Following 2 essaies are contributed from a donor, Mr. T who have participated in the study tours for Isan in November 1998 & 1999. Provided from Minsai Center, Tokyo.

  Mr. T visited Thailand in 1998 and again in 1999 as one of the November study tour participants.  He is a passionate and sincere person, supporting the goals of Minsai Center - Japan and the Education for Development Foundation - Thailand. He is a physiological teaching in the medical department of National University in Japan.  The following essay was written by Mr.T.

  There was one particular reason why I joined the study tour for a second consecutive year.  Participating in the tour involves time and expense.  I needed a specific purpose to convince myself to go again.  Even so, I could not help smiling at myself.  I am notorious among my family for my reluctance to travel away from my home, and here I decided to participate in the tour twice!  I will begin with last year's study tour.

  In November 1998, through Minsai Center Japan, I was scheduled to visit Yasothorn Province in Thailand where two of my scholarship students live. I remember my motives for joining that year's tour.  I wanted to learn more about this area that was the home of my two students.  Furthermore, I had cherished the idea of visiting Thailand for some time.  I must confess that, initially, I imagined the study tour would be a carefree trip.  Upon receiving the final tour information (approximately two weeks before the departure), this image of a vacation disappeared.  I would be visiting Bahn Kahn Klan Village, where Ann, one of my student, lived, and I was expected to stay at her home.  The village to be visited had been determined six months prior, and I had only recently joined the tour.  I do not know if it was a coincidence that we were to stay in Ann's village.

   Two of my scholarship students, Taom (female, then 1st year of high school; right picture) and Ann(female, then 1st year of middle school; left picture) were expected to meet me for the first time at a welcoming party at the Yasothorn city school, which was comprised of both middle school and high school.   With the other donors I went to the welcoming party to meet the students. We could see that the students were nervous and tense.  Our faces must have shown similar emotions.  In the midst of welcome dancing and speeches by both middle and high school students, I often turned around to look for my students among the many sitting behind us.  In anticipation of the coming meeting with my students, I was eager and feeling a bit light-headed. The opening ceremony ended and it was time to meet our students.  The meeting was set up like a simple game:  we had to find our students by same-color nametags, and visually from the photographs we had received.  I had to jump right in and not be shy.  I began looking for the two students. Many of the other donors soon succeeded in locating their students and commenced interviews, but somehow I could not find my two students. I could not understand why and grew somewhat nervous.  I wondered, "Can it be possible that I won't get to meet them after traveling so far?"  Just when I was feeling overwhelmed with disappointment, Mr. Eck from EDF patted me on my shoulder and led me to a corner of the hall. Either they arrived late or were confused by the unusual situation:  a small girl, a woman, and a teacher in uniform were waiting for me in the corner of the meeting hall.

   It was Ann, her mother, and her teacher.  According to Mr. Eck, Taom had just changed schools and could not be there.  I felt this was ridiculous.  My last letter certainly reached her.  I received her reply just before my departure saying she was looking forward to seeing me.  I was about to complain to Mr. Eck, but decided against it.  I had had positive experiences thus far.  In the past four years, Taom wrote to me regularly in English, and my family and I wrote back to her several times.  I realized I was not in Japan.  Every culture has its own way of thinking.  Thai people have a strong sense of pride.  With these thoughts, I gradually calmed down. Now I am glad I avoided criticizing them in a fit of temper.  They must have tried hard to find her. There must have been some irregularities in the communications and I persuaded myself that nothing could be done at that moment.  I was still very happy to have the opportunity to meet Ann.

