Buriram Expats
Buriram Province - General Category => Family and children => Topic started by: KeesM on July 11, 2011, 04:53:25 AM
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All, in case you didn't know, there's an orphanage in Buriram. And they can really use some help. So if you have some time or money left, please contact them: http://www.treeoflifeorphanage.com/ (http://www.treeoflifeorphanage.com/)
The people are doing many projects and are helping a lot of children. They are working without any support from the government. And you all have probably an income from your homeland. So even small donations in our currency are big in Thai Baht. You wont miss it, but for them it's substantial. And regarding all the 'presents' all of you have been buying for your girls (according to another chat here) you sure must have loads of money. ;-) Please, they do lots and lots of good work. Help them!
See also those 2 links from youtube, the first is about the story of the orphanage, the second is an impression of the orphanage, the children and some volunteers. Certainly worth looking.
Tree Of Life Orphanage - Buriram, Thailand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bfEDtzfZ6w#)
Tree Of Life Orphanage (TOLO) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJXVO2421_8#)
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In Thailand it is tricky to believe such things, is this organization licensed by the government?
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Tree of Life is being heavily supported by local motorbike groups with a charity bike run on 5th November.
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Near my home there is school who take care of 2000+ student yearly from 1984 for free until their high school and fully paid by the governments.
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Tree of Life is being heavily supported by local motorbike groups with a charity bike run on 5th November.
Yes, I think I remember he mentioned something about it in the short time I was there.
After 2 times in a holiday in Pattaya, I decided to go the 3th time more into the country to see and learn more about Thailand. I first was looking on internet for information about Surin and surroundings, and after some days discovered a blog from someone in Belgium about his stay in Thailand and that he also had been working here at TOLO in Buriram. I promised him to visit it, should I ever be in the neighbourhood. So when my girlfriend had family here, it was a very coincidental opportunity. Too bad I then only had little time because we were depending on transportation by the family. No need to say that next time the Orphanage will be 1 of the first places i go back to visit.
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Before to donate I would see before my eyes, my next visit will include this event.
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I just joined BE and I noticed that there were several comments about Tree of Life Orphanage. One said he wouldn't believe it until he visited. Please feel free to do so. We never ask for donations. But we do accept them. We prefer people to visit before making a donation. We want them to see for themselves that we are real. My wife Phongsri and I have been running this center since Jan 1, 1998 and we have helped many children both here (we have raised 65 children through the center) and assisted about 200 hundred children at the Wat Ban Yoei Sakae School over the past eight years (along the Huay Talat Reservoir on the Buriram-Prachonchai Highway.. Stop bye the school and see for yourself. We have had 629 volunteers to date not including visitors who show up. 45 countries have sent volunteers and we have more coming all the time. Our largest sender of volunteers in the Bouworde Foundation from Belgium. We have had 9 teams from them in the last three years and already have 3 more groups scheduled for next summer. We are currently in the process of making sports fields--- for soccer, basketball, takrow, badminton, volleyball and betong (Italians call it bocci ball). We are also creating a free scout camp location adjacent to the waterway which will be available to all schools free of charge. We are a licensed Thai orphanage for sure but we have to date refused governmental funding because (I do not need to explain that we dislike corruption). Fir the past three years I have been the Big C Santa to raise funds for the school. I start Santa again at Big C on 26 November. To date we have put 1.8 million baht into improvements to the facilities at Ban Yoie Sakae and i providing uniforms, shoes, books and school supplies and other support to the children there. You are welcome to come see for yourselves what we are all about. Last year I published my first novel entitled The Mean Streets of LA: Taking out the Trash, available locally for 300 baht or from amazon.com (16.00 dollars). All profits go to the Ban Yoei Sakae School project.
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Hi roger.i see your collection boxes in many places is this not asking for donations ?? can you explain what you mean by( I do not need to explain that we dislike corruption).
