There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty. ((Joseph Addison))

The seasons are changing here in Bangkok. There are points in the night when it even feels cool. The humidity is slowly abandoning the air and the sun doesn't feel quite so hot. I can see the appeal of Bangkok "winters" and with the cool breeze and the hot sun, it is very easy to forget that it is Thanksgiving at home and people are bundled up in winter coats.

This year I have so much to be thankful for and today I woke up with a renewed sense of joy. I live in this beautiful city, I have incredible friends scattered all over the world, I’ve had the opportunity to travel the globe and meet new people and for the past six months I have had the privilege of working with Thailand’s finest.

Last night was a night of reflection and as the ones I love sat together eating turkey and stuffing, I thought about this journey. With two and a half weeks emblazoned on my calendar, I am faced with the reality that this chapter is coming to an end. And while I am sure that this is only the beginning of my involvement with Mercy and the amazing people I have met here, knowing our lives with be forever be linked, these past six months can never be repeated. The impact of this experience will only be realized in time, but without words, I can feel the change that has happened within me.

I learned the power and beauty of trust and have seen the ways it can be used for good and bad. I have learned to trust my instinct, knowing that my initial reaction to someone or something is usually the closest version to the truth. I have seen the work, compassion and splendor of a jing jai (true heart) and the way a person’s eyes can tell the story of their heart without words. I have been taught jai yen (a cool heart) and the importance of patience. I have been shown the purity of a child’s love and the strength of persistence and optimism. And I can’t imagine any place in the world where I would rather be on Thanksgiving, a day in which we give thanks for all the blessings in our lives.

Yesterday we received word that a grant I had been working on with another Mercy staff member was contracted. Nearly $32,000 has been given to support Mercy’s Bridge of Hope hospice centre, working with HIV/AIDS patients living in the slums. This morning we completed another budget for $48,000 to fund training programs, in which Mercy will teach other NGOs about our homecare and outreach programs for those living with HIV/AIDS. My kids are all back in school and working hard. One of the older girls, currently studying at Clarke University in Massachusetts, has just learned that she has been accepted, with scholarship, to study abroad in China this spring. My thesis is slowly coming together with the support of my SIT cohorts and I can start to see the light at the end of this “Masters” tunnel.

And with that, I come back to the quote: Nothing of the soul is depleted when shared. This week I was able to share my love of Mercy with two friends I met while traveling. The kids are still asking where P'Mark and P'Jules are, the two guys with the strong arms.

Mercy 2 boys with Jules and Mark. The boys were struggling after their day as a human jungle gym.

Jules at Mercy 3.

Mark and Strawberry Head.

Mercy 3.

Mark goes over Ann's power point on the Floods in Thailand.

Well done gentlemen. The kids miss you already. Best quote I heard yesterday:

"P'Alex, I had a great idea. I want to play ice-skating with your two boy friends."
- Nancy.

Anything to get back to the ice. Mark, last night in Bangkok??

The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart. 
((Helen Keller))

See the beauty and give thanks.

ABA