August is the month with the most rainfall in northern Thailand. In the past couple of weeks, the rainy season at the Thailand home has reached its peak. Due to continuous rain and poor drainage in the garden, the water in the river has overflowed onto the roads several times, and the vegetables planted in the garden have also been affected, but not as severely as in previous rainy seasons.
This week, the Thailand home welcomed two visitors from Greece. Anna, a 28-year-old archaeologist, is lively and open, with a delicate and affectionate side typical of a young woman. She enjoys playing with children and flirting with attractive men. Bill, Anna's good friend, is introverted, steady, kind, and caring. He believes that all life is energetically connected, and he cares deeply about humanity, hoping that all resources on Earth can be shared. However, his parents and sisters have a profound influence on him, so he still maintains a supportive attitude toward family. Both have expressed disinterest in marriage and do not plan to marry in the future. They mentioned that it is now common for young people in Greece not to marry.
Since coming to the Thailand home, the hardworking and capable Sister Roumei has been full of energy every day, working tirelessly and selflessly. Her state of life, which is free from self-interest and concern for gain or loss, often moves and deeply inspires me. Ever since she took over the kitchen, the Thailand home's kitchen and dining operations have reached a new level. The kitchen procedures have become more stable, orderly, and efficient, and the atmosphere at home has become warmer and more harmonious. I feel that when the home grows to 30 people in the future, having Sister Roumei as our ace in the hole will provide us with reliable and solid logistical support.
These past few days, Yang Leyi, Xian Jiao'e, and Denden have once again cleaned and tidied up the second-floor hall of the hospital, which we organized together with Tai Xian two years ago. There are two spacious halls on the second floor. One hall, which Yang Leyi has named Wuzhen Hall, can accommodate more than a dozen tents. Qu Dan has installed a water heater in the adjacent bathroom, making it very convenient to pitch tents and live there during the rainy season. The other hall, carpeted in red and called the Jianxing Hall for meditation, can serve as the center for everyone's daily learning and entertainment activities. Apart from an elderly gentleman resting on the first floor, the hospital has remained unused and vacant until now. We are happy to have cleaned it up and made good use of the space, allowing it to serve its purpose. We are also grateful to our dear family members for using their hardworking hands to open up and clean out more living space for the Thailand home.
Due to the daily rain, the two visitors only helped with mowing in the mango orchard for one morning and did not participate in any other farm work. Aside from giving them free time, we also showed them videos of the home indoors and introduced them to Lifechanyuan, facilitating some degree of ideological exchange. On the night before their departure, everyone gathered in the Jianxing Hall to practice Tai Chi fan, sing, dance, play musical instruments, and we also learned Greek dances with Aegean flair from them. Using music and dance for cultural exchange was a relaxed and joyful activity that everyone enjoyed.
They said they greatly admired our way of life and that this experience was meaningful for them. We share some commonalities in thought, though we also have differences, but these do not affect our mutual understanding and respect. Before leaving, they hugged each family member and offered heartfelt blessings: they hope that our community will continue to flourish and grow into an international family where hundreds of people live together.
During this period, the family members in the mango orchard have been living more harmoniously and happily with each passing day, thanks to their individual efforts and growth. The photos taken in the mango orchard reflect this, and we are very grateful to dear Jiejing for capturing these high-energy photos. Enjoying each of these photos is a beautiful experience!
August 23, 2024
