Here comes that Clown again!
By Gale Bailey – British Women’s Group Bangkok - www.bwgbangkok.org
Following an appeal to BWG from Clown Eckie for supplies for a very poor school in Samut Songkram, a few of us accompanied him to present the water cooler, rice, stationery and educational toys to the children, giving them all an ice cream as an added treat. On that occasion, he did not perform but talked about a future trip to Mae Sot where he would perform shows and distribute donated goods.
The Operations Director of Gift of Happiness Foundation - Eddie (Edward Haworth a.k.a. Clown Eckie) was being ‘shadowed’ by a young film maker from Australia - Richard Kyle.
Following an appeal to BWG from Clown Eckie for supplies for a very poor school in Samut Songkram, a few of us accompanied him to present the water cooler, rice, stationery and educational toys to the children, giving them all an ice cream as an added treat. On that occasion, he did not perform but talked about a future trip to Mae Sot where he would perform shows and distribute donated goods.
The Operations Director of Gift of Happiness Foundation - Eddie (Edward Haworth a.k.a. Clown Eckie) was being ‘shadowed’ by a young film maker from Australia - Richard Kyle.
He’s making a full length documentary for his degree in Melbourne and stays with his parents who live in Bangkok. Richard was going on this trip along with me, Sue Steel and one of my great-nieces, Olivia, who had been travelling around the area and just happened to arrive back in Bangkok the day before! This happy band set off from Eddie’s home in Pathom Thani after finishing off loading donated goods and headed up country. The first stop was at a service station for fuel, a coffee break and snack (Eddie knows all the places which have an Amazon Coffee Shop which was rather fortuitous). So we travelled north along good roads with the aid of Eckie’s sat-nav. But after a while he got fed up of listening to her droning voice so ‘divorced’ her - what a laugh we had!
We were stopped at 3 checkpoints on our approach to Mae Sot but no problem for us with the Gift of Happiness Foundation –NGO logo on the side of the car and Richard following behind with Olivia was also flagged on. With it being well after ‘Beer O’clock’, we checked in the lovely hotel (Poonnagunn – www.poonnagunn.com) and then headed out for dinner. We returned to the hotel for a hot nightcap as we were so cold and I wondered why the staff had not closed the tall wooden folding doors. I got up to show them what to do and realised there was no glass in them – we all laughed as we realised why they were pushed back! Knowing we had a full schedule ahead we were soon in our beds but could have done with hot water bottles – no air con required!
After a delicious breakfast, we were on the road at 8.30 to take sweets and candies to S.V.A. (Japanese NGO) for their annual children’s parties that they hold at all of the refugee camps around the Burmese border near Mae Sot. We then met with Vanessa Whiting who had been the contact for the Future Light school/orphanage who guided us down country lanes to the awaiting, very excited children. Whilst Eddie was setting out his props, the children were kept busy playing and singing until it was time to sit and watch! They were enthralled and loved every minute – Clown Eckie certainly knows how to bring light into the lives of these children who have so little. They all wanted to help him pack his things up and after looking round the buildings – dormitory, kitchen, school room and shower unit, we bade farewell and went for lunch.
After lunch, we made our way to the Mae Tao Clinic which is the only place that people in the surrounding border area can obtain medical assistance for free. Despite the obvious basic surroundings, the clinic had many ‘specialist’ sections covered from orthopaedics and prosthesis (the majority for land mine amputees), ophthalmology, dentistry, paediatrics, women’s health including childbirth. We were shown around by Mrs. Eh Thwa Bor whose husband is from Birmingham and who is obviously devoted to the clinic. We left toiletries (hotel ‘freebies’ which are a God send to those with nothing) blankets and a couple of blow up mattresses as some folk were actually lying on the floor on rush mats! I tried not to walk around looking too shocked at the conditions in which the sick were being cared for as I am sure they consider themselves very lucky.
We were stopped at 3 checkpoints on our approach to Mae Sot but no problem for us with the Gift of Happiness Foundation –NGO logo on the side of the car and Richard following behind with Olivia was also flagged on. With it being well after ‘Beer O’clock’, we checked in the lovely hotel (Poonnagunn – www.poonnagunn.com) and then headed out for dinner. We returned to the hotel for a hot nightcap as we were so cold and I wondered why the staff had not closed the tall wooden folding doors. I got up to show them what to do and realised there was no glass in them – we all laughed as we realised why they were pushed back! Knowing we had a full schedule ahead we were soon in our beds but could have done with hot water bottles – no air con required!
