LOL, I forgot how to get home! The last 30 years have been continuous between Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, first returning to VN in the 1980s to build a small medical clinic in the town I was stationed in during the war, the first physical reconstruction project by any American organization since the end of the war. We accomplished that with a dozen or so US combat veterans and an even mix of Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army veterans. :-) But it seems the world paid no attention to the lessons we taught. :-(

Excellent. I hope one day I too can forget how to get home.:-)

You're doing a great work, my friend!!

It's really easy to do @JackieSmith, just get busy doing anything that needs to be done, and keep looking forward. :-) Don't try to lead the masses, just follow the needs and let the masses catch up whenever they finally get it figured out.

To a certain extent you are correct about kids wanting to stay on the streets, but in my findings, by digging deeper the reasons are usually abandonment, abuse drugs or alcohol. This is not nearly as prevalent as it was 30 years ago when I first came. Food is usually not an issue as money is usually not an issue, but I have always used the food as a means to begin a new relationship. The big carrot is school because virtually all kids want to go to school even if only to get new clothes and goof off. I put them in school only if they are either in their family setting or if that is not safe, then an alternative family setting from street friends, that works extremely well!

Yes, leprosy is a major source for homeless, but not because of reasons most people think. The leprosy centers here are very well supported and maintained by foundations and church groups, but they don't provide any social stimulation to speak of at all! The old folks hit the streets to "get a life", everything at the center is free and plenty of it, they just want to have fun, play cards, and party a bit, you know, kind of like "normal" people. :-)

I don't travel, but if you ever get to Bangkok let me know you're coming. I think we could have some enjoyable conversations. :-)

No worries Roger I will look you up if I can get there.

Cheers mate,

Brad

Thanks, Phil, I have used the BKKhooker handle years ago but the response was rather so-so. Also, it translates rather poorly in Thai, especially for someone working with Thai 'street workers', including children! Some day maybe I'll play with it again, we card-carrying members of the Olde Phartes Generation can often cut our own slack.

I do have a rather major project I work on as time permits that will involve demographic mapping of BKK slums and the creating of a database from that information that will hopefully be sellable/rentable to NGOs and organizations who want to design their projects around the realities that interest them, and also be able to pick from the communities of greatest need. I think that will need a multi-level membership platform either for subscription or at least sorting medical workers away from nursery care, and addiction focused folks etc. These skill sets are all well beyond my skill or energy levels these days :-( Thoughts, prayers, suggestions, participation always welcome :-)

You would not believe the failure rate and poorly designed projects from people who want to micromanage cross-cultural areas they have no concept at all of! Very few people need rescuing, while all of us need friendly understanding and encouragement!

understand about the handle.
good luck with your 'part time' project.
i know how difficult it is trying to get a few engineers working together. maybe you can find the skills base on here to assist you with what you need?
as you say most people don't appreciate what they have.
have fun
phil