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That sounds a bit confrontational mr jockey
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What I meant about corruption is this: we avoid dealing with the government whenever possible. We go to the meetings when they call us to participate but we do not solicit their help. About 12 years ago we were approached and offered some money. we were asked to sign for 400K but would only receive 240K. I asked why? They said they would provide us with 160K worth of receipts to submit to them. I smelled a rat immediately. I said we would sign for 400K is we received 400K otherwise I would sign for only 240K. I was told I was being foolish. I told them I grew up under the boy scout code. We refused their offer. When we raise funds for school projects we buy what is needed and receive receipts. Those who have raised the funds are with us and they take the receipts with them when they go. We do not hand out money. My entire pension from the US government and previous to that my entire salary was donated to the orphanage. It still is except for a portion that goes to my daughter's university cost. The boxes we have placed around the city--over fifty of them are counted and funds used to meet costs of operation of the orphanage, utilities, fuel, food, maintenance. We placed boxes (24of them) in June 2010. We have raised through the boxes a total of 67K since then. We now have over 50 boxes out and some have less than 100 baht in them. Others a whole lot more. Try to imagine how much it costs to raise 11 children in a home and you will see we don't get a great deal of help. Boxes are there for those who wish to give. I am sure thousands of folks walk by them without ever putting anything in. They are there for those who want to help. So be it. I do not receive a salary, never have and never plan to from the orphanage. The book campaign was set up to encourage kids to learn English. Used books were gathered around the world and sent to us in postal mailbags. We established 40 school collections in rural poor schools who receive very little support from the Thai government with a minimum of 50 children's books per school, brought volunteers to the schools,conducted reading circles or mini-English camps (2-3 hours) ad then left. We discontinued these efforts about 5 years ago. Mailing costs for books went from 1 dollar a pound to 3.50 dollars. If you have any other questions have at it and let me know or call me. Door is always open.
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That looks like a good response.
Could you just confirm, for the avoidance of doubt this year, that 100% of the monies raised on the forthcoming Buccaneer Charity Bike Ride on 4/5th November will go to the orphanage and ONLY the orphanage.
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treehousemonkey,you really are a saint bravo1
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That looks like a good response.
Could you just confirm, for the avoidance of doubt this year, that 100% of the monies raised on the forthcoming Buccaneer Charity Bike Ride on 4/5th November will go to the orphanage and ONLY the orphanage.
I imagine this question is asked due to you mentioning above that you (the orphanage?) have assisted over 200 children at Wat Ban Yoei Sakae School.
Why if the orphanage is desperate for funds do you assist others?
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Could you just confirm, for the avoidance of doubt this year, that 100% of the monies raised on the forthcoming Buccaneer Charity Bike Ride on 4/5th November will go to the orphanage and ONLY the orphanage.
This question was asked for the following reasons:-
1. There was some confusion last year that resulted in unnecessary ill-feeling.
2. The broad scope of activities do not suit some people and they would want to make a contribution SPECIFICALLY to the orphanage.
3. I have been asked by customers where the funds raised on the Charity Bike Ride are going - I want to be able to answer their questions unequivocally.
Personally, I admire the work of such organisations and such individuals. It is not for me, or the likes of Prakhonchai Nick to question where such fund-raisers choose to allocate their funds - as long as everything is totally transparent.
Where I think it is VERY important is at the GIVING stage. I know people like Nick will not be happy if their 100 Baht is dissipated amongst a whole host of beneficiaries that may bear no resemblance, or connection, to the core fund i.e. Tree of Life orphanage suggests that is an orphanage not a library for local schools or provider of uniforms. That said, I repeat that those voluntarily raising funds have the right to direct those funds in accordance with their own mandate.
This is equally true of donors. I imagine Nick, not unlike myself, would want to ensure that OUR money is specifically directed to where WE want it to go. We may share the belief that it is the role of government to provide books etc - and even support orphans before providing PC tablets! - but at least I am happy for my donation to be used to support orphans, I am less happy to contribute to book purchases for other local schools.
