Pakpingjai and St Heliers Church. Working together

Alice's post trip chat!

2012-01-23T23:09:00.000-08:00

Hi it's Alice here. I'm home from Thailand and Pakpingai now but I wanted to write about what the trip has meant for me and tell you about some of the highlights for me.

It was very hard to leave Pakpingjai because all the girls were really sad and it had been such a wonderful time there. I loved taking the kids to the zoo because they enjoyed it so much and we got to see animals that I have never seen before. The girls were all so happy all the time and friendly to us and they made us feel welcome and special.

It was fun trying to teach people English at the school we visited and they were all so excited to see us. I thought it was sad when we went to the hill tribe because the houses are really small and made out of bamboo. Life there looked hard.

Travelling to the river Kwai was also sad because we knew that people from our country had been prisoners there and there were lots of deaths while they built bridges.

The trip was good for me. I learnt that you don't have to have everything to be happy. I enjoyed helping people and seeing the smiles on the children's faces. I liked that we have helped and that the children enjoyed our visit.

I'm really thankful that I got to go to Thailand and have this opportunity to visit the children of Pakpingjai and learn from them.

Alice

20 and 21st January

2012-01-23T20:35:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days have been so busy and so full that we haven't had a chance to write much! However the youtube channel and the web album have both been updated... I will write some thoughts later today but meanwhile have a look at this video for some personal views on the trip to daye..

Cheers

Your Blogmaster Peter

(Posted when home meant for the dates)

From the plane!

2012-01-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

OK.. on the plane now... what has happened to the past few days (daze)? Well... it's been full of life changing experiences and full of exhaustion... must keep this short so to ALL of you that have taken the time to be part of our adventure from afar .. a huge thankyou to all of you and may God bless you and yours..

We will see you soon... I'll be behind those drums on Sunday and there will be much to share

Take care and all the best

Your Blogger

Peter Chatteris

From the Kwai

2012-01-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

we are off now from the Kwai River area... off to begin our long journey home.. thanks for viewing our pictures videos and updates... see you all at home... we have so many stories to tell.. take care!

Pete Speak 19/01/12

2012-01-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here with 20 people who make up our group. We are sharing photo albums and learning about each other. It's interesting to me that we ALL have a story to tell.

Then my mind wanders to the pooir and needy of Thailand...

Do they have stories to tell?

Without a doubt these people have enough to fill a book several times over. If we could somehow tap into the life stories of the Thai people, we could learn a huge amount of wisdom, a huge amount of knowledge, and a way of enjoying life despite having little.

I know I have mentioned this so many times but it seems to me that there's very little difference in the smiles or frowns of the supposedly "have's" and the apparently "have nots". There is sadness amongst the "rich" and happiness amongst the "poor". There is also happiness amongst the "rich" and sadness amongst the "poor".

So where does that leave us? Should we feel guilty? Should we feel as though we should change our ways completely?

I don't believe so... but I do believe in education and I do believe we can learn from each other.

Cheers

Peter Chatteris
Blogmaster!

The Last thoughts of the day with Peter

2012-01-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

Well...it's 11pm and tiredness is setting in. I am quite emotional about various things at the moment... This trip is different in many ways from the previous one in 2010. The team is great, we are working well together and no major anger eruptions have happened.

However, there seems to be a faster pace, there seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it in. I am far more tired than last time, and yet at the same time have more energy. Strange, but perhaps we rise to the occasion when stressed.

Tomorrow will bring new challenges.. new things to face and new experiences. For example we are visiting a Buddhist School and many of the team are going to have their first taste of this way of life. I hope they see what I and the others saw in 2010.... a way of life that whilst very different from our Christian traditions, has also many of the same aims.

If only we could learn one thing from this trip... to have peace in our lives and in our hearts... would that not be a fantastic outcome...

Have a great day... and may God bless you and your families..

Your Blogger

Peter Chatteris

Cherry Chats!

2012-01-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

It's me, Cherry again :)

I can't believe how exhausted everyone is right now.. Didn't expect it to be a tiring trip along with everyday being 15 hours long! IM SO TIRED. Every morning, we wake up at 6am, get ready for the day and have breakfast at 7am then we leave to our destination by 8am and start our full-on day until around 6pm so we come back to the hostel, then we have dinner which is at 6.30pm and after that (when we're completely knackered and nearly falling asleep on our beds) we have the girls knocking on our door wanting to play or dance! sounds like a long, tiring day doesn't it? It's now our 6th day following this daily routine.. Oh my gosssssh. I feel like we've done so much since we got here! Going to heaps of different markets, a zoo with the girls, a few Buddhist temples, other villages, and we've even taught English at a school...

Today was quite an emotional day for us all. We visited the Hill Tribe Village in Phu Him where the houses are made of sticks and rope, the village people don't have very nutritional food to consume, the dogs limping around are weak and diseased. For me, the dogs made me sadder than the anything else. With the passion I have for animals, this made me very emotional that these dogs have nothing to eat or drink and they don't have any vet check-ups, vaccinations or medication. They are left to breed, then the puppies aren't under any care so they are to catch diseases easily while they're very young. There was one skinny, weak puppy on a hunt for water (probably only a few months old) that had a broken paw which the bone was completely detached and was only hanging onto the outer skin and flesh! Seeing this was very emotional for a lot of us :( I just want to bring all of them home and treat them!!! But unfortunately, I can't do anything about it right now.. Anyways, the happiest part of the day definitely was the waterfall trip! On a hot, humid day, that's exactly what you need.. Nature is SO amazing :)

Yeah... So, it's 10pm now and I'm already half asleep. KEEN TO WAKE UP AT 6AM! YUSSSSS... :/

That's me for now :)

Natalia Dunningham's Blog entry

2012-01-18T06:20:00.000-08:00

hello all Natalia here :)

The day begun with another early morning start with a full meal breakfast of noodles fried banana and fresh fruit breakfast was soon followed by an exciting long car ride with amazing scenery dry shrubs and red dirt . two hours later we finally arrived at our detestation witch was the hill tribes. the hill tribes was a different expedience seeing how the other halve of life lives witch is much different then back home. we went into there homes witch were pretty much bamboo strips as the walls and a timer roof the whole house was about the size of my bedroom with was sad to think about but that is all they have and that's home to them right ... ? we did do a good dead by giving them noodles and candy for the kids we all so gave them bags of clothes to the diffident family's and sung songs . the people were quite nice we talked to 16 year old girl who had a 1 year old child and her 15 year old husband was working in the fields witch hit me pretty close to home because that could be me next year ! we soon greeted by the preschool children and there smiling faces lit up when we gave them gifts like pencils and rubbers. after visiting the hill tribes we then hoped in our mini vans for another bumpy car drive but this time to amazing waterfall that we were all exiting visit and have a swim in the fresh waters it was another two hours to get there but it was defiantly worth the drive when we got to jump off a rock into the depths of the cold water. every one got involved taking pictures and swimming and just enjoying the day! most of us had a sleep on the way back to hostel including myself. soon after we came back it was time for another meal witch consisted of rice, curry, fish and egg. after dinner it time for some teaching english to chidren witch is allways a chalnge and our last challenge for the day was learning thai dancing .

bye for now Natalia

Pete's early moring views

2012-01-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

How can a person be so tired and yet so energetic? I am unsure but here at PPJ.. it seems to be the norm.

This morning I was up at 6:30 after bed at 1... off to deliver supplies to the Hill tribes. Two hour road trip either way. I continually am amazed at how this place energises you. To watch the children work so hard and laugh so much is contagious. It rubs off on you to the point of being like a medication. I think this is the same as the old adage that "Enthusiasm breeds Enthusiasm"! In our society there seems to be a lot of false enthusiasm, from salesmen to over zealous self appointed bishops. These people could never be like the children here. They could never do the work the with the enthusiasm the children show here in PPJ.

Real enthusiasm comes from doing tasks with pride and a heart that is true. That is one of the most important lessons our group could take from Pakpingjai. It is the gift that we must hold onto if we are to change lives.

Cheers and blessings...

Your blogger
Peter Chatteris

Tuesday with Georgia Riding

2012-01-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hello, Georgia here :)

It was another 6am start today. The breakfast here is a full meal which consisted of chicken wings, soup and various other dishes. The food here is so amazing but i guess its fair to say its alot of getting used to. Chicken wings for breakfast is definitely a first! There is so much thought and preparation which goes into every single dish and the women work so hard to make it for us and we are very grateful.

We just got home after visting a school about 30mins away from Pakpingjai. When we arrived we were greeted by the 400 or so students who attend the school. We all took different classes teaching them English in different ways such as music, pictures and conversation. All the kids were so excited and picked up the different games really fast. It was so funny to see all the different names they had such as "Love, Heineken, Man, Piano, and God".

The school was so different in comparison to the ones back home. The classrooms had such limited resources and there wasn't a computer in sight. It shows just how lucky we really are.

There were two soup type dishes they prepared for our lunch at the school. One of the dishes had a brown meat in it and we were surprised to hear "chicken blood" when we asked what it was. Although i am pretty sure it was actually chicken liver..

Thats all for now :)

Sam's words

2012-01-16T10:24:00.001-08:00

Today was amazing. so much to talk about. in the morning we visited the beautiful doi suthap temple(golden city). after the temple we went to the zoo and saw some fasinating animals. we saw three pandas and a leapord being feed. we also saw a massive bull elephant. we then went to the umbrella festival centre(baosang). the centre had the most amazing artists, who painted my tee-shirt, cellphone, camera case and wallet!!!. The trip for me has been mind blowing, and is just beggining. its had to desribe the emotions flowing through my head. all i can say right now is that i cant wait to see the successes that this trip will pour out. i took from today a greater understanding and respect for the buddhist way of life.