   Ann, her mother, and the teacher received me with Wai, the custom of putting your hands together in front of your chest as greeting.  The conversation with Ann was a little difficult since I was excited and Ann's teacher was translating for us. I imagine they were nervous, as I was.  Although I remember a meal being served, I do not remember what Ann and I talked about, nor if I actually ate the meal.  Afterward, I visited her school and stayed two nights in her village.  I stayed and slept in the living room of her house.  I found a photograph of myself, which I had previously sent her.  Later, when meeting Ann's family and relatives I was surprised to hear that I was introduced as the second father of Ann. It was touching and I even felt a bit bashful to be given such an important and personal title, especially as I have never had a daughter myself.  I sensed sincerity from the family to us, the Minsai donors, and now felt a stronger obligation.  Everything concerning education was considered very seriously in the village.

   Three days passed quickly; village people entertained us with greetings and courteous exchanges.  My friendship with Ann deepened, and new friendships were begun with many village people and teachers.  I still felt disappointed about not meeting Taom. With this thought, I departed from Yasothorn and then from Thailand.

   Soon after my return to Japan, I received a letter from Taom. As I read it, I became unsettled. To be honest, I had not been able to concentrate on my work all day.  As I thought, Taom did not receive information because of a hitch in communications.  Taom had been waiting at a different place the whole day, thinking she would be able to see me.  She found out the donors had returned to the city after the ceremony, but she had no means of getting in touch with us.  In her letter to me, she repeatedly lamented her misfortune and sadness of not being able to meet each other.  I wrote a letter to Taom that same day.  I cannot remember exactly what I wrote, but they were words of consolation.  The next day, I talked with my family and wrote to her again, promising to join the next study tour in 1999.  I sensed it was the only way of relieving our feelings of regret.

   To ensure that Taom and I would meet, Minsai Japan made special arrangements with EDF in Thailand.  With the help of Ms. Pu and the Yasothorn Education Board, I felt a sense of relief.  November arrived and I returned to Thailand.  After completing the schedule of four days in Chaiyaphun province with the study tour group, I alone departed for Yasothorn province.  I was supposed to rejoin the tour group in Bangkok within a day. In a shaking car driven at full speed by a teacher from Chaiyaphun Board of Education, we reached the Office of Yasothorn Board of Education in four hours. We arrived at lunchtime and I saw several people resting under the shade of a tree near the entrance of the building.  It was Ann, her mother, and the teacher.  They took note of me and stood up and bowed with Wai.  As they live nearby each other, I had requested to see both Taom and Ann. We were not supposed to meet for another two hours, but they had arrived early in anticipation. I am quite aware of how fast children grow; still, I was surprised how much Ann had grown.

   Soon after our joyful reunion, we were guided into the building. Inside a delightful surprise awaited me.  It was Taom.  I remembered her image from the photograph.  I approached her and asked in poor Thai if she was Taom.  She returned a polite Wai.  "You are father?" she asked, in halting but clear English.  I told her I was and expressed my happiness at finally meeting her.  Soon I felt a sense of deep satisfaction that is hard to describe.  It drove away all the tension I held.  I had been counting down to this moment for a year. Taom had been a girl when I first became a donor.  The person in front of me was a full grown adult.  I was dumbstruck meeting her.

  The person who had come with her, an English teacher, broke the silence. We talked about my family, her family, school life, and more.  Thanks to the fluent interpretation, our talk went very smoothly and time passed quickly.  We exchanged souvenirs, took a picture, and it was time for Ann to go home. Her village was about an hours drive. Before her departure, encouraged by her mother, she gave me a hug.  I saw in her shy behavior that she was still an adolescent and hoped I would meet her again to witness her growth into adulthood. I bade farewell to Ann and her family.

 

   Taom, the English teacher, and I were guided to Taom's school and I was introduced to many of Taom's friends.  This dissolved my concern that she would be lonesome in dormitory life, as she came from countryside.  Good friends are jewels in life. The dinner that night was cheerful.  It included Taom, myself, two English teachers, and by Mr. Jung of the Education Board with his child. Having fulfilled my promise to Taom, I felt relieved and content.  I returned to the hotel and had a relaxing evening and a good sleep.  The next morning we left the hotel and drove to Ubon Ratchthani.  From there, I flew to Bangkok to join the study tour group in before noon. During my flight back to Japan, I looked down upon the plain of Isan (Northeast Thailand). From that height, I could see glittering ponds and scattered villages. The smiling faces of Ann and Taom filled my mind.  I suspected I would return some day.