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100 percent from last year's charity ride went exclusively to the orphanage. We always put the money where the donor asks it to go. For example on my face-book page we are raising money for grass sod for the school's playing fields. 100 dollars has been given for this cause from 2 friends of mine in America and England who wrote me and indicated that is where they wanted to contribute the money. I honor the donor by telling them and doing exactly what they have asked.. That is the only place it will be spent. If someone says here is "XXX" baht. I want it spent for project Y" (one of their choice), that is exactly where it is spent. If someone else says here is XXX you are free to spend it on any project you deem appropriate, only then will we consider spending it on whatever. we choose I have been a volunteer since I was 16 and I take volunteering serious. Yes, we have needs. We do have sponsors who send money to meet those needs. Donation levels are inconsistent month to month. I will not allow anyone to sponsor my own children. That is my responsibility and I wouldn't be much of a father if I didn't honor that obligation. Knowing that my daughter's college would be expensive I put aside forty percent of my pension and continue to do so of my government pension until she finishes. I taught at the Buriram Rajabhat University part-time this term (3 hours per week, 87 students) that just finished to buy my daughter a computer notebook to help her in her studies. It cost my entire compensation plus 400 baht from that as it was the only course I taught for the semester.. I would not consider buying any computers for a school but if someone decided to donate them to us for that reason I would certainly provide them. We did not buy the books for the schools. They were donated and nearly all of them were second hand but still quite usable. I have been an English teacher for many years and I feel the job done by the Thai government towards getting Thai children to learn English is a total waste of government funds. As far as school uniforms is concerned we had a donor pay for the first round 100 percent. He was an instructor, former retired military working in Iraq. He thought it was a worthy cause so he paid for it. Another friend, former CFO of Xerox bought all the kids uniforms for mother's day in 2009. He can well afford it. Three college girls from Wollagong University in Australia bought shoes for all the kids at the school. They had volunteered there during their stay. This year the 30 percent from the Santa campaign is for students. The money has to be paced in the single box I will have with me at Big C and walking along the street. Last year I wore that extremely hot red suit and heavy clunky boots for 290 hours between 23 November and 26 December. I will start this year on 26 November which will commemorate my deceased mother's ninetieth birthday and finish on Sunday 25 December. This year's goal is 100,000 baht. Last year we took in 100,623 baht
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Excellent response and I am now aware that 100% of last year's ride money went to the orphanage.
Not wishing to be pedantic but I was asking for confirmation that 100% from THIS year's ride will go to the orphanage because that is the question I am being asked.
Thanks.
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Absolutely 100 percent will be spent for the orphanage. To give you a rough idea: electricity for the center runs around 8,500 baht per month, drinking water around 1,400 per month, city water around 1,000 baht per month, cooking gas around 600 baht per month, garbage collection 200 baht per month, Internet and telephone connections 1,500 baht per month, fuel for vehicles 7,000 baht er month, vehicle maintenance averages 1,000 baht per month, sewerage removal about 800 baht per month, food for 11 children plus four adults 30,000 baht per month (about 1,000 baht a day), education costs other than uniforms run about 2,000 baht per month. When volunteers stay with us they pay for their food and accommodation as well (400 baht per person per day inclusive) any overage goes toward keep the lights on and kids fed. So far it has worked.. Having volunteers basically keeps us from going under. We have most of them from January to end of September. October through December is usually slow. Many times we have no volunteers at all just like right now. But in the time from from January to end of September it averages between 70-80 who come out to help for periods of one to three weeks. Donations including sponsorships this month look to be 690 dollars. Last month it was a bit over 800 dollars. So it is going to be tight. Depending on the success of next month's charity ride it will determine if we can keep the light on and children feed and clothe. We are not a big operation, nver were and probably never will be. But we know we are doing the right thing.
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Brilliant - thank you. Sounds like you are doing a great job.
Prakhonchai Nick does have a good point though - with the orphanage fighting to keep it's head above water, why distribute funds raised elsewhere. I think orphanages pull on the heart strings of most people and are considered a 'worthy cause'. Good luck.