Emma Plom

2012-01-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Emma here -

Our day began at the early hour of six oclock. We stumbled out of bed to the dining hall to eat another amazing meal! The food is so culturaly different and you never know what you will get. There is usually around 5 different dishes all with there own unique flavours, it's so strange but fun to eat food like noodles and chicken wings for breakfast! After breakfast we were on our way to Chiang Mai (two hour drive), we took 15 of the girls from Pakpingjai with us. When we got there we went to a temple up a mountain which looked out on the whole town! The temple was so sparkly and full of so much detail, it felt so spiritually touching! Our next stop was the zoo, which was completely different to any zoo i had been to! All the animals were spread out over such a large area and even the walk around between animals felt so cultural. At this point it was about 4 oclock, we began to head home back to our village- making a few stops on the way. We stopped at the Umberalla Factory where there were a whole lot of people who painted the most intense pictures of butterflies, dragons, elephants and heaps of cool stuff. You could get them to paint on anything, people got painted tops, cameras, wallets, fans etc costing between $2-$6!!! The rest of the drive was very tiring and when we arrived back dinner was served!

ALSO - We got given free sim cards at the airport that fits into our phones, we topped up 100 baht ($4) and it works out to only be 1.5 baht a minute to ring a landline in NZ! we are all so shocked as to how much Vodafone rips us off in NZ. Its such a plus because we weren't expecting to be able to call home :)

The girls are all so cute and can't stand a moment without us playing with them. If we went for a little rest, two minutes later we would have them knocking on our door chanting "DANCE!" and then they grab our hands and pull us into there rooms to dance with them. There cheerful smiles and enthusiasm could never let you say no!

Right now i am dying of tiredness so excuse my mistakes,

Good night from EMPEM

A few words from Ian Kilgour

2012-01-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

The Spectacular Bangkok International Airport and our overnight stay in the equally spectacular Novotel Hotel was to provide the vivid backdrop and contrast to the reality of Pakpingjai and its environs. The basic simplicity of Pakpingjai and its amenities reflects the life lived in the surrounding villages and district. Along every road and lane are family dwellings set in lush vegetation with stalls at their gate selling food produce and products of every kind.

On Sunday afternoon we were treated to a visit to a model village which was originally set up with funding from the Government of Thailand but now is self-sufficient. At its entrance was a Buddhist Temple, education and community centre where we were all made very welcome and given a history of the village. Their hospitality was gracious and dignified. The village contains 250 families with each family producing some part of what the community needs for its development and prosperity. What impressed was their use of every available natural resource including beetles and every square metre of land.

So my first challenge to reflect on is the impact of this sustainable and co-operative village/community with their faith life at the centre. There is an obvious challenge to us to live and model our Christian values and living in a similarly compelling way. It is my conviction that Jesus intended his alternative vision for the world to be demonstrated using the principles and values we saw in operation . Just imagine New Zealand society using co-operative economic values and with faith informing its heart, rather than unbridled materialistic development, insatiable consumerism and with faith relegated to the periphery of life.

Ian M Kilgour

2012-01-15T15:37:00.000-08:00

Hello at the end of our second day at PPJ!

It's been a day of diversity and challenge. This morning we had a baptism service for some kids here at PPJ... and this afternoon as Cherry has said we have had a great exploration of a village... on bikes! But... the brakes were shall we say dodgy.. mine squealed like a Tomcat.... everyone knew I was behind them that's for sure!

In Phayao whilst most people shopped at a market, Samarn, Frann and myself went to an IT store to buy a wireless router so that PPJ can have a wireless network. Great for visitors to the project and good for Samarn.

On the way home we stopped at a music store and managed to purchase a new Acoustic/Electric guitar to leave here. After a round of vigorous haggling we eventually got a reasonable deal and came away with a fairly nice guitar. Hopefully this will assist their music here at PPJ.

Oh well.. it's time to sign off... I am getting tired again and yet again everyone ois asleep already... so

It's a bug Goodnight to you!

Cheers

Peter Chatteris
Blogmaster!

PS.. this is a birds eye view from the seat of a bike being ridden around a Buddhist village.. cheerio!

This young man is Joe... a Buddhist villager... wonderfully knowledgeable and already a Facebook friend!

Cheers!

Pakpingjai Day 2 – By Andrea Perez

2012-01-15T05:04:00.000-08:00

Pakpingjai is a place where everyone is tremendously friendly and warm even when we don’t understand each other. Since we arrived we have experienced so much love from all the children and staff. Personally this experience has changed me in so many ways that I can’t express enough my gratitude to all of them for being wonderful. Tomorrow is another extraordinary day waiting for us! I can’t wait!

A few words from Cherry Shin

2012-01-15T04:56:00.000-08:00

Hi, it’s Cherry here :) This is now our second full day here in Thailand and it has been nothing but absolutely amazing! Even though I haven’t been here for long, I find everyday very interesting and the experiences I have come across have been incredible. Yesterday (our first day in Pakpingjai), we met the most adorable children from this hostel who have now quickly become our friends. These kids don’t have much offered to them (as in things they want – only what they are in need of) but they are the happiest kids I have ever come across. A lot of the things they do remind me of how much we take for granted which sadden me a little bit because these children aren’t asking for anymore than what they have – which isn’t much! These kids are in high spirit and this explains to me that expensive or beautiful possessions are not the things that make up a great, happy life.

The fact that I’m from an Asian culture, I’m able to relate a few things and the experience is quite familiar to me, apart from one thing – the food. Everything is very flavorful and different to what I usually eat but trying everything has been interesting and again, a very great experience. Today, we went to a market which was very similar to what it is like in Korea and I even saw a few brands which were actually from there!

My highlight of today was probably the group bike-ride around another village and temple near Pangnam which was so much fun and the amazing sunny weather just made it that much better :-) Tomorrow, we’ll be off to the zoo and an elephant show with the girls, and then go shopping in Chiang Mai at a night market.

I look forward to every single day here in Thailand :-) …I just hope I don’t get infested by bugs and mozzies!

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hi again from PPJ

It's 10:51 and all are in bed except Dave and myself.. we are working on video's and the blog/facebook pages. I hope you encourage others to follow the travels because the news is coming thick and fast. Tonight we were treated to a delightful dance from some beautiful Thai dancers.. Videos are available at our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/pakpingjainz . Photos will be available in our web album https://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz from tomorrow.

Meanwhile here is proof that Pauline can dance!

Here are some photos from the day

OK... so this is what it's like...! Now... the time is 11:55 and I am turning into a handsome prince so better go to bed before I turn back into a Frog again.. yeah.. you can see I am tired right!

Enough of this drivel.. see it can get tiring for your blogger... take care everyone... and you will see more news tomorrow... well today your time...(if you are in NZ) Well it's ta ta from me.. and would you believe it.. Hannah Nyce is still up.. don't worry Doug and Ros... she's behaving! ..

Take care..

Your Blogger Peter with his apprentice Hannah.. cya!

Pakpingjai - arrival!

2012-01-14T03:34:00.001-08:00

Hello all from PPJ. Yes folks we are here.

I really don't know where to begin... its been 33 hours since we left Auckland and we are a world away both in distance and in culture. The compound is in need of a lot of repair but spirits seem to be high amongst the children.

Our group is tired but enthusiastic. Tonight we have a welcoming ceremony that is followed by a feast. Well it seems like most meals here become feasts actually! Above me on the walls behind the computers are photos of the kids who have been through the home.

Now it's over to Hannah Nyce who will write a little of her experiences.. take it away Hannah!

After a 2 and a half hour (might I say bumpy) ride we're here at Pakpingjai! One of the first things we saw at the hostel was a series of curious faces peering over the balcony at us. Straight away we were taken in by the children and pulled along to many games and sports. I myself have just come in from many hours of playing volleyball. They are all so friendly and welcoming :) Communicating through hand actions and smiles we make our way into the wonderful life of Pakpingjai.

Thanks Hannah.. we have just been called to eat first so better go.... take care all.. we will add some photos tonight.. cheers

Your Blogger

Peter Chatteris with Hannah Nyce

Arrival!

2012-01-13T10:36:00.001-08:00

We have arrived and most are flat out on their beds dead to the world and resting up, however yours truly thought it best to let you all know we are on the ground and in a five star hotel.... in a few hours we are off to the other side of the moon... Northern Thailand... what a difference! So until then.. it's good night from me and its good night from us!Oh... and parents... your kids are safe... and asleep... which is where I am heading right nowcheersPeter

Friday 13 January 2012 Post from the air!

2012-01-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well folks we are on ourway at last. After all the preparation, all the fundraising and all the hardwork by so many people, there are twenty of us in a metal tube 11 km aboveearth travelling at over 800km/h towards Bangkok. From there we get a shortnight’s rest and then a relatively short 80 minute hop to Chiang Rai in the farNorth of Thailand. Then it’s a three hour road journey to Pakpingjai, our homefor the next 8 days.

I often wonder how wecan help the kids in PPJ when we only visit for such a short time. How can wepossibly be of assistance? What do the children get out of our presence? Do weREALLY make a difference?

Possibly these questionsshouldn’t be asked on their own. We may never know exactly what we leave interms of intrinsic value. We may always wonder how we have assisted.

When we look at thebigger picture, the value of our trip becomes more focused. We can understandnot only how we affect those who we visit, but how it affects us… how we change and how we seethe world differently. The journey becomes one of shared experiences, shared loveand shared insights on worlds so farapart.

So… enough of thephilosophical stuff!

