I am happy to announce that we have indeed started meeting and planning our 2012 Thailand BBF Trip but of course if there is anybody who is interested in going or volunteering some fundraising ideas we’d love to talk to you.
Before you make any decisions though, you are probable wondering, “what do they do on these trips"? That’s a hard one to answer because no two trips are ever really the same and a lot of things come up while you’re there, but here’s a quick summary of what’s gone on in trips from the past:
2004: The Beginning.
This trip was the introduction to Baan Burk Faa Children’s Home. When New Heights Church first got connected with the family of thirty children living with one caring family. The kids were malnourished and weak, not even able to complete a full game of soccer. Much relief work was done by a team of 12
2004: Installing a latrine
The original group of kids
2005: A team of 18 brought trampoline (in pieces which many fellow travellers thought were dinorsaour bones) and much more work was done on the BBF home.
The Trampoline!
2006: Another team of 12, led by Chad and Tamara Umlah, visited the home villages of the BBF orphans and relinquished kids
Smiles! :D
2007: Two teams of 10 each brought funds and a truck to transport kids to school was bought.
The Truck in Action!
2008: This year was all about reaching out to other homes. We had a 28 persons and so we were able to split up into two smaller teams and take some of the BBF kids up into the hills so that we could visit some villages with them. This is also the year that the kids first started planting rice. While we were there we got to help the kids plant their first patty of rice that would end up feeding them for months to come, some of which they brought to other homes to share the wealth.
At the River Harvesting Rice
2009: A team of 14 travelled to BBF celebrated five years of friendship.This trip was about building relationships with the kids, spending time with them and taking them on outings including buying a shelter for another group of kids in the town of Phrao which the BBF leadership was trying to help. We were able to plan church services for the kids and reach out to them. We also had an awesome multi-home soccer tournament involving 6 teams from different homes. It was incredible to see the kids so happy when we were able to give them a great big bag full of cleats and pinnies (thanks to you guys for the wonderful donations)
Muddiest Soccer Ever
2010: Finally, the BBF home was beginning to acquire its own land! This year we were able to actually step foot on the land being leased for the home. It was an absolutely amazing experience, we got to pray over the land and see the plans of where everything is being built and we were even able to lend a helping hand in building pig pens to house the pigs donated by Hatzic Elementary’s “Me to We” club.
Piggies on the Land!
2011: We had a lot of questions in 2011 as we were taking the big step of obtaining land, and so this trip consisted of a lot of meetings and notes and planning for a big future with huge dreams for the home!
Beautiful Thailand
2012: Which brings us to now..
Depending on whether or not the road is finished when we arrive will definitely change the realities of this trip, as having a road into the property makes a lot of things, like building, more obtainable. We will also be working with our first graduate of the home on his transitioning plan from high school to beyond.
