Pai

Some of the Lisu women's handicrafts

Jenna and I with Olay, Nute, Umpah, and little Catoon from where we work

This past week Jenna and I went with the ladies we work with up north to the province of Pai. An Australian family that owns an NGO in their hometown sells handicrafts made from local peoples all over the world, and the center I work at, Rainbow Tree, is one of them. So, Wednesday we went up with the Aussies to Pai to a Lisu village they work with.

After an early morning wake up call before sunrise, and a long windy drive up a mountain, we made it to beautiful Pai. I had never heard of it until this little trip but it’s just north of Chiang Rai, and apparently a popular backpackers destination. This village is also where my host dad, Manop, works at. It was really neat to see where he works and what he does, and to meet these lovely ladies that make the most beautiful handicrafts. After being here for 2 months, you grow accustomed to the usual crafts being sold in the markets, and they are certainly all gorgeous, but this experience opened my eyes.

Seeing where these ladies live and make their handicrafts, getting to know them personally, really touched me. This is what they do for a living, all day, everyday. They have no business or market to sell at, so thankfully this kind Aussie family buys from them, sells it in the Aussie store, and keeps no profit for themselves - it all goes back to the villagers and community. For one, it was a great learning experience for me to witness first hand just how an NGO can work. Something I hope to apply in my future career if I still plan on taking this path.

I also felt of the love of God for each of these women. At the end of our visit, after they graciously served us some lunch, and gave us little gifts, and using Manop as a translator, they told us how grateful they were for the Aussies and their service to help them make a living. These women, along with countless other Thai’s, are such examples to me in living their simple, humble lives much more graciously than I am living mine. I seem to always need these reminders to bring me back to the basics in life.

Anyway, it was a great day and I’m glad I got to meet these women in Pai. Meeting new people in many different countries and cultures really opens my eyes. There is so much more to life than our own backyards (although, there is no place quite like home..). In every town I visit, I tell myself I will come back to visit these people again, and boy, I really do hope so. My love for international work only continues to grow, and I will do all I can to make that life a reality.