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Good point. The school projects is what brings in almost all of the volunteers. They in turn provide funds to keep us operating. The TOLO Kids except for one are in school most of the day except for weekends and the projects allow the volunteers to have something significant to do during their stay. We don't help rich schools. We did a gigantic English camp for three days at Marie Anusorn which included 1,600 kids, a Catholic private school but I would be damned if I would do that school for free. We were in a 37 million baht building. We provided t-shirts and books, 20 foreign volunteers and my students at BRU who studied English for English Camps course got an opportunity to field test , have practicum in organizing and conducting camps. The school charged their students 250 baht each and provided us with 190 baht which we used to buy shirts, books and provide materials. The entire profit was 63,000 baht and it was entirely used for purchasing tile, cement, gravel, sand and grout and paint and painting supplies for fixing the school. The volunteers built a BBQ pit at the orphanage and funded a three burner stainless steel cooking unit to make it easier here to provide meals. We know the Thai government should be providing adequate funds for the schools. Too many of the principals I have met in visiting over 600 schools are seat wasters. Many are drunk during the day and unworthy of their pay. Other teachers in the field are serious about teaching kids and give it their all in doing so. When I think "Thai government" I get a real bad taste in my mouth. We benefit by having the volunteers here and I have to do a lot of work chauffeuring them around in the back of my 14 year old pick up truck. The Aussies and Belgians especially love the idea of riding in the back of what our Aussies call the Ute. .
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After donating your pension how can you afford to go drinking around the Speed Area in Buriram?
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I think you are being cheeky. The only time I am any where near Speed is when I am chauffeuring volunteers from Bouworde. If you saw me there I had a "nam soda" in my hand. I have had 15 beers in 15 years. I am not a regular drinker. I do santa claus and sing there on Christmas night. Last year we received about 5,000 baht from patrons of speed at Christmas time. Speed is generally way too noisy for my ears. I prefer to sing karaoke at Thepnakorn, and there I drink coffee or nam soda.
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With Binnsy's drinking habits I doubt anyone needs to justify what they imbibe !!
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I am still trying to find my way around Thailand. How would I get to the TOLO from Buriram city?
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And from Lahansai ?
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And from Lahansai ?
Go to Buriram first and follow URLEFT !
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Ask Dave the Dude!
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I have started up a Home for Ex-Bargirls that are down on their luck . I have putt all of my small pension into it and help them out as much as possible.I have been doing this for over 10 years now it it gives me great pleasure to see those smiling faces when I put that 500 Baht into their hands.Now it the time for me to try for the real help. I have Built a big house ( 10 bedroom) for me and all the Ex-Bar Girls.We need (to give you a rough idea) electricity for the House runs around 8,500 baht per month ( those girls do like their Air Con ), drinking water ( and Leo ) around 21,400 per month, city water around 1,000 baht per month, cooking gas around 20 baht per month ( we will eat out most nights ), garbage collection 200 baht per month, Internet and telephone connections and True Vision ( for the Soaps,a must for all Ex-Bar Girls ) 3.000 baht per month, fuel for vehicles 7,000 baht a month, vehicle maintenance averages 1,000 baht per month, sewerage removal about 1.200 baht per month ( boy do these girls sh^t a lot ), food for 10 girls plus 1 adult ( thumbup )60,000 baht per month (about 2,000 baht a day), uniforms run about 2,000 baht per month yum1. When volunteers stay ( ::) ) with us they pay for their food and accommodation as well (3,000 baht per person per day inclusive of girls ) any overage goes toward keeping the red lights on the Veranda. I think it will work. smilenod
So if any members want to dig deep to help me out and keep these girls off the street all monies would be welcome, I need about 105,120 Baht a month to live in the lifestyle I and these girls need...PLEASE.PLEASE help. pray1
Last Christmas period one of the girls managed to raise over 300,000 baht by hanging out outside of Big C,Tesco Lotus and Makro ,just to keep the Home going,this year we will be hoping to be using 5 girls,lets hope the money keeps rolling in thumbup
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Could call it Nok's Knocking Shop
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Could call it Nok's Knocking Shop
Coffeecorner,how could you say such things nono,Its a Home for nice ladies only and audited ( cooked :biggrin: ) books can be seen before donations are made :)
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Where are you? I want to be a volunteer.
Nookie says CoCo will tag along too!
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Where are you? I want to be a volunteer.
Nookie says CoCo will tag along too!
I think you have noticed that Nok ( Not my Nok by the way nono ) is in fact an ex worker from Pattaya called Long Mint . :biggrin:
You ,Nookie and Coffeecorner would be more than welcome to make a donation :biggrin:
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Where are you? I want to be a volunteer.
