The remnants of the KGB (transliteration of "KGB" is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Securityare) are everywhere...
posted by Thomas at 7:08 AM
Monday, October 30, 2006
KGB
The remnants of the KGB (transliteration of "KGB" is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Securityare) are everywhere...
posted by Thomas at 7:08 AM
Saturday, October 28, 2006
The remnants of the KGB (transliteration of "KGB" is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Securityare) are everywhere...
posted by Thomas at 7:08 AM
Homemade Fun is the Best Fun!
The kids and one of our staff recently built a raft to go around the pond and get the algae off. Soon this became a favorite chore and you can imagine why! It didn't take long before kids were "accidentally" falling into the pond or "accidentally" pushing their neighbor in. Thomas also joined in the fun and the boys thought it was almost like Christmas it was so delightful.
You can see the kids jumping in the pond and the smiles on their faces.
posted by Thomas at 3:25 PM
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The kids and one of our staff recently built a raft to go around the pond and get the algae off. Soon this became a favorite chore and you can imagine why! It didn't take long before kids were "accidentally" falling into the pond or "accidentally" pushing their neighbor in. Thomas also joined in the fun and the boys thought it was almost like Christmas it was so delightful.
You can see the kids jumping in the pond and the smiles on their faces.
posted by Thomas at 3:25 PM
Live from Bangladesh
Today the fasting months of Ramadan came officially to an end. Eid (which is a time of celebration) started today.
Here at the "Home of Love" life goes on as normal. The younger kids are doing homework. Hannah and Larisa are helping. Some of the teenagers are helping with construction. Others are having English class.
posted by Thomas at 9:38 AM
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Today the fasting months of Ramadan came officially to an end. Eid (which is a time of celebration) started today.
Here at the "Home of Love" life goes on as normal. The younger kids are doing homework. Hannah and Larisa are helping. Some of the teenagers are helping with construction. Others are having English class.
posted by Thomas at 9:38 AM
Traffic Jams Hinder Travel
My near daily trips into the city to get building supplies have become a real headache during Ramadan. All the women that are normally home in their apartments suddenly take to the streets and shops in throngs to do their Eid shopping. Eid is the biggest Muslim holiday which follows the month of fasting, Ramadan. Gifts are purchased for family and friends, Eid cards are sent and much feasting is done during this holiday. The traffic has become so difficult to maneuver that many people just do not go out for normal business. Most doctor offices are only open half days and the schools are mostly all closed for at least 2 weeks, during Ramadan. When you are competing with cows, goats, bikes, rickshaws, baby taxis, car, lorries, buses, container transports and cars on narrow roads that are full of pot holes and a hundred people walking you can imagine the chaos. Did I mention the blaring of loud music from the buses and the incessant use of horns?
posted by Thomas at 4:42 PM
Sunday, October 22, 2006
My near daily trips into the city to get building supplies have become a real headache during Ramadan. All the women that are normally home in their apartments suddenly take to the streets and shops in throngs to do their Eid shopping. Eid is the biggest Muslim holiday which follows the month of fasting, Ramadan. Gifts are purchased for family and friends, Eid cards are sent and much feasting is done during this holiday. The traffic has become so difficult to maneuver that many people just do not go out for normal business. Most doctor offices are only open half days and the schools are mostly all closed for at least 2 weeks, during Ramadan. When you are competing with cows, goats, bikes, rickshaws, baby taxis, car, lorries, buses, container transports and cars on narrow roads that are full of pot holes and a hundred people walking you can imagine the chaos. Did I mention the blaring of loud music from the buses and the incessant use of horns?
posted by Thomas at 4:42 PM
Drama
The children at "Home of Love" enjoy watching dramas and participating in them. They are very creative in making up new skits and acting. Most times, the audience ends up howling with laughter. God has gifted the Bengali people with so much creativity and also with the ability to make celebrations special.
posted by Colleen at 2:23 PM
Friday, October 20, 2006
The children at "Home of Love" enjoy watching dramas and participating in them. They are very creative in making up new skits and acting. Most times, the audience ends up howling with laughter. God has gifted the Bengali people with so much creativity and also with the ability to make celebrations special.
posted by Colleen at 2:23 PM
Prices Skyrocket during Ramadan
During this festive time of Ramadan when housewives are busy making special food for the evening meals when the fast is broken, prices of food and spices have become extraordinary. In this season, when the people need the most, the markets raise their prices to make more money. In the West during Christmas or other holidays when a special food, for example turkey is going to be in high demand the price drops and there are sales everywhere. Unfortunately, here it's just the opposite in that the prices rise. The plight of the poor is preyed upon. The price of essentials like chili pepper, onions, garlic and ginger have all become more expensive.
