July 2012

Miguelito Toma Pu died in October of 2009. He was a little boy who sparkled with life. He strode through the world as if he could do anything that came his way. “Mic” had an infectious smile. He was often in to something he shouldn’t be, but, despite the annoyance, one couldn’t help but laugh along with him when caught in the middle of his deed. Family, neighbors and foreign guests were all entertained by his love for life. He was even able to put a smile on Mundo volunteer Silas’ face when Silas was so worried about his mother and her battle with cancer.

One day, while tussling with his brothers in their front yard, Mic came too close the to back hoofs of the family horse. The horse kicked out, hitting Mic in the head. In an instant, the gregarious Mic lay quiet on the ground. His father put him on his back and walked the three hours from their little village to the road head and then one hour by truck to the health clinic in Chajul. There the doctors realized that the boy, who was in a coma, would most likely not make it, but they did not want to tell Mic’s dad, Nicolas. Instead, they told him to take his son to the hospital in Quiche, another 6 hours away for xrays and “advanced medical attention.”  The father and son went on the public bus straight to the hospital.  By the time they reached Quiche it was pretty clear that Miguelito was not going to make it.  He died in Quiche, far from the land he loved.

Nicolas brought his body home in a small wooden casket that Miguelito’s god mother had bought for his burial. In the Maya community, it is the living relatives who are responsible for laying to rest and watching over those who have returned to the ancestors. It is a duty that is taken with great seriousness. The entire village often becomes involved.

One morning in mid-October the villagers walked with the family to the cemetery and laid Miguelito to rest some eight feet under the fertile coffee growing land. After, the family and community returned to the home of Nicolas. As they were reciting the rosary, one of the community members who had stayed behind came running to their house explaining that they had seen the earth trembling as if Miguelito was trying to get out of his grave. Everyone ran back up the steep hill, dug the eight feet down to where the casket that held Mic’s body lay to investigate if indeed he was still alive.

When they opened the casket it was clear that he had not “reawoken”. He was now with the ancestors.

The family mourned his death for many days. Then they decided that Miguelito was indeed wanting to return for a “second chance.”  And so Nicolas and Magdelena had another child, Nicolas Miguelito Toma Pu.

He was born December, 2011. He is a happy baby with a strong penchant for life.  Magdelena, Nicholas, and two of their six children Evelyn Magdelena, and Pascual, brought their new son and brother to the baptism in Chajul.  Mundo Director Joan Williams and the god-mother of all the Toma Pu family, Sister Evie, joined with Padre Santos and the family to celebrate new life. For Joan, this was the first time out of four baptisms she had witnessed with the family that the baby laughed and smiled throughout the ceremony – even when the water was bouncing off of his little face. It was a good sign for all.

Mundo Exchange is proud to accompany families in times of grave sadness and in times of hope and renewal. Our presence at such an awspicous occasion for the family seemed important to those present. It is the solidarity through times of sadness and joy that allow our human spirits to embrace one another across cultural and linguistic boundaries in appreciation of those precious moments that celebrate life anew.

Volunteer in Thailand with Mundo Exchange

Help Thai children explore the enjoyment or fun of reading.  Mundo Exchange volunteers are reading and making stories for Thai children at Thai schools and orphanages. We at Mundo Exchange look for volunteers fluent in English and of course Thai to visit the children’s reading groups. Organize your own group of volunteers and share stories with adults or children. Go and help at your own convenience.

Sit with a group of children, read from your favourite books and share stories with young Thai students. Many of our volunteers in Thailand also help students make their own fiction books in English and Thai. Discuss the book’s meaning and why people enjoy reading. Give Thai students reasons to continue reading after you leave Thailand. Thailand is now near the bottom of the Asian how to read list so they need a lot of help.

If you are interested contact Nalinrat. Nalinrat Suvannavong has been doing this for years and even teaches the meaning of Spanish and Portuguese words like “Mundo”. Very very sanook or fun for all, come join in.

Songkran, Thai New Year

April 13^th -15^th, 2011.

Songkran is the traditional New Year of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Srilangka and the east of India. The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit meaning ‘the beginning of a new Solar Year’. It’s sometimes called ‘water war’ byforeigners.Thai people believe in this festival as the family day.The custom is to use water to release the heat in April and to show the respect, apologizeand forgiveness to each other.