We are 4 hours into an12 hour flight as I write, flying over Pauline and Stan’s home country ofAustralia. All is well, some photos taken and various movies being watched.Herewini has lost his apprehension, Dave the experienced “long hauler” isrelaxed, Pauline is trying to sleep and I am typing away trying to be creative…Typical day really!

That’s all for nowfolks…. Take care and cheers

Your Blogger

Peter Chatteris

We are off!

2012-01-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

G'day... well here I am sitting in good ole Glendowie gazing out onto our back lawn.. plenty of food and friendly people who own a huge amount of material goods. My family is about to go off to Whangamata Beach where we have a great little Kiwi Bach... and I am off to a remote village in Northern Thailand where people have nothing much and children have to work their butts off to even stay alive. The contrast could not be any greater The have and the have nots.. does this make us better? NO... in my opinion we learn valuable lessons from these people that are carried for life...

Anyhow.. I must go.. an aeroplane is waiting and Thailand beckons... Take care one and all... The next post will be from a place many miles and many cultures away from our Quarter acre Pavlova Paradise..

Cheers

Your Blogger

Peter Chatteris

Update 2012 Trip - 3 days to go!

2012-01-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

Well we are only 3 days away from being on our way to PPJ... keep an eye on this blog to ensure you get the news. Also, make sure you keep an eye on the Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/PakpingjaiNZ to add comments and see our progress. Also don't forget the Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/pakpingjainz .

Cheers from your blogger Peter Chatteris

Andrea's Bio

2012-01-05T00:30:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

My name is Andrea; I am originally from Posadas Misiones Argentina. I work at the St Heliers Centre as a Cultural Ambassador since March 2011.

I have a degree in Psychology and Life Coaching. I love helping others. Definitely it is my passion in life.

Also I love meeting people from different cultures, discovering new countries.

I am really excited to be part of the team going to Pakpingjai and be part of doing something significant in others' lives. Also learn about the Thai culture and traditions are a bonus!

I can't wait!

Andrea

David Dean - Bio

2011-12-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

I was born quite some time ago in a place far from here – about 12000 miles away. I grew up in a large town in Dorset before moving to study and work in West Sussex. In 2005 I decided to try something different and moved to New Zealand for ‘a bit of a change of scenery’. Been here six years now and feel quite at home, well second home.

I currently work full time as a Year 7/8 teacher at Churchill Park School in Glendowie, Auckland. It’s a good place to be and you get to work with some ‘interesting’ people.

In my bid to change scenery every now and then (life’s too short to stay in one place) I decided to become part of the group that travels to northern Thailand every second year. I had heard a great deal about the Pakpingjai project over the last few years and I was about to become involved in similar projects based in Kenya a few years back. This, however, never happened due to me shifting here to New Zealand.

I really believe that travel broadens the mind. So, I am looking forward to this trip and hoping to assist in a variety of ways.

Sam Fulcher's Bio

2011-12-23T01:17:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Sam Fulcher and I am 14 years old. I have just finished year 10 at Sacred Heart College, and my favourite subjects are maths, science and mechanical engineering. I live with my mum in Hamilton but I attend school in Auckland. My favourite hobbies are skiing, reading and playing Xbox. I also love playing sport, and in the winter I play soccer and hockey and in the summer I play tennis.

I am going to Pakpingjai because I wish to make a difference for those less fortunate than myself. I am also going because I enjoy travelling and seeing how other cultures live. I can offer to the group a strong and caring young man who is always up for lending a hand when someone needs some help.

Bio and Some words from Peter Chatteris, your Communications leader.

2011-12-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

G'day!!

It's truly strange to think there is only 3 and a half weeks to go before we embark on the adventure that is the PPJ trip! Only 23 days until we meet at the airport. Just three weeks before we pack our bags.. yet in between we have Christmas and the new year! At this point you should know who I am, the person who has been pestering you for your bio's! So here it is...

Pete's Bio...

I was born in the 1950's... 1958 on the last day to be exact! That makes me 53 when we leave for Thailand. In all those years I have had a simple faith in God. Sometimes it has been tested but through it all that faith has stayed with me. Through the days of playing punk music in bands, through days of doing things that weren't great, through the horrid times of seeing tragedy, through the fantastic highs of this year's marriage to Sharyn and through the excitement of the RWC this year... faith has sustained me, fed me and given me strength.

I was born into St Heliers Church. I remember in the 60's, the great big (to me) pulpit and Rev Kenwood hollering his message of obedience to the congregation.. Memories flood back of the Johnson hall and bible class, the upstairs Sunday School and Family church camps on Waiheke. The sights of old men and women, families, kids and much more are vivid in my memory. The smells of polish, wood, perfume and a little mustiness hung in the air like a cloud of the finest droplets. The blue pew cushions, the prayer books, leather covered bibles....All those memories and all those wonderful experiences remain with me even today.

In 1983 I travelled to Aussie after playing in various bands and completing an apprenticeship in Aircraft Avionics.... After 19 years in Australia I returned to St Heliers and our loving Church. The once towering Pulpit has become smaller in my eyes and the "no-go" area on stage right is now the place of the grand piano. Where the really important people sat on the front left is now my Sunday office behind the wonderful Sonar drum kit! Even the Christening font somehow looks less frightening! Yet for all these changes, there remains a brilliant calm about the place. (except sometimes when we try a new song !) and a wonderful sense of community. My role in the church is quite easy. I turn up each Sunday morning at around 8:30, hit the drums a bit, and return home full of hope.

Yet despite my simple role on a Sunday, for this trip I have a very important role. I am your communications leader. That means basically I help you keep in touch... with yourselves, with each other, with the community and perhaps even with God. Anything to do with communications is my portfolio, so please make yourself known and let's stay in communication... surely that is what God wants. If we don't communicate, we don't live up to his expectations, and that for me would be sad.

So what do I do for a job? I am exceptionally fortunate to have work that is also my passion! I own a music school called Talent Train. I teach drums, production and a little guitar... I employ my cousin teaching guitar and together we teach kids from the age of 5 through to teens. To see these kids progress is truly wonderful.

Perhaps my work has prepared me for PPJ. I remember last time that the experience was almost too overwhelming, but at the same time so rewarding. This time I am more prepared and go into the trip knowing it will be hard but so very enriching.
I have a wife Sharyn, and stepdaughter Tessa (18) who went last time, plus two stepsons, Elliot (22) and Davis (20).

My sporting passion is taken out on the Rugby field where I play for the Presidents grade for College Rifles. To keep fit I work out in the gym 4 to 5 times a week. I also enjoy and have participated in motor racing both two and four wheels. My motorcycles are like my extended family in a way!

Anyhow... that's all for now... take care and see you all soon!!

Shirley Kilgour

2011-12-19T02:37:00.000-08:00

I am the youngest of 11 children and was raised by the Salvation Army in a Girls Home in Wellington. I moved to another girls home in Auckland where I met my husband who provided transport and help for the home. I am now working at creating healing for those girls in Salvation Army care who have issues with the organisation around their upbringing as I do. My husband and I have lived a full and exciting life as ministers/officers with the Salvation Army. We are now retired and supporting our grandchildren in Auckland and Brisbane. Ian and I are a package as we have always worked together, but we have very different abilities. I love craft, quilting and music and look forward to sharing something of these with the children of Pakpingjai.

(Both Shirley and Ian are Major's in the Salvation Army... Peter)

Ian Kilgour Bio

2011-12-19T02:35:00.000-08:00

I come from a Presbyterian background and became a Salvation Army Officer in 1970 enjoying Parish appointments in the North & South Islands. I had a strong conviction that God had called me to serve those who didn’t belong to the church and this lead to involvement in social and community issues, advisory roles to the Government in the fields of youth unemployment, community development, emergency housing and international aid work as Chairperson of UNICEF Auckland - hence my excitement about the opportunity to visit Pakpingjai. In 1992 I returned to Christian ministry as an Inner City Chaplain with the Methodist Church with my last appointment before retirement as manager of The Salvation Army Social Policy & Parliamentary Unit. Shirley and I have four married adult children and six grandchildren.

Annie-Rose Willis

2011-12-14T02:03:00.001-08:00

Kia Ora! My name is Annie-Rose Willis, I am one of the latest additions to this amazing group and I am absolutely thrilled and excited to be able to travel to Pakpingjai! I am 18years old and grew up on an Avocado orchard in a small Bay of Plenty town called Katikati. I am currently on University holidays and I am living and working back home on the Orchard with my older brother William and my Mum and Dad. Helen Willis is also my younger cousin and we are great buddies! I love to travel and immerse myself in new cultures and love being around people and helping them in any sort of way. I have a passion for wildlife and the outdoors and love to cook! I have just completed my first year of University at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Though this year has been pretty hectic with the constant and unpredictable rumbling of the ground it has also taught me that life is most defiantly to precious to waste and when an opportunity (like Pakpingjai!) arises where you can help people in any sort of way, you take it. I can not wait to travel to Pakpingjai and be able to meet and make new friends and memories. I am counting down the days!

Herewini's Bio

2011-12-07T12:31:00.001-08:00

Kia Ora,
Ko Herewini taku ingoa. Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu to awa, ko Ngati Porou te iwi. My name is Herewini. My mountain is Hikurangi, my river is the Waiapu and my tribe is Ngati Porou. I am of Maori decent and I am very proud of my heritage. There are five people in my whanau; Mum, Dad, elder sister Awhina, myself and my younger sister Sarah-Jane. I come from a musically talented family. I live in Mangere and attend Aorere College. I am an active member of the Sweet Sixteen choir and I also enjoy tinkering on the guitar, saxophone and bass. Dad and I play for division 1 mens softball team at Papatoetoe softball Club, we also attend the Maungarei Cadet Corp in Panmure, where I hold the position of Staff Sergeant. I have just completed year 12 and I am yet to complete year 13. I have a passion for music and the outdoors. I am looking forward to going to Thailand, and to all the new experiences and challenges that lie ahead. I hope that the talent and experiences that I bring to the team will be of great value and I am truly grateful for this opportunity to be a part of the team in Pakpingjai.

