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Redemptorist School for Blind students ‘wai khru’ teachers
Students from nursery present
flowers, candles, and incense to Father Pattarapong Srivorakul, president of
Father Ray’s foundation (left), and Chonburi Primary Education Region 3
Deputy Director Supamit Sirakantamakul.
Warunya Thongrod
Pattaya’s Redemptorist School for the Blind kicked off its new
academic term with a traditional “wai khru” ceremony in which students pay
respect to their teachers for the upcoming term.
The school’s 128 students met June 27 - a Thursday, as that is the day for
Brihaspati, the Vedic god of wisdom and teachers - to perform the wai khru,
which is done in most Thai educational institutes at the start of each year.
Rev. Peter Pattarapong Srivorakul, head of the Father Ray Foundation, and
Chonburi Primary Education Region 3 Deputy Director Supamit Sirakantamakul,
parents and teachers also attended the ceremony.
Principal Aurora Sribuaphan
welcomes honored guests to the wai khru ceremony at the Redemptorist School
for the Blind.
The festivities began with a Buddhist prayer, followed by
the students’ recitation of the wai khru chant, which expresses respect and
gratitude for teachers and asks for their blessing of the students’ studies.
A number of students then presented teachers with a tray of candles, incense
and flowers symbolizing sharp wit and respect.
Students sang the traditional wai khru flower-presentation song before
entertaining guests by playing traditional Thai musical instruments and
singing a mix of Thai and English-language songs.
Following the presentation, teachers reciprocated by offering their
blessings for the academic year and presenting awards to six students.
Principal Aurora Sribuaphan said she organizes the wai khru ceremony
annually to give students a chance to remember the importance of teachers,
express their skills and honor tradition.
Students singing and playing
instruments for the song ‘Amazing Grace’.
Student representatives from
the Redemptorist School for the Blind present hand-made flowers to thank
Father Pattarapong Srivorakul and Supamit Sirakantamakul.
Radchada Chomjinda (right),
director of the HHN Foundation Thailand, accepts hand-made flowers from
Redemptorist School for the Blind students as a thank you for sponsoring the
school.
Students playing the ‘Kho Mob
Dok Mai Hai Khun’ song.
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200 Chonburi students given harsh anti-smoking lesson
Students from Chonburi are given a
harsh lesson in the perils of smoking.
About 200 Chonburi students were given a stark lesson in the
perils of smoking as the city brought in a speaker using only a voice box tell
them how he lost his larynx.
Karun Trakulpadetkrai president of the Laryngectomy Association in Thailand
talked to pupils from five city schools June 28 as part of Chonburi’s youth
anti-smoking campaign.
Jutharat Prinwachirapat, the city’s permanent secretary, said 1.5 million Thai
youths under age 24 are believed to be addicted to cigarettes, including 500,000
under age 18. She said the start of a school year is an ideal time to get kids
before they get hooked.
Chonburi Mayor Decho Khongchayasukhwat said students are
pushed into smoking by peer pressure and stress from family and school issues.
However, he said, society needs to realize that smoking is a not just an
individual problem and, thus, the city is organizing anti-smoking seminars to
show students what smoking can do to the body. (CPRD)
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Our disabled girl, Fahsai, once neglected and abandoned, has turned 5 years old and life is good!
Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2013 by Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
Fahsai shows off her new pose for the
camera.
Lewis Underwood
We were reminded of that old John Wayne movie, “3 Godfathers”, when
three grizzled, hardened cowboys come across a dying mother with her infant in
the desert and, softening up, vow to take care of the baby girl and keep her
safe. When Erle, Bernie and I went to the Camillian Home in Lat Krabang on June
28th to check on our girl, Fahsai, we felt the same, as she affectionately
referred to us as ‘paa’, or father.
The difference between the movie and reality was our little girl’s mother
willingly deserted her daughter, and eventually was incarcerated for repeated
drug abuse. And the other difference from the movie is the three of us are just
grizzled ordinary guys.
What is the same as the movie though is that we are also dedicated to looking
after our little girl’s welfare.
Fahsai walking with assistance and
posing at the same time.
Speaking of safety, the Camillian Home is a residence and day
visitor center for kids living with HIV and disabilities. However, the operative
word at this facility is ‘disabled’, as that is the resident physical
therapists’ area of expertise.
When we first met Fahsai it was in February 2012 at the day care center for Hand
to Hand in South Pattaya. There we met Pai, the director of the Foundation, who
is the actual heroine snatching Fahsai from the clutches of the drug dealers.
At that time Fahsai had no use of her legs and could not lift her head for long.
At this stage, she could only drink fluids because the muscles in her neck were
never given a chance to develop. It took some time before she could lift her
head and sit up to be spoon-fed semi-solid food.
When we brought her to the Camillian Home on March 23rd last year, Fahsai still
had trouble using her arms and legs. She was also mostly mute, except when
crying when she was unhappy.
But then that is ancient history now because after 15 months of being at the
Home getting regular physical therapy, botox injections to relax her leg and arm
muscles and lots of loving care, she’s a new girl, talking, crawling and
starting to walk with assistance.
Bernie and a care-giver help Fahsai
blow out the candles on her birthday cake.
The actual occasion for our visit was to help her celebrate
her 5th birthday. We came bearing gifts of clothing and two dozen donuts with
sprinkles, which is one of her favorites. We had a ball there spending time with
her and being treated like godfathers. It is sheer joy to see how much she has
progressed and become so communicative.
Life just doesn’t get much better than this. Sure, it will be even better when
she starts walking on her own, but right now every little step forward is just a
delightful bonus for her.
In the meantime, she gives her smiles, her heartfelt laughter, blows kisses and
knows all about posing for the cameras.