In the morning on, these days, the people go to the temple to give foods to the monk. After that, they put the Buddha image onatruck or cart and make the parade around the town to give the people theopportunity to the people to water him. And young people bring the holy water and water the hands of older people to apologize and old people forgive forgive them and blessing themwith tohave good luck. The people also bring the sand, and donate it to the temple, and puta flag in place on top of those. It looks very pretty.

The people have lots of fun. They throw water on the passing people. You don’t need to change your dress if you want to join them. Youwill be soaking wet all day. Please stay at your home or hotel if you want to be dry. That’s my suggestion.

I am once again heading down to the beautiful country of Guatemala to visit with the two communities I have been working with for several years now.  They were so appreciative of the support people provided last year.  This year, in addition to supplying materials and mentoring local teachers, it is my hope that we will be able to expand opportunities for more elementary and middle school-aged children in the Chajul area to receive scholarships so that they can obtain a formal education. Education really does appear to be key to future families’ abilities to earn a livable wage and support their family members.

I want to share some data with you about the country.  In the area of human rights and health and safety statistics continue to be dismal.  A country known for it’s warm people, raw beauty, and rich natural resources, Guatemala is also a country plagued by historical violence (most recently the 36 years of civil war that primarily targeted rural indigenous populations, whereby over 200,000 men, women and children were killed and numerous more displaced or disappeared.).  An enduring and significant inequity between indigenous and non-indigenous citizens has always existed. Recent World Bank statistics indicated 54% of the Guatemalan population live in poverty (earned income of $2 a day or less) whilst 23% live in extreme poverty (earned income of $1/day or less).  The poverty levels in Guatemala remain higher than in any other Centeral American country.  Poverty is predominantly rural and especially high in indigenous communities.  More than 81% of the poor and 93% of the extremely poor live in the countryside in remote areas such as the Ixil Triangle where our work and support at Mundo is taking place.  76% of the indigenous people are poor compared to 41% of the non indigenous population.  A strong relation has been identified between malnutrition and poverty.  In 2000 the prevalence of chronic malnutrition among Guatemalan children was the highest in Latin America, and among the highest in the world.  44% of children less than 5 year’s old suffer from malnutrition. With regard to education, the country has a national illiteracy rate of 31%, which doubles amongst indigenous people. Only Nicaragua and Haiti rank higher in the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean. A further 23% have insufficient housing, 12% have no access to water, 22% have no sanitary facilities and 18% have received no formal education.  A significantly higher number of indigenous Maya are unable to attend school due to family impoverishment and the need for children to work alongside their parents as they tend local crops.

In January 2007, La Prensa, one of the larger state newspapers, noted the area surrounding Chajul, often referred to as the Ixil Triangle, to be the most impoverished in the country, with the majority of families living well below the poverty line.

We at Mundo are out to change these statistics for families in the Chajul area!  One area that we have a chance to improve immediately is to provide scholarships (becas) to local children who would otherwise be unable to attend school.  We are now supporting children in Pre-Primario, Primario, and Basico (kindergarten, elementary, and middle school).  Last year we sent ten students to school and are hoping to send even more this year!  The following figures are approximate and cover annual inscription fees, school uniform and materials for one child:

Kindergarten/Preprimario: $11.00 per pupil

Elementary/Primario:  $25.00 per pupil

Middle School/Basico: $100.00 per pupil if child can stay at home or $800.00 if child must stay in a nearby village (Only the main towns have teachers who can teach Basico).

We are also providing material and monetary support to a nonprofit organization in Chajul called ACEFOMI.  ACEFOMI runs a bilingual IXIL-Spanish school for children who cannot afford to attend regular school.  The school is based on principals of “popular education”, from Paolo Friere’s work, focused on providing educational opportunities that enhance an understanding of self and community and that builds important skills necessary for success in an individual’s life.  Not only does ACEFOMI’s school program teach students ever-increasingly important language and literacy skills, but it also teaches students skills that will enable them to protect their surrounding environment through sustainable, earth friendly agricultural practices, as well as learning about sanitation and nutritional care.  Classes are open to the children and their parents (usually mothers).  Students receive what is often the one nutritional meal of the day.  ACEFOMI runs on a shoe string, with funds coming from partners such as Mundo.  This year we will be bringing down two laptops for the students.  In addition, we have funds to pay a part-time teacher.  We are hoping to raise enough to pay for a full time position.  This runs around $200.00 per month and so far we have $1000.00.  Poco a Poco (little by little).

Again, thanks for your support.