After a delicious breakfast, we were on the road at 8.30 to take sweets and candies to S.V.A. (Japanese NGO) for their annual children’s parties that they hold at all of the refugee camps around the Burmese border near Mae Sot. We then met with Vanessa Whiting who had been the contact for the Future Light school/orphanage who guided us down country lanes to the awaiting, very excited children. Whilst Eddie was setting out his props, the children were kept busy playing and singing until it was time to sit and watch! They were enthralled and loved every minute – Clown Eckie certainly knows how to bring light into the lives of these children who have so little. They all wanted to help him pack his things up and after looking round the buildings – dormitory, kitchen, school room and shower unit, we bade farewell and went for lunch.
After lunch, we made our way to the Mae Tao Clinic which is the only place that people in the surrounding border area can obtain medical assistance for free. Despite the obvious basic surroundings, the clinic had many ‘specialist’ sections covered from orthopaedics and prosthesis (the majority for land mine amputees), ophthalmology, dentistry, paediatrics, women’s health including childbirth. We were shown around by Mrs. Eh Thwa Bor whose husband is from Birmingham and who is obviously devoted to the clinic. We left toiletries (hotel ‘freebies’ which are a God send to those with nothing) blankets and a couple of blow up mattresses as some folk were actually lying on the floor on rush mats! I tried not to walk around looking too shocked at the conditions in which the sick were being cared for as I am sure they consider themselves very lucky.
Gift of Happiness show for children at Future Light School Mai Sot Thailand
Gale Bailey - BWG…
Olivia’s comment was ‘If I ever hear anyone complain about the NHS, I will let them know about this place!’ What a great job is done with very limited supplies.
We then made our way to the next school as another volunteer came to meet us to show us the way. This school/orphanage was in much smaller grounds than Future Light and the children, although excited and inquisitive were far less rowdy but there were more adults to watch over them. It is hard to imagine that these are the lucky ones as they depend on charity and support from others and one little baby called Lydia we found had been abandoned by her mother at Mae Tao Clinic when she was 3 months old. I am sure she knew her little girl would be well looked after, possibly better than she could manage herself. All these stories are quite heart-rending, I can tell you but we bade farewell with smiles, of course! Clown Eckie had made their day.
Well by the time we got back to the hotel, it was Beer O’Clock so we sat and chewed the fat about the day before going out for dinner. The young ones (Richard and Olivia) went to meet up with the young volunteers we had met earlier at the orphanages – so easy for them to relate being young and enthusiastic about EVERYTHING!
After breakfast and checking out, we set off for a women’s refuge for which we had lots of clothes and toys. We were accompanied by Eckie’s friend Mr. Thant Zin, who is the Gift of Happiness Foundation’s long term volunteer guide and Burmese translator in that region. More excitement on our arrival and when we had all the goods inside, the boxes and bags were opened to the delight of the women and children. It was like Christmas ten times over! The little ones were quickly playing with the toys but I noticed that one little girl, aged about 10, had espied a pair of pink rubber flip-flops bedecked with beads. I quickly took control and made sure she had them but the look of sheer delight and happiness on her little face at wearing these flip-flops albeit with some beads missing was more than I could bear. To think that discarded sandals could bring such joy reduced me to tears so I smiled and took off to compose myself. Such occasions make me really appreciate what I have even more.
We could not stop too long as we were on a tight schedule to get back into Bangkok as I was going to a Golden Wedding party that night and Olivia was flying back to Australia to complete her working holiday visa. We raced around Mae Sot buying rice and also fuel for the generator which Eddie had taken on a previous visit en route to a men’s Health Centre/Hostel. He showed us the cattle shed in the middle of a field where they used to live as they all have HIV so are ostracised from the town. Their new abode is a typical Thai house, built on stilts but was nevertheless in the middle of nowhere. The men looked quite healthy as they all take the antiretroviral drugs which keep them from developing full blown AIDS. They were really happy to see us and we shook hands with them all, handing over rice and fuel as well as clothing and tools (machetes, hoes and shirts) which had been donated by Chillington Tools. These will enable the men to work whenever possible as without papers, they are very limited and are paid meagre sums. It was on a happy note that we left after being shown around their humble dwelling.
Bangkok bound; it was downhill all the way with a brief stop at a Hill Tribe market for veggies which were so cheap and delicious too! We had to make a stop for fuel and just by chance (!) an Amazon Coffee shop was located at the petrol station. For most of our visit, Richard had been filming and I am so looking forward to seeing the finished product, hoping he receives a degree with honours as he had worked hard.
Olivia managed to get her flight despite a last minute hitch due to the airport link train being out of action so it was a rather fraught and brief farewell with us all thinking so much of all that we had witnessed. I raced home, quick shower, change and off to share a special date with Ann and Jim Napier on their 50 wedding anniversary.