BTW Nick....if you do want to be a volunteer and want to cum come over to see us you are more than welcome ,If there is anything you see that you want to eat you can ask first if it contains nut or not first.We have lots of dishes for the guy that are allergic to or just don't like nuts ......90% of our food is nut free but the odd dish always slips through the net in Homes like ours ::)
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Fir those who can keep their heads out of their lower parts and not be so snotty, we are located not far from the Buriram Hospital. The intersection traffic light in front of Buriram Phittaykhom, go across the railroad tracks and continue along until you pass a school on the left and come to the end of the wall on the right, turn right, come to the back gate of the Wat (Tamtiraram) you will see a sign on a pole with a sign from from Tonfon Resort, turn left and go four more houses. The center will be on the right
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Fir those who can keep their heads out of their lower parts and not be so snotty, we are located not far from the Buriram Hospital.
Not being snotty at all,just trying to have some fun. Charities like politicians are normally on the make.Very few are in Politics or run Charities solely with a view of helping out people that are more unfortunate than some others.I am not saying this is the case with you and your charity and from what I have read is seems OK,I think you are more than likely ( 99.9% )one of the good guys or otherwise I wouldn't have helped out by contributing money to last years Biker event run by SF !!
But over the years I have seen so many fraudsters and those that are out for what they can get which make the few goods one open for question.My posts have been for fun and in no way a dig at what you have achieved but more of a dig at the way some charities are run smilenod
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Treehousemonkey : being Belgian myself I know about Bouworde and if they help/support you, you must be a sound operator. Keep it up and I hope to visit your premises soon and give all assistance I can.
By the way : I keep my head out of MY lower parts !!!!
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Here a good read,not for the Atheists among the flock though !!
http://forums.mysanantonio.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/16564/all/Is_your_church_mission_minded
Thought of the day ???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j6IBdHW_rY
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Thanks for the warning SDK.
I had a quick peek, but it lasted all of 5 seconds!
Not my cup of tea!
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Thanks Mike. We love the Belgians here as they have made a real difference. Nine teams to date and three more scheduled for next summer. There are charlatans out here in Thailand and we have come across them regularly. One found out we were about to receive a potential Australian donor and he cornered him and told the donor that he was more deserving of the help. He had heard the donor speaking to someone he knew in Khon Kaen. He got every bit of what the potential donor planned to give to the center to buy a bigger piece of land to build a larger facility. Once he got the money he booked, got his girl friend pregnant, divorced his wife, got hold of the money and disappeared. The charlatan called himself a pastor and actually had a church in the Khon Kaen area. I remember him only as Sir Prey on Us.
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I remember him only as Sir Prey on Us.
Like Nick I prefer it when people don't prey at all rolleyesbar
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Thanks Mike. We love the Belgians here as they have made a real difference. Nine teams to date and three more scheduled for next summer. There are charlatans out here in Thailand and we have come across them regularly. One found out we were about to receive a potential Australian donor and he cornered him and told the donor that he was more deserving of the help. He had heard the donor speaking to someone he knew in Khon Kaen. He got every bit of what the potential donor planned to give to the center to buy a bigger piece of land to build a larger facility. Once he got the money he booked, got his girl friend pregnant, divorced his wife, got hold of the money and disappeared. The charlatan called himself a pastor and actually had a church in the Khon Kaen area. I remember him only as Sir Prey on Us.
I find a lot of these people who say they are religious are in it for their own benefit.i ,like many others have serious doubts about them.
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Thanks Mike. We love the Belgians here as they have made a real difference. Nine teams to date and three more scheduled for next summer. There are charlatans out here in Thailand and we have come across them regularly. One found out we were about to receive a potential Australian donor and he cornered him and told the donor that he was more deserving of the help. He had heard the donor speaking to someone he knew in Khon Kaen. He got every bit of what the potential donor planned to give to the center to buy a bigger piece of land to build a larger facility. Once he got the money he booked, got his girl friend pregnant, divorced his wife, got hold of the money and disappeared. The charlatan called himself a pastor and actually had a church in the Khon Kaen area. I remember him only as Sir Prey on Us.
I find a lot of these people who say they are religious are in it for their own benefit.i ,like many others have serious doubts about them.
