stare. It's just not "normal". But are we called to be normal? Is that why we were created? I think God has called us to a radical life of sacrifice and love.


When faced with a hard situation. Let's risk on the side of love. And pray for our Prison Babies!
Love,
-Rachel Snodderly

Garbage School shoes

Feb. 13, 2009
Seventy migrant children walked home from school wearing new shoes today. Last week, one of our teams donated money for shoes for the children that go to the “garbage school” (it’s right in front of the garbage dump in Mae Sot). And we got to have the fun of shopping for shoes and then delivering the presents! The children lined up by class level to try on shoes, found a pair that fit, and then happily compared their gleaming white shoes with each other.

All of the children are migrant kids from Burma . They affectionately call their school “The Garbage School.” Three of the children we sponsor are enrolled here. Every day the children pack themselves into a bamboo classroom with only thin dividers between the three levels, and the babies in the nursery sleep curled up side by side in a small room off to the side. Today the teachers woke up the toddlers to come try on their shoes, and they stumbled over bleary eyed, shirts falling off one shoulder, hair all a mess and they found a gift waiting for them that made them smile. It was kind of like being woken up on Christmas morning to open your stocking. It’s amazing what $1 flip flops can do. Now the children can walk to school down the pot-hole filled roads, with shoes on their feet and a smile on their face.

Walking with Labor pains

We have a new member of our Compasio family! This tiny little guy, who has yet to be named, was born to one of the migrant families we have begun to help. We are so excited to welcome him to the world, and praise God that he made it. His mother was very sick during her pregnancy and has a long history with illness. We have been praying for her throughout the pregnancy. The doctors were not sure if she was strong enough to have the baby, but she proved how strong she was by walking five miles to the clinic when she was in labor! (She didn’t have a cell phone or vehicle).We visited them at home today and are going to buy groceries for them tomorrow. This very family, whom we love, could still use a monthly sponsor to send their three small boys to school, and provide rice and medicine for their needs. Please contact us (rachel@compasio.org) if you want to serve and love them in this way.

A ring from a beggar girl

Feb 13, 2009
I’ve run into a ton of street kids this week and had several touching experiences. I bought water and noodles for one of the sweet little girls, Salima, 10 yrs, and she pulled out a ring (the kind you get in a gumball machine) and placed it on my finger. I said, no, no, you keep it! But she insisted, and I was touched by her act of friendship and love. These guys are our little buddies, and everywhere we drive around town we always see little kids jumping up and down alongside the road waving at us. I love it.

I’ve also had a chance to use my creative side this month. I have been busy getting things together for our new office building we’ve started renting. I’m trying to creatively use the limited resources we have to make a comfortable environment to serve and work in (with lots of pictures of the kids on the walls of course!).

Feb. 2, 2009
I'm so blessed to be back in Mae Sot. I have had awesome times with the street kids and safehouse kids this week! I am adjusting back to being in Thailand and trying to remember how to drive the Land Rover, and stay on the left side of the road. Tomorrow the other staff and I are taking the safehouse kids to where they call "The beautiful place" a reservoir/dam area where we go for picnics. Tonight we just played in a field chasing each other around til the sun set. I loved seeing and remembering how carefree childhood can be, and was so SO happy to see these kids enjoying it. I've loved every minute with them.
Please be praying for one more staff member for the safehouse (because one of their live-in caregivers is getting married next week) we need someone with a loving heart and a LOT of patience. :) And please pray for my re-adjustment and for friendships here and a sense of community.
Love,
Rachel

Jan 20th, 2009

I can't wait to get back to these little cuties in Thailand. These little girls are two of the eight children that live in our safehouse along the Burma border. They used to live on the streets and beg for money but now their lives are transformed and they are in a safe place and being loved and cared for. I'm used to seeing them every day and spending at least a few hours coloring or playing with them. When I heard my friend was smothered with hugs when he came to see the kids I was very jealous, but in a little over a week I'll be ambushed with hugs too. :)

I've been back in the states for the past month and go back to Thailand on the 19th. It's been a wonderful time at home and catching up with friends, but it will be hard to leave (as it always is) but will be great to be back for another term.