Thanks from all of us at MundoExchange !

I have always viewed Wats and Buddhist monasteries as mystic places that those of us not knowing about the Buddhist ways were restricted from visiting.  Nalinrat, my new friend from Mundo Exchange, helped me overcome that odd, farang (foreigner) thinking.  On my second day of volunteering at Mundo Exchange in Bueng Khan, North Eastern Thialand, Nalinrat and the Mundo team awoke early and announced we would visit the Wat for morning temple.  This is the time in the morning that the Buddhist monks and nuns join together with locals to meditate and learn about the Buddhist ways.

A five foot Buddhist friend at the Wat waiting for Temple

This Buddhist Wat is situated on a very large acreage of land that is bordered to the North by the Mekong River.  The open-air temple sits on a high bluff above the River, offering spectacular views of the muddy waters, river birds, river boats and barges, and other swift moving debris.  As per it’s name, the Temple is surrounded on land by huge old growth trees and diverse shrubbery.  Butterflies, ants, betels, lizards, iguanas, spiders, snakes, and other amazing insects and amphibians share the grounds with the monks and nuns.

On a hot day, this wat is a wonderful respite from the heat found elsewhere in the Bueng Khan province.  There are several small cabins where the nuns and monks live and where visitors can come to stay and practice meditation.  On many of the river banks, small alcoves have been built for the contemplators to sit and watch the river move along.  The Mekong looks as if it moves slow and gentle, but locals say it is swift and dangerous.  If one falls into the river, they will quickly be swept downstream in into torrential holes that can trap one until they can no longer survive.  The river banks have snakes who do not appreciate human visitors.  Their venom could be deadly.  One must walk with care!

We arrive at the Wat at 8:00 in the morning.  Already the area is bustling with the business of sweeping and readying the land for another day.  Nalinrat introduces me to all the nuns and monks, as well as to other visitors.  She seems to know everyone.  Even though I do not speak Thai, she does such a good job of helping me feel at home.  We first walk the grounds.  As women we can walk on all of the Forest paths, but it is forbidden for us to enter a Monk’s living space.  It is also true that men cannot enter a Nun’s living space, but it is OK for women to do so.  (I am learning many new rules with regard to proper etiquette in the Buddhist world.  I am lucky (chok dee) to have Nalinrat at my side guiding me.)

Mundo's ever wonderful host, Nalinrat, guiding volunteers through the Temple experience

After wandering through the old growth forest, we return to the center of activity where many nuns and laypeople and the head monk are sweeping sand across newly laid red bricks.  We each take brooms with handles made from bamboo and broom hairs made from coconut leaves. (It seems all the plants have a utilitarian purpose in North Eastern Thailand.  So many are good for eating and healing the body, while others make amazingly effective tools.)  We join the others in “sweeping meditation” of wisking the sand into the cracks between the bricks.  It is mesmerizing.  One feels very much at peace amongst a group of people working in harmony toward a common end.  When the bricks are swept and securely in place, the gong sounds and people come to Temple.  We take our shoes off at the edge of the tile before entering the temple.  We put our hands together high on our forehead, facing the monks in greeting, bending down a bit so as to be careful not to have our heads above the monks.  We kneel down on the tile, our feet folded under our bodies so that the souls NEVER face the monk.  We put our two hands together at the top of our forehead and bow three times to the monks in front.  The everyone chanted together – ever so beautiful alongside the river sounds.  The celebration went on for maybe 30 minutes.  Then food that had been brought by the local people and also collected by the monks on their early morning walk through town was blessed by the monk.  Slowly each plate was passed first to the monks, then to the nuns and then to those of us from town.  For the monks and nuns this is their only meal of the day.  They are allowed to drink throughout the day, but have committed to eating solid food only in the morning.

Volunteer meets new Thai Buddhist friends and enjoys a moment of mindlessness joy

It was an amazing plethora of (for this farang) exotic dishes, all vegetarian, many from ingredients found in the local forest  – mushrooms, various leaves and herbs all with unique flavors,.  Some were spicy hot, some were sweet, many were a combination of sweet, spicy, bitter, and salty.  Although I recognized only a few familiar foods, all was delicious.  We ate mostly in silence.  The monk is taught, according to Yoon, not to savor or crave certain foods, but to appreciate the food for its nutrition and caloric infusion for energy.  As a farang it was hard not to appreciate the food for the diverse and excellent taste, texture and smell.

