July 2008 Plans

I hope all is well with you. I've been working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the past 8 months. It has been quite an experience living in a very strict Muslim culture. The university is new and there are severe growing pains; i.e., there's a very high rate of turnover and stress. Fortunately I do get a lot of time off. I've had an opportunity to meet a soulmate (Lenai) and visit her in the Philippines several times. Another benefit with the schedule is that I can continue to volunteer in Maesot in the summer.

Now I'm making plans for this coming July. I already have my tickets reserved and my time set aside for another trip. I plan to teach 1-3 weeks and deliver another load of donations. So I'm asking for your help again after a great response last year. Forthcoming will be donation information.

I do have a lot of plans for the future (God willing):

1. Scholarships for the best students

2. English and language center

3. Summer camps for American kids

I hope to dedicate the latter part of my life towards these endeavors...

Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

July 2007

Before leaving my job as an instructor of English Communications at Payap University in Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Thailand for a new job in Jubail, Saudi Arabia - I wanted to do some volunteer work.

One of my Karen students was doing a practicum as a translator at a United Nations refugee camp in Maesot. She offered to introduce me to some people working in Maesot with children of Burmese migrant workers. After meeting the principal of a school (located at an orphanage), I decided to volunteer one week of teaching.

Lacking in funds to support myself, I made a call out people who have supported me in previous humanitarian aid and Christian missionary work. The donations came in quickly and I was soon buying English curriculum and resources at bookstores in Chiang Mai.

The week at the orphanage in Maesot was challenging: teaching a full load and preparing curriculum for a weekend English camp. In fact I got so sick I never made it to the last couple days of the camp. However after seeing the hard work of the volunteers and administration - as well as the appreciation from the hundreds of children (see pic) - I became committed to assisting these beautiful people.

Introduction

The Burmese Migrant Worders Education Committee is an organization to assist the education of children of migrant workers living in the area of Thailand bordering Burma. The goal is to assist some 20,000 children displaced without any other possibility of getting an education in Thailand.

This blog is dedicated to assist these incredible people by means of English language teaching and providing resources to improve curriculum at the schools and orphanages associated.