Helen's Bio

2011-12-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Helen Willis and I am 18 years old. I have just finished my last year of high school at Glendowie College and next year I am planning to go to university and study law. I have a twin brother and older sister, and spending time with my friends and family is of huge importance in my life.

I’m extremely looking forward to the opportunity to go to Pakpingjai and help those less fortunate than me. I feel I am well suited to this trip as I have a love for travel, children and helping others!

I am also very intrigued in experiencing other cultures, and love a challenge.

Some words from Frann

2011-12-05T12:52:00.001-08:00

Anyone who visits Pakpingjia is never the same when they leave.

This will be my 3rd visit to the Project, and I’m looking forward to a different but as rewarding an experience as before. I am a Nurse in the Emergency Department at Auckland Hospital, with a special interest in research. I am also Youth Leader at our church. I have 4 adult sons, one of whom met his now fiancé because of his visit to Pakpingjai! I repeat – anyone who visits Pakpingjia is never the same when they leave!

Being immersed in the gentle nature of Thai culture brings with it a hope that we can emulate this in our own society.

Music is part of who I am – music transcends all barriers to communication. I am looking forward to once again meeting the children of Pakpingjai – to see how much they have grown both physically and spiritually. I am excited that some of our church’s young people are able to share such an opportunity.

What will I bring to this visit? I am going with an open mind and an open heart - I don’t believe I can bring any more this. I am led by my faith in Christ Jesus.

Hannah's Bio

2011-12-05T01:23:00.001-08:00

Hello! My name is Hannah Nyce and I am 15 years old. I go to Pakuranga College where I have been for 2 years. I love music, reading and dancing in the rain. I can play the guitar and saxophone. I couldn’t live without music and I listen to all sorts of genres like pop, rock, classical, metal and country. I play tennis with my brother, and my sister plays softball. I live with my parents, my brother Liam and my sister Katie. My favourite colours are blue and green. My mum and I were born in New Zealand and my Dad, Brother and sister were all born in the USA where I lived for 7 years. I have been a Christian my whole life and have been a part of the St. Heliers Church for almost 7 years where I take care of all of the children and help them in growing their faith. I am so excited to be going on our amazing trip to Pakpingjai and I am looking forward to meeting all of the new people and seeing what the Thai culture is like.

Amy's Bio

2011-12-05T00:17:00.001-08:00

Hello my name is Amy Caspersonn

I am 27 years old and I am a teacher aid at Marshwood Montessori Preschool. I have two sisters whose names are Michelle and Joanne and a brother whose name is David. I also have a pet dog called Bella and a pet cat called Phoebe. I love to sing, dance, act and work with young children. I am a singer in the church youth band.

This is my fourth trip to Thailand and Pakpingjai. The first time for me was very exciting but also a bit scary because I didn’t know very much of what to expect but when you go back it feels as if you are going back to see friends and you relax a lot more and you feel more at home.

My reason for going a fourth time is to visit friends from the other trips and to help them out some more and to have new experiences. And it will be a good place to practice speaking in Thai. Also I love Thailand, Pakpingjai and the Thai food so much. The pace of life in Thailand brings peace to my soul.

For those of you going to Thailand and Pakpingjai for the first time you will have the time of your life and learn a lot from everyone you meet and they will learn a lot from you too. Remember don’t be scared be prepared to try new things and give everything a go.

Joseph's Bio

2011-12-04T21:03:00.001-08:00

Hello my name is Joseph North I am 13 years of age. I am year 8 at St Heliers School ill be going to Glendowie college next year. I live with my mum Gillian North and my sister Sophie North i have 2 older brothers Michael and Adam North. Adam has 2 children. I also have a step brother named Luke and a step sister named Jade they live is Sydney Australia.

I am currently working at St Heliers Church. I love to help people. The people I look up to the most are my Mum, my Bothers and Sisters Frann, Pauline, Cherry, Emma, Georgia and Neisha and last but not least is my Grandparents each one of those people play a big part in my life.

I am extremely exicted for our trip to Thailand i look forward to meeting new people and the new experience I am interested in helping others in need I cant wait to enjoy the trip.

Esther Oliver - Bio for Thailand.

2011-12-04T02:15:00.000-08:00

My name is Esther and I’m 15 years old. I am in year 11 at Glendowie College. The subjects I mostly enjoy are mainly ‘hands on’, Photography and Food technology. I like drawing, ice skating and listening to music. My mum was born in China and my dad was born in New Zealand. My favourite colours are black, blue and green. I prefer cats over dogs and I have a bird named Louie. I love music and believe that life would be very dull without it. 30 seconds to mars in my opinion is the best band in the whole world. I like spending time with my friends and I enjoy going to the movies and having sleepovers with them. I would say that my closet and best friends would be Alice, India, Olivia And Sabrina.

I want to go to Thailand because I believe that it would be a great experience, it would teach me more about culture and help me appreciate the way we live in New Zealand. I could give help to anyone that needs assistance. I have been apart of Hillside church for a couple of years now. An inspirational person to me would be Jared Leto because his music speaks to you through a different language. 30 seconds to Mars’s song closer to the edge was in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attack and there one of their other song’s A beautiful lie also makes people aware of the affect of global warming. There songs inspire me to do good and helpful things.

Georgia's bio

2011-12-04T02:00:00.001-08:00

Picture- My sister Eleanor (left) and myself (right)

Hello! my name is Georgia Riding. I am going into Year 13 at Glendowie
College. I live with my Mum and Dad. I have 2 older brothers and one
older sister. My sister is married with one little boy and 5 foster
children, so I enjoy being an auntie. I work part time at Rainbows
End, which is a theme park. I play soccer in the winter and in the
summer I like to go to the beach and hang out with my friends.

I am extremely excited to be going to Thailand. I am looking forward
to meeting new people and seeing new things.

Cherry Shin - Biography

2011-12-04T01:52:00.001-08:00

Hey Pakpingjai! My name's Cherry and I'm 16 years old. I was born in Korea but I've been in New Zealand since I was 4 years old. I am happily living with my dad, my step-mum and one of my two step-brothers. I'm in my last year (Year 13) this year at Glendowie College and currently helping out and working at the St Heliers Church and Community Centre – answering the phone, making posters and even doing dishes! I have a strong passion for animals and I have always wanted to do something related to them as a career in the future. I'm not involved with a sports team at the moment, although I am a very competitive person who loves a challenge! I have been involved with cheerleading and dance (ballet, character and hip hop) a few years ago but it is still one of my interests and hobbies. I love hanging out with friends and I love being around people in general. The first photo attached is of me (on the left) and Emma (on the right) who is also coming on the trip as well as Georgia (left of second photo). I am in the middle in a red dress and beside me (on the right) is Neisha, who unfortunately is not coming with us this year..

So, I am going on this trip because I want to challenge myself, reach out and help others in need. I consider myself as an approachable, friendly person and I like to help people who want or need the help I am willing to give. I want to experience this trip in an amazing environment with many good friends from the St Heliers Church and Community Centre which will be a great memory for the rest of my life. I am thankful that God has gifted me with these great opportunities in life and my beautiful friends and family who will support me no matter what I do!

I am very interested to be involved and experience in a different lifestyle for 12 days. I feel like I take the great (but little) things in life for granted and I want to know how it feels to have none of those little things that keep me going today (I'm talking about things such as television, cellphones, laptops.. maybe even electric blankets and super soft beds!).

Anyways, I am very excited for the whole new experience and to start off the year 2012 with an amazing kick-start!

Emma Plom – 17 years old

2011-12-04T01:50:00.000-08:00

I go to Glendowie College and am in year 12, I like to have fun with friends
I am excited about our trip to Thailand to see how I can help people that are less fortunate than I am and to see what life is like over there. I am also keen to experience the Thai culture and to see how different and similar some things are compared to here in New Zealand. I have been involved with St Heliers Presbyterian Church from a young age through leadership at camps, holiday programmes and youth groups.

Alice Malone's Bio

2011-12-04T01:32:00.001-08:00

My name is Alice Malone. I am in Year 10 at Glendowie College. Some of my favourite things to do are hang out with my friends and listen to music. My friends and I like to talk and we like going to the movies together. At school my favourite subjects are Food Tech and PE or sport. I play netball for a club and when I leave school I want to be a physiotherapist.

I live in Point England with my Mum and little sister. I have an older brother too, who lives with our Dad in Glendowie. My life is pretty much like any other kid’s life in New Zealand.

One of the reasons I am going to Pakpingjai is to see how other people live. I expect it to be very different from how I live in New Zealand, with different conditions and much less in the way of possessions. I hope this trip helps me to be a better person who understands people and other cultures. I also want help people who aren’t as well off as me.

I am looking forward to this trip and I know that while we are there we will all learn much more about each other and work well together.

Welcome to the 2012 trip edition of the blog!

2011-08-31T21:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 2012 trip blog! By my reckoning there is only four and a half months to go before we set off on the trip in January.. time flies by very quickly and before we know it PPJ will soon be embracing us into their beautiful hearts.