For those that may ask ......."Why is there no Atheist Charities then ??? "
Here's a site that like minded people like myself ( and others on BE it seems ) might like them to read :)
http://www.positiveatheism.org/mail/eml9553.htm
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we have those who help us from all over the world at various times during the 14 years we have been open and taking in kids. San Antonio is my home and for the past fifteen years we have received very little help from there. Some who have helped us are christian by profession, others are jewish or muslim and they have been here as volunteers. we have had quite a few agnostics and we welcome folks no matter what their religious beliefs are or lack thereof. I could care less. Those who help kids are my kind of friends. So far as we know of those who have volunteered here we don't have any devout atheists but the overwhelming majority of our help come from secular crowds, non-church goers etc. I am a believer but I don't believe in God in a box.
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I am a believer but I don't believe in God in a box.
Your Ophanage is called 'The Tree of Life Christian Children's Center and Orphanage '...are the children allowed to practice Buddha's teaching if they wish or are they told a Christian way of life is the only good way.As 100% of the children that arrive at your center are Buddhist ( I would imagine ) how do you help them to carry on in their Buddhist beliefs.?
BTW ,,Just because I am an atheist doesn't mean others can't do what the inner self tells them to do, I am not knocking your beliefs but as Nick says " Its not my cup of tea "
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Whatever flats your boat, we do our thing here, kids -- some come as Buddhists and some leave as buddhists, my older son is Jewish as was my dad. My second son's wife is due to have a child around the end of the month(a boy, so the sonogram says) and they have chosen the name Shalom to name him. Hebrew. My mom was a convert from Catholicism to Judaism. We don't even mention the word Christian when we work in the schools If you don't like other people's religious beliefs fine that is between you and whatever. It doesn't matter a tinker's damn to me what you profess. I am a Green Bay Packer's Fan.
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By the way, my father-in-law is a longtime buddhist monk. He and a bunch of the other monks come visit all the time. We wash their orange robes for them. Kids are exposed to many religions here.
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As one of the Buriram Expats elder statesmen, I think it's time to call it a day. Roger's been given the third degree and come through it with -in my view - flying colours.
Support or don't support the orphanage - its each individuals choice.
Personally I think Roger is doing a great job giving 11 kids a home and a future, and I wish him all the success he deserves.
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Thank you Nick for your comment ... I agree 1000% with you ... in the world you've got talkers and doers ... and in my opinion Roger is a doer ...
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As one of the Buriram Expats elder statesmen, I think it's time to call it a day. Roger's been given the third degree and come through it with -in my view - flying colours.
Support or don't support the orphanage - its each individuals choice.
Personally I think Roger is doing a great job giving 11 kids a home and a future, and I wish him all the success he deserves.
Totally agree with most of what you said above Nick but if on the Orphanage site there wasn't phrases like "Tree of Life Mission of Praise Children's Center and Orphanage." , "The Tree of Life House Christian Children's Center and Orphanage" and " Sharing God's Love " some of my posts would never have happened .
All I have been trying to put across is you don't have to have a belief in God to be a good person ( as some seem to believe), I believe also treehousemonkey is doing a good job and wish him all the best but also think religion should be kept out of things .
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Please,one question,have you ever distributed bibles to schools or hotels in Thailand?The reason why I'm asking is that my niece came home from school one day,a few years ago , with a bible that she said was given to her by a farang to use as a dictionary.He said he had an orphanage.
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I gave out a bunch in 2002, 3 and 4. A few in 2005. Then I resigned from the organization that year. When we did our license we removed the name Christian and although our web site currently on line still has it we are having a new site as soon as the developed gets it up. We put into effect a number of changes. It reads Tree of Life Orphanage. Even our bank accounts are TOLO and Tree of Life Orphanage, both here and in America. We get schools, clubs and of course Bouworde Foundaation out here. Several universities, including Florida International University in Miami did a fund raiser in 2007, Woolagong University did likewise in 2010, and Manchester University in 2011 and Sheffield-Hallam University in 2010 as well. All of the participants were secular. We shifted accordingly. I had written to a whole lot of churches asking for help and received a whole lot of hate mail. That really pissed me off. Of the 9.600 churches we emailed (it took three months to amass the addresses, one by one), one church sent 200 dollars. An Arab Muslim high-ranking government official from Dubai I met at Big C gave us more help. I was surprised at the lack of response and quite disappointed. A complete waste of time. Some of the churches who did write back demanded a statement of faith and I trashed their requests--- I don't like "I will help you out only if you believe like me demands." Stuff them all.. I have received to date more help from family members, high school mates from 45 years ago (my drinking buddies from the past) and from book sales on my novel Mean Streets of LA: Taking Out the Trash and from TOLO t-shirts and mice-pads sales. Those from churches who have helped us have been close person friends for 30 years or more. We will accept funds from anywhere except from Obama. And if he says pretty please and that he is stepping down as president at the end of his term, I might make an exception and take his money too.