PS. I like using the word, "essentials" because that is how the local newspaper writes it. For us, those things would not be "essentials" at all but rather specialty items!
posted by Thomas at 8:33 PM
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
During this festive time of Ramadan when housewives are busy making special food for the evening meals when the fast is broken, prices of food and spices have become extraordinary. In this season, when the people need the most, the markets raise their prices to make more money. In the West during Christmas or other holidays when a special food, for example turkey is going to be in high demand the price drops and there are sales everywhere. Unfortunately, here it's just the opposite in that the prices rise. The plight of the poor is preyed upon. The price of essentials like chili pepper, onions, garlic and ginger have all become more expensive.
PS. I like using the word, "essentials" because that is how the local newspaper writes it. For us, those things would not be "essentials" at all but rather specialty items!
posted by Thomas at 8:33 PM
High tech comes to "Home of Love"
Patrick and Sonia are trying out a new internet system using a satellite modem. They need to be outside to connect. It is expensive but seems to work well and might be a key in getting the orphanage more into the cyber world!
posted by Thomas at 10:39 PM
Monday, October 16, 2006
Patrick and Sonia are trying out a new internet system using a satellite modem. They need to be outside to connect. It is expensive but seems to work well and might be a key in getting the orphanage more into the cyber world!
posted by Thomas at 10:39 PM
Versatile Playground
The area around the playground was not meant to be used as Water Park during the rainy season but this is what has happened! Each afternoon the children have been having a wonderful time swimming and splashing in the small pond and swampy area around the playground. The mothers, staff and older kids worry about the snakes, diseases and leeches while the kids have a grand time.
posted by Thomas at 3:38 PM
Saturday, October 14, 2006
The area around the playground was not meant to be used as Water Park during the rainy season but this is what has happened! Each afternoon the children have been having a wonderful time swimming and splashing in the small pond and swampy area around the playground. The mothers, staff and older kids worry about the snakes, diseases and leeches while the kids have a grand time.
posted by Thomas at 3:38 PM
Boys on school vacation = able hands for construction
The boys have had wonderful attitudes about spending their week of school vacation working on construction. We are so proud of them. They have been pounding up the floor of the new guest house in order to prepare it to be tiled. It has been back-breaking work! Sonia has been buying special treats, like ice cream and cokes to keep up morale. Today they will finish, it took them less than a week to complete. The outside construction crew figured it would take them 40 days to finish (they are paid by the day). Our boys learned a bit about construction this week and saved us a lot of money.
posted by Thomas at 2:51 PM
Friday, October 13, 2006
The boys have had wonderful attitudes about spending their week of school vacation working on construction. We are so proud of them. They have been pounding up the floor of the new guest house in order to prepare it to be tiled. It has been back-breaking work! Sonia has been buying special treats, like ice cream and cokes to keep up morale. Today they will finish, it took them less than a week to complete. The outside construction crew figured it would take them 40 days to finish (they are paid by the day). Our boys learned a bit about construction this week and saved us a lot of money.
posted by Thomas at 2:51 PM
Ruben is back
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Today, I picked up Ruben and Colleen from the airport in Chittagong. Ruben is still a little weak and does not have his appetite back. But he is doing MUCH better. We thank God for that.
posted by Thomas at 6:17 PM
posted by Thomas at 6:17 PM
Going for a walk
A mile down the village road you can see beautiful rice fields, small farms and lots of open country. It comforts my South Dakotan spirit to see open land with few people. One Friday, which is our day off, Colleen and I were walking and saw 2 water buffalo relaxing with only their heads to be seen. It kind of startled me because I wasn't expecting two beasts to be 5 foot under water!