This far out from the trip it almost seems surreal that we will soon be in Northern Thailand again. Here in St Heliers and our surrounding area we seem so lucky. But in Thailand at the moment they are going through the worst floods seen for a long time. When you think about it, it seems strange that it was only a few months ago we were hearing about our own natural disasters... and even in Queensland there were terrible floods. It can and does happen everywhere... but the difference is that here in our paradise we have the money and resources to overcome most adversity.

Anyhow.... for myself personally I am extremely excited over the Rugby World Cup! It is coming up fast and I have great faith the All Blacks will win! I also know that in my photo album to be taken up to PPJ I will have some amazing photos of the RWC and it's effect on our nation. Plus I really look forward to playing the boys up there in Rugby again... perhaps the rules could be taught a bit better!

Anyhow.. cheers..

Your blogger Peter Chatteris

The view from here... a week on...

2010-02-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

It is now a week since we left Thailand. To be accurate, only 7 days ago, our group was lapping up the shopping in Bangkok. Last night I started to edit the nearly 3000 photos and nearly 2 hours of video I took during our time in Thailand. Add this to the myriad of photos taken by others in our group and the hours upon hours of video shot by the wonderful video team, and we have the most comprehensive record of any trip undertaken by St Heliers Church in it's history.

But what does it tell us?

As I look through the countless images and pick the ones that will make up the slide show, I see a common thread. I see a land and it's people torn apart at it's roots. On one hand I see a beautifully innocent group of young people who have a love of God that is staggering in it's simplicity yet wonderful in it's devotion. A`love that sets apart self from selfishness. A love that gives not demands... a love that is an action not mere emotion. I see a wish for good, a love of peace, and a goal of achieving one's best.
Yet....

In this same beautiful land I see turmoil... I see a society torn apart by greed, I see the faces of the oppressed, the agony of loss, the turmoil of a displaced society and the bitterness in a mother's eyes. There is violence, there is hatred... there is greed there is the love of evil, and there is sin.. more sin than could be imagined.

I am referring here to Thailand however many of the same issues face our on country. In fact, the same could be said of any country. No society is all good.. no society is all bad.

So... why did we, 21 ordinary folk from Auckland New Zealand, travel nearly 18 hours by land and air to go to a little compound in a country that has very little to do with our society? What difference did we make? What results can we see for our efforts, money and time? What benefits have been achieved?

The answers to these questions can't be put simply. There were 21 individual souls who travelled on this great adventure.... 21 people with many different idea's ideal's and expectations. These people however formed a group. This group became more powerful than the sum of the individuals. It was similar to a marriage where two become one but with conviction and dedication became more than the sum of the individuals... (to be continued)

The view from here... a week on...

2010-02-03T00:35:00.000-08:00

Whangamata and what now

2010-01-30T03:05:00.000-08:00

This blog has beeen about not only our travels but also our feelings both individually and as a group. These feeings I suspect will come out and manifest themselves more as time passes. Tonight i was at a cafe at Whangamata for a lovely meal and live music.. The second song I heard left me in amazement.. We had as a group sung it only a few days ago.. Hellelujua... it struck me as being quite significant that the song was being played in a place so different from the world we had been in only a few days ago

We arrive home!

2010-01-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

Hello all

Whew! I am sitting here in the leafy suburb of Glendowie and getting ready to go to Whangamata. In addition I have just answered some emails from the boys at PPJ. What a world away it all seems... three days ago we were in the midst of rural northern Thailand. Four days ago we were watching the sun rise over Laos...

Well the news is that we all arrived home and got through immigration ok... there were numerous checks and my own delay was 2 hours... however... here we all are back home.

Thanks to everyone ho has followed this Blog... next time will be better... but we have learnt that the Blog and its online photo album has worked and for that I am really happy.

Many if not most of us won't make church this Sunday.. but we are all aiming for the 14th I believe to bring the magic of PPJ to you. I'll be at Dingle Dell on the 7th so hope to see those in the Church family there...

Take care everyone and thanks again

Peter

Signing off from Thailand and Thanks to all

2010-01-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

OK... its hard to imagine that tomorrow we will be winging our way across nine countries again on the way to our homes in Auckland.

We arrive back in Auckland at around 1:20pm Thursday so if anyone wants to come out to the airport then we would love to see you... We are arriving with Thai Airlines from Bangkok.

So.... what of the trip...?

What have we achieved...

What things have we done...?

I have tried hard to keep up to date with the blog but fell terribly behind... we have seen so much... felt so involved and shed more than a few tears along the way. We have made friends outside and within the group. Some people who we never knew before are now like sisters and brothers... people have understood each other better... have learnt to get along and have learnt to trust God in a far more literal way.

From meeting the beautiful kids at PPJ to tonight's markets in Chiang Mai... from the brilliant schools to the beautiful Hmong people who touched the very core of our hearts... from the wonderful temples to the amazing Mekong river trip... from the sun rising over the hills of Laos to the Son rising in our hearts... and from love to understanding... so what have we achieved.?

Perhaps in 1 2 3 4.. maybe 6 months time I'll personally be able to answer that... but I can say with honesty that God has been with this group and done some wonderful things for our group, for the kids of PPJ and for our church family and community.

God has been alive and in our hearts, moving us through the holy spirit to achieve Christ's work. We have not been perfect or right all of the time however we have been true to the commission that the church bestowed upon us.

Thankyou, thankyou thankyou... This has been an experience that we will never forget. I have promised that I will return and with God's blessing I will along with I suspect all of our group.

See you all real soon

Signing off from an Internet Cafe in Chiang Mai

Your blogger

Peter Chatteris

Brief update for Saturday

2010-01-23T02:51:00.000-08:00

Hi all!

Don't forget to visit our online photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz !!

More photos have been added today.. and a huge amount of work done around the compound.. a beautiful mural made and gardening done... sun shades added and computers repaired.

More to be added soon.. and more photos added today... more tomorrow. A busy day and now off to a restaurant in Phayao city for dinner. Tired, drained but all good!

Cya all

Peter

Friday's view

2010-01-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hello folks!

Firstly... Don't forget to visit our online photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz

How... how do I describe today? At the moment I have Frann and Angela sitting here... and I was (for me a rarity..) lost for words... literally at the end of the day as my voice had gone...from too much singing in hot humid conditions Frann just said.. YES... yippee.. but of course it has returned now.( hehehehehe). I know.. I'll ask them what they want to say here... Angela: "um" Fran: "um".. and she says I can't spell.. deja vue.. but I can... hehehehe.

As you could no doubt see.. we are all totally exhausted.. Frann said something else but.... Now Steph and her little friend Blu are here as well... they also are lost for words.. the fact that Blu is nine and doesn't speak English is why he can't say something in this blog.. !

So..... as usual I'll tell you about it... outside there is the sound of water bombs being thrown by the kids... it is very hot and humid tonight and its adding to the tiredness factor...

I'll now get on to the events of today... ahem...

The school we went to was in the countryside near Chang Rai. The school is a secondary school called Padadwittayakom and well over 1000 students attend. We went there with a brief to entertain and teach at the same time. This situation was quite unique as the school had made a good donation to the PPJ project to have us attend. They named it "Foreign Language Day" and treated us like celebs! From the moment we arrived to the moment we left absolutely tired out we were short of nothing... cold drinks food, food and at lunch MORE food. Lunch was simply stunning. We were treated to everything from Pork knuckle in Thai sauce, Baked fish, Fried fish chunks in a marinade, Thai veges, Sweet dumplings and much more. The standard of food on this trip has been amazing and today the food was straight out of an expensive upmarket Thai restaurant anywhere in the world.... in fact better!

For the purposes of teaching, we divided down into five groups : Music, Sport, Kiwi culture, Word games and Jump-Jam featuring the Four Heidie's (Tes, Steph Angela and Lisa). We took four lessons each of around 45 minutes duration.

The music group which was made up of myself, Andy, Nikki and Summer had a ball! We took a basic song "Lazy Boy" and rewrote the lyrics according to what the students liked played or loved. For example "I like Ice cream"! We also sang the NZ national anthem. We also played rhythm games which included tapping hips knees clapping and so forth.

Stan was part of the word game group. His particular specially was "Clusters".. where he called out numbers where the students had to form groups of those numbers and if they were not in a group they were out. The students squealed and clustered together... they loved the game and learnt from it!

Gill was part of the sport group. Their favourite sport was Rugby... supposedly touch although the finer points were lost in translation. Other sports played were basketball, soccer, and dodgeball. Their soccer skills were quite silky according to Gill... I think that means they were good!

Lesley led the Kiwi culture group featuring Poi's. The students learned the art of the Poi as well as what centre left and right were. On all accounts a lot of fun was had by all!

The Jump-jam class was a hit especially amongst the boys! I guess they had never seen four blonde girls with hair platted like Dutch maidens dancing to songs like YMCA!

After the four classes the whole school assembled in the hall area and we put on a show. Summer sang "The Irish Blessing", Nikki played the flute, and yours truly sang "We Shall Overcome". I loved the ambiance of the area which was concrete and very basic but nonetheless a great facility so far from the city of Phayao. The whole group sang "God of Nations" and a couple of other favourites. We were then treated to a selection of Thai songs sung by the entire school. It was magical.

But.. wait there's more. We were called up in front of the school and each received a piece of amazing artwork from children. They were made especially for us by the art class. My own particular gift is a cow made from wire and paper mache. It is hand painted and has an spectacular set of dentures. Others received similar items as well as keyrings, and writing books decorated by the students.

Then the photography began... and went on... and on... and on... and on... and on! It seemed that every device that could take any form of photo came out... we had already been filmed, photographed, and made to feel special but this was amazing... every girl wanted their photos with the guys and every boy wanted the four Heidie's! Email addresses were exchanged by the hundred and many many new friendships made. Even as we were climbing into the Van's to come back to PPJ there were camera's going off, signatures sought and movie camera's going. Handshake after handshake after handshake was exchanged.. even as were driving off...