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I had written to a whole lot of churches asking for help and received a whole lot of hate mail.
Doesn't sound very Christian of them :biggrin:
Sounds like a wise move taking all the religious stuff off the site ,far better to just get a good rep for what you do from friends and acquaintances .Good Christians will give anyway and non religious girls and guys like myself will give knowing its not going to the god in a box brigade,even though a little bit is ! winkbar
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I wrote one church that said "if you need prayer contact us." I did and wrote "please pray for us" I got back a letter that started with "how dare you contact us!". I immediately wrote back and said "read what it says on your web site" and then added " I am sorry somebody pissed in your cheerios. Have a bad day!"
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Are you racialist?
Why would you not accept a donation from Obama?
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Are you racialist?
Why would you not accept a donation from Obama?
Don't be silly Nick :wacko:
Look at treehousemonkey's Avatar :P
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Absolutely not! I follow the conservative line of thinking. God helps those who help themselves, not God helps those to help themselves to what belongs rightfully to those who earned it. I am planning to vote for Herman Cain. I have always loved Godfather's Pizza.I just don't care much for democrats. white or black or brown. or green. or whatever. I went to school with Newt Gingrich. I don't like Mitt Romney's hair or Rick Perry's either. Michelle Bachman looks like a witch to me. Gives me nightmares.. I sat next to Newt in two history courses at Tulane while I was there. He got his PhD at Tulane I went on to serve in the army even though I fortunately avoided going to Vietnam. Germany was a nice place to hang my military hat. Beer was a whole lot better, too. especially at Oktoberfest. One party too many though, stayed hungover for ten days after 17 glasses of bourbon sevens and met my best fiend -- the toilet bowl, to keep my face cool between constant spates of vomiting up my guts. Swore off drinking hard stuff because I wanted to live, never ever got back to it and that was in 1972, too much in too little time and came back to university and got my PhD in 1977 at Ole Miss. He finished in 1971. I liked him for his brilliance but I don't think I would vote for him. Too damn smart.
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Absolutely not! I follow the conservative line of thinking. God helps those who help themselves, not God helps those to help themselves to what belongs rightfully to those who earned it.
Your preaching again Rev Treehousemonkey, must be your southern Bible belt upbringing,as far as I'm aware God has never helped anyone ,apart from those that believe in fairy stories cheergirl
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Absolutely not! I follow the conservative line of thinking. God helps those who help themselves, not God helps those to help themselves to what belongs rightfully to those who earned it.
Your preaching again Rev Treehousemonkey, must be your southern Bible belt upbringing,as far as I'm aware God has never helped anyone ,apart from those that believe in fairy stories cheergirl
i agree well said
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Southern upbringing, my ass. I was born in Michigan and raised there and in Minnesota and Massachusetts and New York. I went to school in the south, most of my classmates were Jewish or southern elitists. And don't call me reverend. Do I look like Jerry Falwell?.
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BUT YOU ARE A JEW FOR SURE
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Thank you Nick for your comment ... I agree 1000% with you ... in the world you've got talkers and doers ... and in my opinion Roger is a doer ...
Agreed Roger is a doer ............. but he can also talk the hind legs off a donkey! smilenod
Daft screwy
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Roger states he is not racialist, so why won't he accept a donation from Obama? Just because he is a democrat is hardly sufficient reason.He must think of the kids at TOLO, and from my understanding those Thais that know anything about the world outside of Thailand quite like Obama.
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I don't like him. A simple fact. That's my opinion and you've got yours and you are welcome to believe whatever you choose to believe. My dad used to say opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Obama doesn't know me from a wall. He probably wouldn't like me anyway.