Enjoying the only meal of the day

Each of us ate to our contented fullness (“Im Laoa.”  “I am full.”).  The monks and nuns went off to their various work sites and the visitors (the women visitors) began the “washing-the-dishes meditation”.  It was a joyous task enjoyed by all.

Volunteer Joan enjoys a moment with her new Buddhist friends

The cool water felt wonderful as the morning temperature was already climbing.  Amazingly, although I spoke only “Nit noy” (a little bit) of Thai, we all seemed to speak the same language of enjoyment and comeraderie of working together in such a beautiful, peaceful spot.  Stomachs and hearts full of happiness and the minds a bit less preoccupied by the daily worries that seem to follow us.  I will look forward to my next visit…maybe an overnight stay and helping with writing important Buddhist sayings into English to help Farangs become a bit more enlightened.  Thank you Mundo and Logatat!

Mundo Volunteer listening to an enlightened one

By Volunteer Joan Williams

Thai Students Receive New School Clothes and Bikes from Austrian Students

A special group of Austrian students from Bewegte Volksschule have helped many Thai rural farm students over the last few years. Bewegte School Director, Ingrid Mader, along with school’s staff and students collected donations for the Thai children where Petra volunteered. The Austrian elementary school students hosted a Christmas bazaar and a theatre presentation to collect money.  The Director, staff and children of Bewegte volunteered to donate all of the proceeds from the student’s Christmas Bazaar to the Thai children.

Bewegte Students Give to Thai Isaan Students

Petra volunteered with Mundo Exchange in the heart of Isaan in Northeastern Thailand. She was asked by herThai school’s Director, Khamdi, to come help his students and the teachers who are teaching English. Khamdi is one of the most progressive Thai school directors Mundo has met. Together with the students and teachers they have created organic gardens, fish ponds, and art and recycle programs. The Thai school children also plant and sell Thai herbs, flowers and trees to the local community. They raise farm animals including cows, goats, chickens. Khamdi knows the importance of having his students learn about other cultures through cross cultural exchanges. Mundo thanks Khamdi and his students and staff for enhancing cross cultural exchanges and providing volunteer opportunities like Petra.

Thailand director Khamdii helping award winning students

When Petra decided that she would volunteer at this small Thai rural school  (400 students and 20+ staff ) the English teacher, Supapon, was very excited to have help in her classroom. Supapon and her family along with Khamdi made a downstairs room for Petra for her home stay. This Thai family had never had a volunteer from Austria and were very excited, if not a bit nervous for her to come. After meeting Petra, all were put at ease and they began sharing stories of their family life and cross cultural ways.  Petra and Supapon team taught which allowed the Thai students to hear English words pronounced by Petra. In a very short time the Thai students were enamored by volunteer Petra.  Her kindness and dedication was noticed and valued by the Thai community.

Thai home stay bedroom in Isaan Thailand

Thais and global volunteers working together

Petra volunteered to help students from economically challenged Thai farming families. When Petra shared details about the challenges these Thai children and their families face on a daily basis, the students at Bewegte developed a plan to raise money.   Their donations supplied the Thai students with bicycles, school and scout uniforms, shoes, English-Thai dictionaries and other English reading materials. Additional funds were raised by Mundo Exchange and other volunteers. Many Thai students walk a long distance to and from school. Bicycles transport the students to school as well as to their families rice fields where they help their parents after school.

Bewegte Students Raising Fund for Thailand

The donated items that Petra, Bewegte School children and staff, and Austrian friends gave are still being used and are greatly appreciated by students and also the Thai Isaan community.

Austrians volunteers provided needed educational supplies and bikes to Thai students

The students that the Austrians helped live near Mekong River where they fish and farm.

Thai land and culture

When Petra returned to Austria she wrote radio news travel articles about her experiences as a volunteer in Thailand.  You can learn more about her experiences at http://fm4.orf.at/radio. Check out the links below to see her photos and read her thoughts about living and volunteering in Thailand.

Part 1 http://fm4.orf.at/stories/1635630/

Part 2 http://fm4.orf.at/stories/1635933/

Mundo Exchange volunteers have writings that can be used by teachers and students living abroad to study Thai and Guatemalan cultures and people. Also, travelers trying to get an idea of how cultures can connect and how they can help others during their travels and during their gap years can learn more about the world and themselves by reading our volunteer stories. We at Mundo and Global World Exchange thank all who have helped the people of Thailand and Guatemala.