So... why? Why were we... a simple group of average Kiwi guys and girls treated like major celebrities? ? Why were we the stars? Why were we paid to come (A donation was made to the PPJ project), given star billing and why did we become a feature on every camera, cellphone and video cam in the area?

Indeed to me it seemed similar to the days when my band had become moderately successful and we were sought after by our audiences. But... in this case.. we weren't rock stars.. we had only just played with the students and taught basic English.. we weren't celebs or special... to our way of thinking.

However... if you can picture the situation for one moment. This school had been aware of our visit and planned for months. No other outside group ever goes to that school. We were so different from what they were used to it raised us to the point of... in their eyes... stars. We did do something special.. for ourselves as well as for the school. All those months of anticipation and building up meant that our arrival was a special day indeed.

I do have difficulty in understanding how a bunch of ordinary Kiwi people can be raised to this point of stardom. However.. perhaps we shouldn't ask why. Perhaps we should just be exceptionally grateful that we were treated like magic.. and the result was that both communities gained an amazing experience from the day.

For me, when I first made the decision to come with the group to PPJ I wondered how it would be. I wondered if our PPJ visit would just be a group of "rich" foreigner's coming over to a poor land to show off. I have found this to not be true and my fears have been proven wrong. As a group we work very hard to do our very best for whoever we are asked to be with and lend our hands to whatever needs to be done. From recovering the truck seats to singing in front of over a thousand teen boys and girls... from meeting a beautiful family during our visit to assist the Forest people to our late night talks about solving the world's problems this group is an exceptionally caring, talented, and friendly bunch of people. We do not flaunt our "rich" lifestyle, and we don't need anyone to tell us not to.. simply because if we did, the pure and magical bond between two totally diverse societies would be lost.

Perhaps also we feel good about being treated as stars... is this a bad thing? No... but it should never be the aim. The goal of what we do by nature makes us unique in this northern Thai society. We are taller, bigger and have looks such as blonde hair, blue eyesm as well as different facial features. To them we represent a society that most will only dream about or experience through movies, the Internet or television. If this makes us special and therefore excites them... then we are merely examples of another world and it is not ourselves personally that are the "celebs", it is our culture on show that they crave. In this I believe we can be proud, without being conceited. Those photos they took and are probably downloading right now are there because of the society they live in and the passion that people here have for learning.

What a wonderful thing... to learn... to teach... and to have fun and gain experiences of our lifetimes whilst doing both. I absolutely commend this experience to all who read these words. If you have ever wondered about coming on such a trip, don't spend your life wondering... do it! If you have ever wondered whether supporting the Pakpingjai project is a thing we should be doing as a church I challenge you to come as well... I promise you that your outlook will be changed and that you too will experience the magic and the mysteries of being a representative of our amazing Kiwi culture. Yes... we are very lucky to live in Paradise... but... paradise can only be recognised when you see it through a clear lens. I will sleep well tonight knowing that the group gave its all today and that lives were changed as a result.

In closing our prayers go to Roy Jarrett, Colin Pidgeon and their families. They are both ill and in need of God's love more than ever. May God bless these people and all who care for them. Tonight the group prayed for them and they are in our thoughts as indeed all of our community is.

Tomorrow I will be adding many photos... remember to visit the blog and the online album http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz again for images of the past few days... they will stun you!

Take care and God bless

From Pakpingjai in northern Thailand...
Peter Chatteris

Silly happenings at PPJ.. the case of the vicious chair and Frann's attack on an innocent toe!

2010-01-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hello again!

Did a silly thing tonight or at least a silly thing was done by me by a chair... the Thai people are rather small and Kiwi's well lets just say in the rugby games I have about four of the "larger" teens hanging off me as I walk to a try.. if you run they bounce off you! OK... now imagine the chairs they sit on... the plastic is ... ummm thinner than that required for Kiwi's... OK.. picture this if you will... we are all sitting discussing strategies for tomorrow's teaching at a senior school.. Our group.. the music group is giving the lesson plan when right in the middle of my explanation of counting beats and rhythmical patterns and relating it to teaching English in the said patterns the "thin" chair collapsed under me... now at this moment you should also know apart from the broken toe I lifted the nail on the other foot big toe whilst playing rugby on the concrete.... ok.. back to the chair... you with me? Good... I immediately went from a seated position to a sprawled position on the tiled floor... wrenching my back.. which is now sore as heck,,, Taken painkillers and reckon I'll troop on...

The group has had a few mishaps.. three have a cold... but are continuing on... Steph has now lost her voice.. and hurt her knee.. Tes had jelly belly and the list goes on.. today someone got a Thai bee-sting which was rather unpleasant considering the circumstances of the requirement to walk in places... ummm... theres more but at this stage the painkillers are kicking in so I'll sign off..

OOPS

As one was standing.. Frann.. dear Frann was getting up as well... as we are side by side... all of a sudden the keyboard caught in her legs and came crashing at a hurtling speed ....down on... yes.. you guessed it.. my toe... the one that was damaged in the rugby game... oh yes.. Frann must have it in for that toe!

Right... NOW I am off to bed.. yes folks this is truly it for tonight.. which will be morning in unzud... or afternoon.... in oh I'm too tired to work it out...

cya

Pete

More on Monday plus news from Tuesday and Wednesday

2010-01-21T02:41:00.000-08:00

Hello to all

Access our online photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz and email us at pakpingjai@gmail.com . We would love questions!

Monday was a day when we did so much... it was so busy that I even mistakenly said the waterfall swim was on that day as well... it was actually on Saturday after the visit to the Forest people. I also had not mentioned the White Temple and the beautiful scenes we saw. The above photo shows Stan and Samarn outside the Temple at dusk. In our online photo album you will see many more images of that amazing place. At times it thrilled, whilst at times it was disturbing. The hands reaching up from Hell was chilling.

Whilst on the way home we drove through chaotic traffic but right in the middle of it all was a beautiful mother teaching her baby Thai dancing. The picture below shows the mother and baby... and to me shows pride and love. Pride in her baby and love in her eyes. Perhaps it shows us that pride can be a form of love....

After we arrived home, we had a celebration in the meeting hall. It was as usual an amazing show of talent and wisdom. Those band boys are getting better every day! A strong bond has developed between our group and the young people of PPJ. The tour group have been adopted by the kids as surrogate mums, dads, sisters, brothers... and many other roles. As a group we have loved this to the core, and as I speak there is laughter to be heard. Our kids are playing with the kids of PPJ.. some are assisting in putting new seats in the back of the truck... the old ones were killers! This interaction is priceless, both for the PPJ kids and ourselves.

Tuesday was amazing for myself personally as already stated... and no... I will not say what happened until the PPJ service at home! The Buddhist university on Wednesday was amazing as already said...

Which brings us to today!

Which I will cover tomorrow!

You will have to return... same place and same address... but only just... ahh there is something in that... perhaps a clue to the miracle!

Before I leave you.. we had an email from our Minister in St Heliers asking some questions.. so... here are the questions and the answers!

What does the fence look like??

Answered by Gill: Pauline the fence looks great! Same colours as last time with the addition of a mural (hopefully).

Are the boys good at the skate boards and scooters???

Answered by Frann: No one as fallen off yet though Robyn is concerned that they do not do them up properly. She is our "OSH" rep!!!!!!!! Laissez Faire.. this is Thailand!

Who looks after the computers at the hostel???

Answered by Peter: The computers are a bit of a problem. There is one boy who is becoming knowledgeable but at the moment they are relatively unprotected as far as virus's are concerned. There is also a need for the electrical system to be improved as there are electrical shocks being felt if you touch them. I am trying to assist as best I can but more work is required.

What is impacting you the most?

Answered by Chris: The team spirit that has been created on this trip is second to none. Every member has a unique contribution which we are all able to enjoy and share.

What is impacting the children of the hostels most because of your visit?

Answered by Slav: I believe that the children know that someone cares for them and they are not forgotten. They are full of energy and we are assisting them in using that abundant energy. Having a younger sister and brother assists me in interacting with the kids.

What can we learn from their worship for our own community??

Answered by Summer and Fraser: We should allow some services to be led by teens and those of teen spirit. The relevant services should be entirely led by the young and young at heart. We should include rock music in these services and also in the general services as well.

OK... these are interesting answers... for myself.. I believe we could learn about community in a different way. A community where the older ones assist the young, where there is a sense of belonging and commitment to love within our families..

Until next time this is your blogging friend signing off and wishing you all a very good evening from Pakpingjai

Peter

The adventure continues!

2010-01-20T00:58:00.000-08:00

Access our online photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz

Hello all wherever you are in the world!

The past few days have been amazing, incredible and made our group think alot about their own lives. Sunday was very special as we had a Church service with 6 baptism's including our very own Darryl. The young Thai musicians are improving in confidence and skill after some workshops. The main issue has been the tuning and the PA system. Both area's have been worked on and Sunday showed just how much work they has put in.

Stan spoke at the service and reminded us of the abundant love God has for us no matter what... He told us that God understands that various societies have things that other's might find strange and yet God loves us all for who we are. Samarn talked to the Thai people about how people should develop life skills that will ensure they have a better life for themselves and their families.

Monday was tourism day with Elephant trekking, snake handling, swimming in a beautiful waterfall and visiting markets. Some photos follow and more are on the online photo album. After school finishes each weekday we play with the boys and girls. This is a good way of teaching them conversational English. Rugby at a very rudimentary level has been taught... The Thai boys are fast but light and the sight of five or more of them hanging off a kiwi lad whilst racing to the try line has everyone in fits of laughter! A couple of older boys would make great halfbacks or centres but Soccer is the game of choice here as the size makes it difficult to play Rugby.

