Taken From: Contact Magazine, June 2009

I love a bit of intrigue, so telling people I was going away with a clown for a couple of days brought many a raised eyebrow. However it was an eye opener for me as this was the first time I had been inside a camp to see how the Karen people live or rather exist. I was wearing two caps. British Women’s Group and St. George’s Society who have both sponsored Clown Eckie’s charity shows projects for the admirable charity work he does on a regular basis.
Eddie Haworth (a.k.a. Clown Eckie) had his Fortuner car jammed packed with his equipment and donated clothes and underwear in bags and boxes. We set off to Kanchanaburi where we stayed overnight, accompanied by a friend who had been working for an NGO in Mae Sot and who also plays the saxophone during Eckie’s shows.
We were met early the next morning by a group of people who work for a Japanese NGO (Shanti Volunteer Association www.sva.or.jp) who supply newspapers and books for the camp library as there is no access to TV or phone (mobile phones do not work inside the camp) so they are quite cut off from the outside world. The surrounding scenery was quite spectacular on the 2+ hour drive to the camp which is just 12km from the Burmese border.

WHEN DOES THE SHOW BEGIN?

I was wide eyed at all the things I was trying to take in when we entered the camp (we had sent our passports weeks before to obtain permission). The children sensed something was afoot and started to chase after us until we parked on a concrete pitch (used for football, basketball etc.) and so helped unload the car.
Whilst Eckie was setting up (I did help a bit but he obviously knew where things were placed) I looked around at the small classrooms where the children were taught the basics. Apparently they either do a morning or afternoon session and I am sure the uniforms would have to be shared but no matter, the little ones looked lovely and clean as they wrote in their books.

IN THE SCHOOL ROOM BEFORE THE SHOWS

When Eckie was ready to start the show, I did a rough head count of about 400 children who were jostling to get near to the front but Eckie is great with them and appealed to those at the back as well as the front. The wallet that sets on fire, the chair that collapses, the balloon that he pretends not to notice getting bigger and BIGGER brought forth yells and squeals. The children were mesmerized. I have seen Eckie’s act a few times over the years but the delight on the faces of the children is something to behold. To bring laughter and light into their lives means such a lot as they have an uncertain future. David’s excellent interpretation on the saxophone during Eckie’s act really complimented the atmosphere. After lunch and resetting the props, another show was performed in the afternoon to the delight of another group (I estimated 600) of children.
This particular camp holds 8000 Karen refugees. Although not all could get to see the shows, I am sure it will be a day the children and some of their teachers will remember for a long time as they do not have the usual expectations of ‘normal’ children. We left many of the boxes and bags at the camp but also a large supply of underwear donated by the British Women’s Group was taken to ‘Children of the Forest orphanage’ by the people from S.V.A. who were travelling to Sangklaburi the following day.

ABOUT 600 CHILDREN AT THIS SECOND SHOW OF THE DAY

I had only been watching the show and observing the children which was such an arduous chore (JOKING) but I was rather warm and glistening and I think Eckie must have lost a few kilos in perspiration! After farewells and thanks had been made, we set off on the rather long journey to Bangkok but decided to stop en route for a snack and a cold drink as Eckie declared it was ‘Beer O’clock’ which went down a treat!
How fantastic for me to experience at first hand, the pleasure and delight of the children to the performances by Eckie who is self-employed and gives of his time (a most precious commodity) to bring a bit of light relief to the lives of so many.
Thanks Eckie for allowing me to share more memorable moments in Thailand.

Mrs. Gale Bailey. Bangkok. (contact details by request)