For those who do not know Clown Eckie very well, I have to say he shows such humility at the things he does. He not only brings joy when performing his shows, he seems to take on the needs of so many other under-privileged people who are often forgotten in society. He shows such compassion and I will always champion him as he is self-employed (no living allowances or such perks for him) and as founder of the Gift of Happiness Foundation, he often dips his hand into his own pocket to support those who are in need. Well done Eddie – Here’s to the next trip and thanks for allowing us to share these memorable times with you, we are very privileged.
P.S.
Donations of ANYTHING are gratefully received for onward distribution – check-out http://www.gohappiness.org for more details.
Olivia’s comment was ‘If I ever hear anyone complain about the NHS, I will let them know about this place!’ What a great job is done with very limited supplies.
We then made our way to the next school as another volunteer came to meet us to show us the way. This school/orphanage was in much smaller grounds than Future Light and the children, although excited and inquisitive were far less rowdy but there were more adults to watch over them. It is hard to imagine that these are the lucky ones as they depend on charity and support from others and one little baby called Lydia we found had been abandoned by her mother at Mae Tao Clinic when she was 3 months old. I am sure she knew her little girl would be well looked after, possibly better than she could manage herself. All these stories are quite heart-rending, I can tell you but we bade farewell with smiles, of course! Clown Eckie had made their day.
Well by the time we got back to the hotel, it was Beer O’Clock so we sat and chewed the fat about the day before going out for dinner. The young ones (Richard and Olivia) went to meet up with the young volunteers we had met earlier at the orphanages – so easy for them to relate being young and enthusiastic about EVERYTHING!
After breakfast and checking out, we set off for a women’s refuge for which we had lots of clothes and toys. We were accompanied by Eckie’s friend Mr. Thant Zin, who is the Gift of Happiness Foundation’s long term volunteer guide and Burmese translator in that region. More excitement on our arrival and when we had all the goods inside, the boxes and bags were opened to the delight of the women and children. It was like Christmas ten times over! The little ones were quickly playing with the toys but I noticed that one little girl, aged about 10, had espied a pair of pink rubber flip-flops bedecked with beads. I quickly took control and made sure she had them but the look of sheer delight and happiness on her little face at wearing these flip-flops albeit with some beads missing was more than I could bear. To think that discarded sandals could bring such joy reduced me to tears so I smiled and took off to compose myself. Such occasions make me really appreciate what I have even more.
We could not stop too long as we were on a tight schedule to get back into Bangkok as I was going to a Golden Wedding party that night and Olivia was flying back to Australia to complete her working holiday visa. We raced around Mae Sot buying rice and also fuel for the generator which Eddie had taken on a previous visit en route to a men’s Health Centre/Hostel. He showed us the cattle shed in the middle of a field where they used to live as they all have HIV so are ostracised from the town. Their new abode is a typical Thai house, built on stilts but was nevertheless in the middle of nowhere. The men looked quite healthy as they all take the antiretroviral drugs which keep them from developing full blown AIDS. They were really happy to see us and we shook hands with them all, handing over rice and fuel as well as clothing and tools (machetes, hoes and shirts) which had been donated by Chillington Tools. These will enable the men to work whenever possible as without papers, they are very limited and are paid meagre sums. It was on a happy note that we left after being shown around their humble dwelling.
Bangkok bound; it was downhill all the way with a brief stop at a Hill Tribe market for veggies which were so cheap and delicious too! We had to make a stop for fuel and just by chance (!) an Amazon Coffee shop was located at the petrol station. For most of our visit, Richard had been filming and I am so looking forward to seeing the finished product, hoping he receives a degree with honours as he had worked hard.
Olivia managed to get her flight despite a last minute hitch due to the airport link train being out of action so it was a rather fraught and brief farewell with us all thinking so much of all that we had witnessed. I raced home, quick shower, change and off to share a special date with Ann and Jim Napier on their 50 wedding anniversary.
For those who do not know Clown Eckie very well, I have to say he shows such humility at the things he does. He not only brings joy when performing his shows, he seems to take on the needs of so many other under-privileged people who are often forgotten in society. He shows such compassion and I will always champion him as he is self-employed (no living allowances or such perks for him) and as founder of the Gift of Happiness Foundation, he often dips his hand into his own pocket to support those who are in need. Well done Eddie – Here’s to the next trip and thanks for allowing us to share these memorable times with you, we are very privileged.
P.S.
Donations of ANYTHING are gratefully received for onward distribution – check-out http://www.gohappiness.org for more details.