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You don't know me Roger, nor probably most of the members on this forum, nor probably the several hundred who are planning a charity motorbike run for your orphanages benefit.. Quite conceivably you would not like some of us if we were ever to meet. So are they grounds for refusing to accept financial assistance for your kids?
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I tend to like everybody, with very few exceptions. But politicians gnerally piss me off. I was madder than hell at Bush. I absolutely hated sadam hussein, osama bin laden. If someone helps us who likes obama so what?
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I don't like him. A simple fact. That's my opinion and you've got yours and you are welcome to believe whatever you choose to believe. My dad used to say opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Obama doesn't know me from a wall. He probably wouldn't like me anyway.
In my opinion ( as I'm an asshole :P )Charities,which you are should stay away from religious and Political views as these tend to aggravate people ( IE potential donors )All you will do is alienate yourself,the only thing you should be championing is the Orphans ,not a political view or religious believes .Please treehousemonkey don't shot yourself in the foot with your outspoken comments.Any charity that refuses money because of political beliefs may not be as hard off as they say they are !!!!!!
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I would not donate to any charity that accepted anything from Obama.
So there! 555
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I would not donate to any charity that accepted anything from Obama.
So there! 555
What about closer to home Pablo and in particular a certain convicted former politician?
As Ken says, religion and politics have no place in the running of charities. Accept all help and assistance from wherever (unless you know it to be illegal or stolen)
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I hope our views and opinions help treehousemonkey Nick :biggrin:
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the comments are indeed helpful, loose lips sink ships, got your message
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the comments are indeed helpful, loose lips sink ships, got your message
Secular ( Worldly rather than spiritual ) is the way forward treehousemonkey thumbup
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damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. And bridge to Scottie: warp speed, we have a lot of klingons to engage. Takeover, Mr. sulu.
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damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. And bridge to Scottie: warp speed, we have a lot of klingons to engage. Takeover, Mr. sulu.
(PALAMAS)
I have a message for you…He wants us to live in peace. He wants to provide for us. He’ll give us everything we ever wanted.
(KIRK)
…Accept him and you condemn all of us to slavery…nothing less than slavery…Or perhaps the thought of spending an eternity bending knee and attending sheep appeals to you ???
From here (http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/09_jul_aug/Farrantello.html) thumbup
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damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. And bridge to Scottie: warp speed, we have a lot of klingons to engage. Takeover, Mr. sulu.
Your thoughts betray you father. I feel the good in you. The conflict.
Daft screwy
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Well well, I am away from my computer for a week and suddenly a lot happens here. :-)
Hello Roger, will see you soon again. Oil wants to stay here (Pattaya) until the 20th but don't know if I will wait that long to come to Buriram.
Kees from Holland
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Looking forward to having you up here again Kees. See you soon.
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Well, for the time being, so it seems, it is all quiet on the western front."
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Well, for the time being, so it seems, it is all quiet on the western front."
SDK's 10 Ways to Pursue Happiness
NUMBER 2. Let Go of the Past wave1
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Baron Rouchefecauld (sic) (a Frenchman) said: "You will never find happiness anywhere until you find it within yourself." Napoleon, on the other hand, who was turned on by gamey women sent a message to hs darling, Josephine, "j'arriverai, ne lave pas!" (Josphine, I am coming home, don't wash.") The French say, "a chaque a son gout" To each his own (taste, or preference, implied). Whatever floats your boat.
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One of my favorite quotes from the Nineteenth Century American writer Mark Twain, reads “Career politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.”
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The French say, "a chaque a son gout" To each his own (taste, or preference, implied). Whatever floats your boat.
I think you mean à chacun son goût …but yes, absolutely, to each his own taste. :biggrin:
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I stand corrected. merci, bien
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I stand corrected. merci, bien
I think you mean "Merci beaucoup".....( thank you very much ).....your welcome1
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One of my favorite quotes from the Nineteenth Century American writer Mark Twain, reads “Career politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.”
That reminds me of your orphanage
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The smeller is the feller
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10 years ago we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash. Now we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash
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Johny Cash love5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL6EqM4kPGk