Dear Ruth,

All of these pictures attached here were taken during my two trips to Thailand this year. The pictures shown here are of abandoned or orphaned hill tribe children living at the Wat Don Chan Temple in Chiangmai. The temple orphanage houses 650 children (300 boys/350 girls, ages 7-18 years). The living conditions of these children breaks your heart. The boys live on dirty cement floors (reeking of urine). One of our project goals is to build beds (see photo here)and start a clean up project at the school to keep the conditions sanitary.

                                                                                                                Maria Miller

Ruth,

The children illustrated on the holiday cards I gave you are from the Wat Don Chan orphanage in Chiangmai. Your donations directly assist these children--I ensure that it does. So I wanted these forgotten hill tribe  children (through their images) to thank you for sharing your prosperity with them.

P.S. Another picture attached of the children of WDC and me getting a kiss from a young girl who was so happy to learn that we would be funding the building of toilet facilities for them.

Mar

More information about this project is posted at their     website at    www.palomar.edu/toys  and also on

utube Toys for Thailand

Ruth (copy to Sasha),

I was so happy to see your flyer at Cardiffit today (earrings for orphans or was it orphan earrings).  I also went online to view the wonderful page you put on your 

Om Wear Jewelry website. Thank you for connecting your beautiful jewelry to our project. We are so blessed for your support. We heard from our group member Rudy (see picture and email quote below) who is in Chiangmai  right now visiting the 

orphanage we support. The building in the picture is our new toilet and shower facility. The only problem is there are no toilets or showers installed yet .

The contractor is waiting for the last installment ($4000) to complete the work. I am confident through our fundraising efforts in the next two months, we will have enough to get the toilets installed and beds and blankets purchased when we return on Dec. 20th.

I'm just keeping  you posted now that you are officially a sponsor of our Wat Don Chan project.

P.S.

I have some raffle tickets I want to give you for anyone who purchases a piece of your jewelry (locally).  We will have a raffle drawing on Nov. 16th and the grand prize is a double kayak with two seats and paddles.The person does not need to be present at the party to win. 

Maria Miller

Toys for Thailand

Ruby writes

"The Toilet project looks good... only the toilets are not in! The structure is complete with tiles, doors etc. 

Also, on the other side of the same structure are 10 shower rooms. Same tiles and constuction work. 

 Bunk Beds and mattresses. Apparently, the new bunk beds are not sized to the standard mattress size. 

The Head Master said that we need to get the engineer back so that the bed size can be adjusted for the 

NEW beds according to the standard matress size. Also, he said that they need more beds and blankets at

 this point and not mattresses."

Nov. 17, 2008 8:35 a.m.

Dear Ruth (Cardiffit), Copy to Sasha
We are so blessed from all your efforts to promote our project and solicit donations at Cardiffit (total is $640 which will be matched at tonight's event). Of course we can add the extra check to our anniversary party this evening. I may not have time to pick the check up today BUT I will put $100 of my money in the donation today and pick up the check on Tuesday (I'll be in for morning yoga and I'll have all the thank you cards and some bed certificates for the donors). I understand Viola is coming to the party, so if you see her today  perhaps she can bring the check. Again, I feel so supported by your efforts to spread the word at Cardiffit and sponsor us through your jewelry sales. When we go to Thailand December 18th--the funds you have solicited for us will transform children's lives. We will have enough (after today) to complete our toilets, construct the extra 100 beds and provide bedding for the children. After that, we are setting up a gift shop for the children to sell their embroidery and other handicrafts. It's so exciting (and some day you will join us) to see some of the most neglected children happy and joyous because they know that people on the other side of the world are willing to support them. We know that there are millions of neglected children and other places much more in need of help (I am sickened about what is happening in Somalia) but our sphere of influence is in Thailand, and the abandoned and orphaned hill tribe children that we can help. It is our long range dream to provide opportunities for the children to enhance their craft skills and become self sustaining, avoiding a life of beggary, prostitution or drug trade. Thank you for supporting our project and dreams.

See you soon,
Maria

November 17, 2008 2 p.m.

THANK YOU for making our Toys for Thailand Anniversary Party a wonderful success. We so appreciate each of you for your generosity and support (monetary donations and many volunteers who helped us with cooking, bartending, and event coordination, including our most gracious and wonderful hosts Diane and Mike Branon). On behalf of the children of Wat Don Chan, I thank you all. The fundraiser generated just about 350,000 Thai Baht (33 baht =$1). When we return to Thailand in December Sasha and I will complete our Toilet and Shower facility, contract for the construction of the additional 100 beds, and buy the bedding. Our project will be manifested thanks to you--and the lives of hundreds of children will be just a little bit better. It is also our intention to spend Christmas with the children and feed them a Thai feast of chicken and papaya salad. The kids eat noodles and rice almost every day, sometimes supplemented with canned sardines. I so wish I could beam you all over to witness that day: I guarantee it would melt your heart! Last note: Please let me know if there is anything that you need from the Nov. 16th event (donation in kind forms, tax ID number). I will be happy to assist you with that. In gratitude, Maria (and Sasha)