Staying in Bahn Wang Tah Tao Village

    Mr. T's trip took place in Bahn Wang Tah Tao, a small village dotted with pepper fields and cassava fields, and set within a mountainous terrain. We are told that Northern Thai tribes who were engaged in migration farming settled in this place about 100 years ago and started this village. Completely different from our image of arable land, the village is a series of hills with reddish brown soil and wild weeds.  Base rocks are exposed in nearby hills; the topsoil layer is very thin.  Even that thin layer of topsoil tends to be washed away by deforestation in preparation for farming.  There is electricity available in the village but no tap-water service available.  One of the children's duties is to draw and bring water from the nearest source of water. The hygienic condition is less than satisfactory.  The growth of many of the children has been stunted by malnutrition.  For the same reason, there is a high number of disabled children. There is one child in the village whose finger had to be amputated after a cobra bite.  The village is far from any type of medical facility. Mr. T continues his story.

   While in the village, I stayed in a house with a 17 year old boy and his relatives.  His parents had both died.  He had never attended school, which is not unusual, and his five friends (17 years to 21 years old) who came to meet me had not attended school either.  I thought about the fact that when they were children Minsai Center had just begun.  If they had been several years younger, they may have received a scholarship.  Just across from their home was a fine one-story house with white walls.  It was in sharp contrast to the wooden houses that filled Bahn Wang Tah Tao.  Inside the white house was a color television set, which is rare in the village. To the side of the house there were a large number of hens and ducks enclosed by a fence.  The disparity of living standards was appalling.  We heard fragments of the story and gathered that the white house was built with income earned by the family's daughter working in the city.  The gap between the rich and poor also seemed to create a barrier in the hearts of the villagers.
 

   The meals served to us three times were all fine and in ample quantity, but they were funded by EDF and included in the cost of the study tour.   Our appetite was dampened as we heard and then witnessed many students skip their lunch for lack of money. It was difficult to eat when we saw the lack of food.  We ate a small amount and then gave the rest to the children.  I think Japanese would reflect differently on their daily meals if they could witness the situation in Thailand.  Today, Thailand produces the food that is imported into Japan.  I remembered on the news sometime ago a scene showing imported Thai rice being thrown away.  Is it too extreme a notion that the final result of our excess waste is the burden of poverty and hunger on the people in this village.

    Early the next morning, we received a prayer from the monks for a safe trip home.  The chanting coming from those tranquil faces in the freshness of the morning air was peaceful.  In this area monks stay in the wilderness and practice ascetic training.  Seeing them in practice was liberating.  This type of lifestyle is distant to me. In Japan, I do not put the existence of the Buddha into my daily life.

   In the evening, after the sunset, the ceremony of Bai See Soo Kwang (the spirit-calling ceremony and the holy thread binding) was performed by the villagers. It is a common ceremony in Isan (Northeast). In the ceremony, a shaman summons various spirits by chanting a prayer. Then white, cotton thread (holy thread) is bound to our wrist by the village people. It is a ceremony to form binding relations between the villagers and us.  By the time the ceremony was over, many threads (more than twenty or thirty) were tied around each of our wrists. I felt the wishes of innocent villagers were winding around my wrist over and over again.  There were fine threads, thick threads and twisted threads.  The fine thread also seemed to carry the villagers' wishes for our safe return and lasting friendship.

  Students and teachers from the adjacent school came the distance to attend the farewell party and perform a dance. We were really charmed by the dance.   I think they enjoyed our awkward attempts at dancing and singing.  The party went late into the night. The bright full moon hung on the cloudless sky and shone down on us. Thank you and good-bye, people in the Bang Wang Tah Tao village. We are leaving here tomorrow.