As always written by Colleen and
posted by Thomas at 10:18 PM
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
A mile down the village road you can see beautiful rice fields, small farms and lots of open country. It comforts my South Dakotan spirit to see open land with few people. One Friday, which is our day off, Colleen and I were walking and saw 2 water buffalo relaxing with only their heads to be seen. It kind of startled me because I wasn't expecting two beasts to be 5 foot under water!
As always written by Colleen and
posted by Thomas at 10:18 PM
News
Friday, October 06, 2006
Sorry for not writing. Life has been a little chaotic. Ruben is in a Hospital in Bangkok. Colleen is with him. I returned today to Bangladesh.
posted by Thomas at 11:05 PM
posted by Thomas at 11:05 PM
It is more blessed to give than to receive
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
As the recipients of much generosity at the "Home of Love" it is only right that we share our blessings with others. Recently we took a collection for a shelter that takes care of beggar girls in the city and were able to help them buy a washing machine. The shelter gives the girls a bath each day and washes their clothes so a washing machine was really needed. The "Home of Love" kids were so eager to give towards this worthy project and in doing so made us very proud of them. We hope that in the future we can send some of our older kids to help out at the shelter and give some basic teaching. If you are interested in hearing more about this project, please email us and we will help you get in contact with this neat and brand new project.
posted by Thomas at 11:32 AM
posted by Thomas at 11:32 AM
What is that wonderful humming sound?
The generator is now installed and in full use. We are delighted to now have nearly constant electricity during the day. We do not use it after 10pm as there is no real need for it. The generator is big. Its supplies the whole orphanage, workshop, our family house, the new guest house, boy's hostel and our water pumps. It is powerful enough to even have our computers and freezers run on it. It is not cheap though, it costs about $3 per hour to run.
posted by Thomas at 10:22 AM
Monday, October 02, 2006
The generator is now installed and in full use. We are delighted to now have nearly constant electricity during the day. We do not use it after 10pm as there is no real need for it. The generator is big. Its supplies the whole orphanage, workshop, our family house, the new guest house, boy's hostel and our water pumps. It is powerful enough to even have our computers and freezers run on it. It is not cheap though, it costs about $3 per hour to run.
posted by Thomas at 10:22 AM
Welcome to the Driscolls!
The Driscoll family has arrived on September 13th and has since settled in and is becoming part of the scenery around here. Patrick and Sonia have two daughters, Anneka (6 yrs) and Sage (4yrs). They are learning to eat curry with their fingers and experiencing new things each day. We appreciate their easy going manner and flexibility. The Driscoll's apt is not completed yet so they are presently living in one guest room on the boys' wing. It is not easy but they are handling it well!
Patrick and Sonia had been telling their girls for weeks and months that they would be going to Bangladesh to live at an orphanage. When they arrived at the Chittagong runway, the younger one, Sage worriedly asked, "So now you are going to leave us at the orphanage?" Patrick is a professional carpenter and has found working with other construction people here to be quite interesting and even humorous. He mentioned recently, "Working here is so different. Here they have one screwdriver for 20 people and at home we have one person with 20 screwdrivers!"
Patrick watched with interest as the electricians used a sickle to strip wires with. Later that same tool will be used to cut grass or bamboo with.
posted by Thomas at 6:44 AM
The Driscoll family has arrived on September 13th and has since settled in and is becoming part of the scenery around here. Patrick and Sonia have two daughters, Anneka (6 yrs) and Sage (4yrs). They are learning to eat curry with their fingers and experiencing new things each day. We appreciate their easy going manner and flexibility. The Driscoll's apt is not completed yet so they are presently living in one guest room on the boys' wing. It is not easy but they are handling it well!
Patrick and Sonia had been telling their girls for weeks and months that they would be going to Bangladesh to live at an orphanage. When they arrived at the Chittagong runway, the younger one, Sage worriedly asked, "So now you are going to leave us at the orphanage?" Patrick is a professional carpenter and has found working with other construction people here to be quite interesting and even humorous. He mentioned recently, "Working here is so different. Here they have one screwdriver for 20 people and at home we have one person with 20 screwdrivers!"
Patrick watched with interest as the electricians used a sickle to strip wires with. Later that same tool will be used to cut grass or bamboo with.
posted by Thomas at 6:44 AM
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