Tuesday was a teaching day with most of the team going to a local school. I stayed back here to assess the computers and electrical systems. Whilst here a miricle happened of which I will not share until back in Auckland. I'll keep you on the edge of your seats! A lot of sport was played with the kids after school and we wore a few of them out! (They did the same to some of us!)

Today (Wednesday) we were priviliged to attend and teach english at a Buddhist University. The monks put on a welcome that included demonstrations of their way of praising Buddha and their philosophy on life. We broke into groups and did conversational english. My group was really interested about life in NZ and were amazed by the photos of waves and the beaches. Only one out of eight had ever even seen a beach. We were able to tour ariound the university and see some amazing sights. These included a massive golden Buddha as well as some ancient relics. See our online photo album soon for photos. http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz . Don't forget the email address that has been set up for the tour. pakpingjai@gmail.com . Please ask questions about the trip and our work here... we would love to hear from you!

Anyhow... I have some photos to process and upload... take care and keep praying that we are able to achieve what God would have us do.

Regards

Peter

The Forest People of Eastern Phayao

2010-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hello folks

I have found over the past few days that one may experience Thai culture, see Thai customs and know the beauty of the people. I have experienced warmth and friendship, loving and giving in a way that I have seldom been privileged to see.

However..

To feel the spirit of a people is to truly be moved. To know that one has undergone a very special moment in life is indeed a special event.

For myself and I suspect many others, today was such an event. We were in a small basic tribal hut deep in the hills in western Phayao with a family whose young boy is a PPJ resident. The family had not seen the boy for a long time. We witnessed the love that the family has for their son and the agony of having only a few minutes to spend with him. Love and yet agony... how do you cope with those contradicting emotions? Perhaps the answer is knowing that the young boy will have a better life as a result of his time at PPJ. Perhaps the boy will be the one who makes a difference in his extended family's life. One person can change the world,, whether their world is large or small.

I am unashamed to say that I shed more than a few tears. It was a moment I will never forget and a moment I truly felt God's love even though it was agonising for the family.

Lets put this into perspective.

The Forest people have been relocated by the government as a result of recent logging and deforestation of their natural habitat. The result is that the army controls the area and has to protect the small settlements from raiders. Indeed we witnessed the army outpost with guns ready. Photos will be added tomorrow. Sunday will be a free afternoon so watch out for some very moving scenes.

In the settlement there were many children. Originally five were selected to apply for care at PPJ. Due to financial and space restrictions only one boy was able to make the move. We visited one settlement but passed many more small villages and settlements. Imagine if you will the huge problem that these people face. A wholesale change in their life, a forced move from their native land, and no real hope for many.

Think about our lives in Auckland... what we do have what we complain about and what we strive for. Today we experienced something that one does not see, one does not do, but one feels. Surely... surely that puts our troubles in their true perspective. God is a miracle worker, but we are his channel through which the miracles can happen.

My life will not be the same... and I sincerely doubt anyone who was there today was unmoved. Indeed I believe that lives were changed... for both the so-called rich and the so-called poor.
Here are some of the photos of the trip to see just how they live and who they are. Whilst nothing replaces the experience of being there, these photos tell a story. There are many more photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/pakpingjainz , To see larger images please left click on the photo below.

Regards and in God's love

Peter (the blogger) Chatteris

The Meeting Hall

2010-01-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Click on photos to see larger image...

Stan talking to the Thai boys and girls as well as the people from St Heliers. This type of meeting is a regular occurrence here. Every second night we gather in the meeting hall to hear some great music from the young Thai musicians who are increasing in confidence and musical attitude with every session. Also these nights include some of our group talking with Samarn interpreting. Samarn can be seen here translating Stan's words into Thai.

This photo shows

our group singing for the PPJ young people. Nicky Kahn plays flute and guitar, and I (Peter) can be seen playing guitar. We are working hard to improve the singing and hope that all will be confident soon!

Church is also held every Sunday at the meeting hall.

In addition to the PPJ young people Villagers attend as well. The services are around 90 minutes long and full of music and praise.

Link to PPJ website

2010-01-17T02:29:00.000-08:00

A few days ago one of the boys; Worrapon has created a website for the PPJ project. He is 18 years old and in grade 12 at Thampinwityakom Academy. We will work with him to further develop the website. It is already a fantastic resource for people to find out about the area and the need for a place like Pakpingjai to exist. The site can be found at http://ppjmail.thport.com/ I encourage you to visit it and to ask questions via the pakpingjainz@gmail.com email address.

Peter

Andrew's perspective

2010-01-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

G'day from Andy Sawtell

Pakpingjai has changed little in the past two years. Aside from material things - significant extentions to the area where we are staying and some swing sets - there is a continuation of the sense of family amongst all the PPJ people. More than merely a home for the young people who live here, it is a community centre where children are free to play and members of the village visit on special occasions.

A short walk around Bantham Village and the wider community gives a sense of the struggle of life here. Many homes have no furniture. Thatched roofs are in need of repair, chickens and dogs roam freely in the street during the day. Some families work just once a year during the harvest season and manage the money they receive for the rest of the year, no doubt leaving them with very little towards the end. Imagine having to budget one paycheck for an entire year. Feeding, clothing and educating a family can stretch a poverty-stircken family beyond its limits. Thanks to the dedication and unconditional love of Samarn and the generous donations of our Church and others, the children of many of these families have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Having the opportunity to continue the work of our Church, to interact with and educate the children is a privilege. Being my 2nd visit to Pakpingjai, I knew what to expect. But seeing the reactions of the other members of the group, and how being here is affecting them, is truly moving. I am blessed to have returned to Pakpingjai.

Andrew (Andy) Sawtell

Our First School visit!

2010-01-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

This video shows our first visit to a primary school. It was made by our video team headed by Stan, and assisted by Darrell and Fraser. They have been doing wonderful work and are to be congratulated on their efforts to date. More videos will be added as well as appearing on our You Tube channel. Further details to follow.

Regards

Peter

Becoming English Teachers

2010-01-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

Bahn Bin School Students with PPJ Group

Hi everyone!

Over the last two days, the members of the PPJ group have evolved into enthusiastic, competent English teachers. It's been incredibly exciting working with everyone to create vibrant, re-usable resources. The past two mornings in the office have been a hive of activity between 6:30 and 8am, with scissors slicing and a "Lazarus" laminator coming back to life in order to bind over 100 sheets of paper into brightly coloured flashcards and visual aides for our visits to a primary and secondary school. We have also overcome the barriers of Google and Word in Thai and come out the other side!!!

In the classroom, groups of individuals have melded together and become teams who build on one another's strengths. After two days of teaching, the members have transformed from being unsure of whether they could teach English, to being confident and excited about engaging with more Thai students in three more schools next week. I have particularly enjoyed seeing the teenagers of the group become leaders of small groups of Thai students, involving them in conversations about their lives.

As a TESSOL-trained teacher, it has been especially exciting to use the techniques in a full immersion situation. The standard of lessons has been exceptional and it has been a pleasure working with Andrew to plan for our visits to the Thai schools.

See you next time,

Summer (Stice) Staples - from the Teaching Team

Latest News from PPJ

2010-01-15T02:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone back in NZ and hi to all our wonderful friends in Thailand.

The past two days have really been a daze! We have walked around a market with wonderful delicacies such as baby calfs head sausages, fried insects, jumping Carp, and hundreds of different of potions concoctions and drinks. We have taught in two schools, walked around the local village purchasing delicious (I think) baby coconut and a drink yet to be consumed... Today (Thursday) some people went to a lake and then to another market. Yesterday a group of us went to Phayao to barter for items as diverse as food and medicine. We are getting used to the early morning "political broadcast" on the village loudspeaker system and heard it all the time in Phayao. Whilst there we purchased a number of musical items to upgrade the instruments here. Much of the money for this was thanks to the wonderful kids who worked hard on the Potpourri CD. Also some more finances have been made available through the group. So the music programme is going to be well funded and ongoing. Nicky and myself form the music team and are working hard to ensure music is a core subject in our work. The teaching has been made easy because of the hard work put in by Summer and Andrew. They have worked tirelessly to ensure the outcome is effective and well planned. It has also been enjoyable engaging in conversation with the school children. Today a soccer match was held at the Academy (secondary school). It was all concrete and the result was a 4 all draw... a few blisters were gained by our soft St Heliers feet!

From my own point of view the group is working and bonding extremely well together. Stan is pleased with the group and is leading us very well. Our hosts here are just amazing. Food is everywhere. Bottled water by the gallon and the willingness to serve any need is a great example to our privileged society.

Photos will be added tonight along with a movie... Thanks for following us and don't forget to email us at pakpingjainz@gmail.com .

Thanks and regards

Peter "the blogger" Chatteris

Our first day at PPJ

2010-01-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Bangkok chaos

Leaving Bangkok "Convenient Resort"... the actual name!

A sad occasion. The funeral of two young boys. We were privileged to witness and be part of a Buddhist funeral ceremony. The whole village community were present to support the bereaved families.

We were welcomed by the amazing mini Thai dancers!

These pictures are of the local Buddhist village park. It is a belief that this is a haven for people's spirits. Various offerings are made for the dead and departed to assist them in the afterlife.

The trip and photos

2010-01-13T22:26:00.001-08:00

At the departure lounge

The skymap showing us flying over Indonesia and approaching 4 more countries

Stan, Frann and Andrew on plane over Vietnam
Tes and Fabian... nearly there!