We would like to thank one of our sponsors, the Thai restaurant in Regensburg,
Germany, for covering the gifts for Fahsai’s birthday party. They too have taken
ownership of our little girl.
If you too would like to help special children like Fahsai, please visit us at
www.care4kids.info and/or
www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids
Please remember that our Main Events are coming up soon:
* Children’s Fair: Sunday, September 8th, at The Regent’s School Pattaya
* Gala Party Night: Saturday, September 21st, at Amari Orchid Pattaya
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Regent’s student wins prize
and gives back to community
Poppy (centre) with her family and Yok.
A student at The Regent’s School Pattaya has donated a prize bursary to Pattaya
School for Deaf Children after achieving academic success throughout the year.
Poppy Mulford was recently named the School’s Outstanding Global Citizen for
this academic year, and her prize was a bursary worth $US300 to donate or spend
on any community partner or project connected to our school.
Poppy chose Pattaya School for Deaf Children, because one of the biggest impacts
on Poppy this year was meeting a young girl from the school called Yok during
Round Square Week. The children, including Yok, came in to play sport, thus a
friendship blossomed and Yok taught Poppy some sign language.
This donation was handed over on the morning of Saturday 22nd June. Poppy and
her parents, Yok and some of her friends and teachers and a group from Regent’s
all paid a visit to the community partner to celebrate the connection.
Poppy presents Yok with gifts.
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Able the Disabled Foundation to hold Rider’s Fun Day at Horseshoe Point
Presented by Cartoon Network Amazone
Able the Disabled riders will ride around the delightful grounds of Horseshoe
Point on Saturday 20th July, from 9.00am – 12.30pm. On their ride they will
either carry a coloured flag and collect six matching discs, or answer six
questions. The fastest times for each section wins a trophy.
The riders of Horseshoe Point either compete in a cross country ride finishing
up with a jumping speed class round, or for the less experienced, a
questionnaire followed by an obstacle race. Times are added up and the fastest
of the day in each category wins a trophy.
There will be a surprise award ceremony presented by Cartoon Network Amazone,
the world’s first Cartoon Network waterpark opening in Bang Saray in 2014. Join
us at 11.00am at the main jumping arena to see the jumping speed round and
obstacle race.
We would like to thank our sponsor, Cartoon Network Amazone, for their kind
sponsorship of goodie bags, t-shirts, rosettes, medals and trophies.
Come and enjoy the morning’s activities and cheer on our riders.
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Looking after children
All parents will understand just how worrying children’s
health and safety can be. Those early years at school can bring your children to
meet many new challenges, and viral diseases are high on the list.
We have noticed an increase in pediatric cases over the past couple of months,
with Hand, Foot and Mouth and Dengue fever being very prevalent this year. And
while Hand, Foot and Mouth makes the children feel unwell, Dengue fever, on the
other hand, can kill.
The Thai health authorities are now predicting more than 100 deaths from the
Dengue virus this year, and by June the number had already reached 50. And the
majority of the deaths are in children, though all ages can be affected.
The carrier is the Aedes aegypti mosquito which is alive and well, bringing with
it the dangerous Dengue Fever virus. For some reason or other, the public has
not taken the notion on board that Dengue can kill. Reading the journals I see
that more people have died of Dengue fever this year than the bird flu numbers
which were about 17 for this country. Can you now see just how dangerous this
virus really is?
Actually, Dengue has become endemic throughout the world. There are 2.5 billion
people living in Dengue endemic areas, and Thailand is but one of them.
With the monsoon rains we have been having recently, this is one of the reasons
that this disease is on the upsurge in this country - but there is something we
can all do about it.
However, first you should understand a little more about Dengue. The mosquito
Aedes aegypti lays its eggs in standing water (and there is plenty left each
evening after the afternoon showers), preferring the clean water found in water
tanks and pots, in the saucers under pot plants and even under the pet’s food
dish. Inside discarded car tyres are another favorite spot. These mosquitoes are
not of the adventurous type and feed during the day and spend their time within
200 meters of their hatchery. Consequently, the eradication of any local
breeding areas becomes very important towards maintaining your own health, as
you can see. Keep your home free from lying water for a radius of 200 meters and
you’re looking good!
Simple Dengue (if you can call it that) has an incubation period of around 4 to
7 days and then the full blown symptoms of high fever and headache begin. The
headache is usually behind the eyes and is made worse by eye movement. From
there the pains progress to the limbs with acute muscle pains, which gave it the
old name “Break Bone Fever”.
With our ability to treat the viral ailments being very limited, the defense
against the Dengue virus lies in Health and Hygiene initiatives, to stop you
getting mosquitoes in the house during the day. For example, do you regularly
change the water in containers the Aedes aegypti mosquito might call home? Do
you have mosquito screens? Does baby sleep under a mosquito net? If the answer
to these questions is “no”, then perhaps it is time to look critically at your
own Dengue prevention plan. Let me assure you, it is not a disease you want! And
the Hemorrhagic form in particular can be lethal.
The other precautions are to wear long trousers and long sleeved shirts,
especially at sun up and sun down, when the mosquito is at its most ravenous.
The other factor to remember is “D” for Dengue and “D” for DEET. DEET is the
magic ingredient in mosquito repellents, so when you go to buy some repellent,
check the label - if it has DEET, then get it. And then remember to use it!
Now after that gloomy medical news, there are some bright spots too. Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya is offering some 20 percent discounts during this low season.
These include Elective Surgery, Operation Room, Cath Lab and GI Endoscopy fees
for both IPD and OPD cases.
For In patients, there is also a 20 percent discount on room rates in ICU, CCU,
IMCU, NICU, and Wards in E Building.
These discount rates will remain current until 31st October, 2013.
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