First Photos.. leaving Auckland

2010-01-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

Stan's Challenge for PPJ group

2010-01-13T17:39:00.000-08:00

I am hoping you will all meet someone in PPJ. The person I want you to meet is yourself. By this I mean that I am hoping you will see your self in a new light.

We are suggesting that for our time in Thailand we should be "unplugged". Switch off your ipods. Turn off the phone. Put away the 3g games, and don't use the hours looking at screens big or small.

What you then see may surprise you. You will see young people that do not have a cent to bless themselves with brimming with happiness. It may dawn on you that happiness is not about having.

We in NZ are conditioned to think that our toys are the conduits through which pleasure and happiness comes. We assume that the person with the most or the latest toys must be supremely happy.

The community at PPJ puts the lie into the notions. We are forced to wonder, "have I been going in the wrong directions?". The PPJ experience gives us the opportunity to ask "Who am I?", "Where am I going?", and "Who could I be?"

Profile for Stephanie

2010-01-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

STEPHANIE TANNER

17 Years old

Attends St Mary's College in Ponsonby

This year is a year 13, last year of school

I'm super excited for the trip, its been a long time coming with lots of hard work and organisation from all the member involved. Early in 2009 my Dad and older Sister travelled to Cambodia and the Philippines, and they said their trip was life changing. I want my Thailand experience to be that for me; I want to meet heaps of cool people; take up every opportunity that comes my way so I can fully embrace the whole experience to get the most out of it.

I think it will be a very humbling and refreshing way to start 2010, with experiences and lessons I can carry with me for the rest of my life, and as Stan said I wouldn't mind meeting my self over in Thailand either.

Summers Profile

2010-01-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

Hi! I'm Summer Stice, actually, Summer Staples - as of the 23rd of December! I have been a member of St. Heliers Presbyterian Church for about three years and I am going to Pakpingjai because every time the trip was mentioned in church, I had this feeling inside that I should go. I've never done anything like this and I am really looking forward to getting to know the members of the group and the kids at Pakpingjai hostel. It's going to be an amazing experience and, even though I'll miss my husband and family, I'm sure, as Stan said, I will learn a lot about myself and this will be a life-changing time. Bye for now. :)

Trip and arrival.

2010-01-13T03:36:00.000-08:00

G'day all

It is fantastic to finally be here in Pakpinjai after 16 hours of traveling and crossing 9 countries. We are settling in to life here and have been privileged in witnessing an amazing welcome from the children and the local villagers. The trip has been fantastic with everyone fitting in and making new friends... Photos and videos will be posted tomorrow. Look and see some wonderful scenes.

Stan says hi and believes we have made a great start with a wonderful team.

We will see you tomorrow

Peter your blogger

Amy's profile

2010-01-11T14:16:00.001-08:00

Hello my name Amy Caspersonn

I am 25 years old and I am a teacher aid at Marshwood Montessori Preschool. I have two sisters and a brother and a pet dog called Bella. I love to sing, dance, act and work with young children. I am a singer in the church youth band.

This is my third trip to Thailand and Pakpingjai. The first time for me was very exciting but also a bit scary because I didn’t know very much of what to expect but when you go back it feels as if you are going back to see friends and you relax a lot more and you feel more at home.

My reason for going a third time is to visit friends from the other trips and to help them out some more and to have new experiences. Also I love Thailand, Pakpingjai and the Thai food so much. The pace of life in Thailand brings peace to my soul.

For those of you going Thailand and Pakpingjai for the first time you will have the time of your life and learn a lot from everyone you meet and they will learn a lot from you too.

Remember don’t be scared be prepared to try new things and give everything a go.

Robin's profile

2010-01-11T14:13:00.002-08:00

Hi, I’m Robin and I’m from Saint Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Ponsonby. I got interested in going to Pakpingjai last year when my cousin John Hallet mentioned it to my daughter Angela. He said they were looking for some more young people to go on the trip and I thought… well I’m young!

Unfortunately John can’t go on the trip anymore due to an injured knee, but I’m sure we will have a great time anyway, and we hope John will be able to go on the next trip.

I’m looking forward to making friends within the group and Pakpingjai and all the new experiences that this trip is going to offer!

Angela's profile

2010-01-11T14:13:00.001-08:00

Hello, my name is Angela and I’m seventeen years old. 2010 brings my last year at St Mary’s College, in Ponsonby. For most of my life I attended Saint Stephens Presbyterian in Ponsonby with my family and over the last few years I have been going to Mount Albert Baptist Church.

I am very excited about going to Thailand (only 2 sleeps left!) and am extremely grateful that I am able to receive this opportunity. I am looking forward to experiencing a new culture and being immersed in a completely different environment. I hope to develop as a person through these experiences, form some lasting friendships and do my best to support and work at all tasks given to us at Pakpingjai.

Hello to all in Pakpingjai

2010-01-11T02:16:00.000-08:00

To all the boys and girls in Pakpingjai... a HUGE Kiwi G'day to you... we are all looking forward to meeting you and being with you. Its only a day away... more profiles added before we leave... may God keep his eye on you.. and his hand on both your people and ours..

Peter

Tessa's profile

2010-01-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

Haay everyone, Tes here ! I'm 16 and just entering into year 12 (6th form) this year at Glendowie College. I'm really looking forward to going to Thailand, particually to experience their culture such as different foods, languages and riding elephants of course! The photo is of my friend and I just before going out (Alana left, Me right).

Christine and Nikki 's Profile

2010-01-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

Hello my name is Christine Kahn and this is my second trip to Pakpingjai . This time I am being joined by my daughter Nikki Kahn so that she can come and see and experience for herself that Pakpingjai is truly a" home for the heart". What a special privilege and opportunity this trip offers for us to go and spend time with these children and Samarn and hopefully it will make a small difference to their lives as well as enrich ours greatly.

Nikki is keen to be involved in the musical side of this group as well as do an over-view of the water pumping and filtration system so that we can improve the delivery of water to the hostels and adjoining facilities. She has just completed a conjoint degree in law and mechanical engineering and so hopes some of her knowledge may be of benefit.

I enjoyed in sharing and teaching the children in English lessons and look forward to doing so again.I hope and pray that this trip will be life changing and enhancing for our group,as we work and travel together.

Christine and Nikki

Three Sleeps!

2010-01-09T00:52:00.000-08:00

Folks... only three sleeps to go... tommorrow is the commissioning by the church... lets all be there... a great opportunity to show our unity of purpose... Also please... more profiles needed... thanks and regards

Your blogger.. Peter Chatteris

Frann's profile

2010-01-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hi from Frann...

This will be my second trip to Pakpingjai. To officially open the Girl’s Hostel was one of the purposes of our trip in 2008. Since then, 17 young girls age 6 – 13 have been welcomed into the community of Pakpingjai where they are receiving Christian care and a sound education. Visiting the Hill Tribes from where some of these girls have come puts their plight into perspective. We take treats such as lollies and balloons and essentials such as basic medicines. To see the delight in the eyes of the children as they play with the balloons and taste the treats - to see the tears in the eyes of an old man when told the medicines will bring relief from the pain in his arthritic knees – it personifies the words of Christ “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” Matthew 25: 40. I don’t go to relive my experience of 2008, but I go with the expectation that we will return satisfied that we have made a difference to those whose lives we touch.

Stan's Profile

2010-01-07T22:26:00.001-08:00

Friends, this is my third visit to Pakpingjai. I count myself very blessed to have had hese opportunities. It is like going to the other side of the moon. Forget about cheeky children and bored teens. In the gentle atmosphere of the Hostel and the communities that surround it unwinding is easy. The picture shows me doing something we all will do - engaging high school students in conversational English. My hope is that our group will become lasting friends and that we all will feel the love of God and be personally challenged.

Pete's photo and "counting"

2010-01-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

Five days to go... music for the group sorted... not long now folks... already packing.. a first for me... usually its the last minute (literally!) If you have any general questions re the trip please post here... also hit the follow button to keep updated.. The above photo is of myself... if you see me at church and have any questions about the blog... just ask away!

Thats all folks!

Peter

St Heliers Pakpingjai trip 2010

2010-01-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Firstly allow me to introduce the group. There are 21 of us travelling to Pakpingjai in 2010. Our task is to do anything that assists the project as a whole and also specialise in certain areas. We also aim to enjoy the experience!

A little about my background and specific tasks... My name is Peter Chatteris, and I was baptised into St Heliers Church in 1959. After 19 years in Australia I returned to NZ and the church in 2002 and live with my partner Sharyn and 2 of her 3 children. I am a musician and music educator. I also sing, songwrite, play drums, guitar, produce, and a few other bits and pieces.

It is a special privilige for me to go on this trip and travel with such an amazing group. My role in the trip concentrates on music however as official photographer and blogger, I am also charged with the task of keeping you all up to date with what is happening. Over the time away I am hoping several of our group will contribute to the blog, and tell you all about themselves and their stories. A trip like this will change people. We are indeed fortunate in having the opportunity to live in an affluent society. The trip will be an eye opener and show us perspective in the way we live. It will also teach compassion for people that whilst having very little, strive to better themselves. We do indeed live in paradise and the tragedy is that some of us don't know it.

If you are new to blogging... no matter! Its merely a modern way to keep people up to date with a person's life... or in this case a group. As the world shrinks it has become possible to let anyone interested know what is happening in their life. Some photos and movies will be posted here however I will also create a space where photos may be viewed in a higher reolution and in greater depth. Comments may also be left for each post so e would love to hear from you or answer any questions.

Thats about it for now... only 6 days to go... I'm excited! ...