Yesterday was our last day of clinic L At the beginning of every clinic we start off with a cheer to get everyone excited. The responsibility of doing the cheer is randomly selected. Brianne was chosen yesterday, it went:
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
Well the cheer worked to get us all pumped up. We were scheduled to see 1500 people, but once again pushed the number to 2075. With this we successfully saw 23,252 people on our Onesight Clinic experience. We dispensed all 10,000 pair of sunglasses we brought, all 12,000 readers (plus an additional 3000 the foundation bought here to accommodate the demand). We spent time after clinic taking pictures and sharing moments with the Thai translators we have come to hold close to our hearts.
The mission experience is a funny thing, due to the intense working conditions, long hours, and emotional experiences of giving some people sight for the first time, we have found ourselves bonding with those around us in such a way that would not be possible in everyday life in such a short amount of time. We have developed bonds with many of the translators that we will carry in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Leona put it perfectly when saying bye to a couple of our new found friends “We came to this country to give the gift of sight to the people of Phayao, but the insight we gained from them was so much more valuable.” After some tender moments with our helpers we began the task of breaking down the clinic and packing the equipment.
Our wonderful hosts prepared a thank you celebration later that evening. Just as we had began to think that this clinic experience couldn’t get any better, the Thai people once again surprised us with their incredible hospitality with the incredible closing festivities began and blew us all away (a true Mind Blowing Experience). We were each presented with hand tailored traditional Thai shirts to wear for the banquet dinner, as we all gathered in the lobby to make our way to the celebration a few of us had the opportunity to ride to the event in peddle carts adorned with Thai fabrics and orchids. As we travelled down the city streets, locals would stop what they were doing and wave to us. When we arrived at our destination by the Phayao Lake’s edge, we were greeted with numerous Thai people in traditional ceremonial clothing. We were told this party and festivities are traditionally what are done with dignitaries. Our own Mitch Belinsky was waiting for us as well, dressed completely in Thai clothing with traditional silk pants and Thai jewelry, as he would be officiating the ceremony.
At the water’s edge were 40 or more small wicker bird cages with 2-3 small birds in them, along with an equal number of bags containing many fish. The Thai’s believe that by releasing a captured animal you can release the things in life that trouble you and put yourself at peace once again. In unison we released our bird to fly away, followed by our fish. We then began the parade march to the banquet site. The city of Phayao had constructed a series of water jets that blew water in a beautiful arch from one side of the street to another for around 100 feet down the street. As we walked under the water arch to the banquet entrance we felt as if we were Thai dignitaries being welcomed home.
We were greeted by the district governor who was a crucial part in the success of our clinic and our fabulous treatment here, who present us with a traditional, handmade, scarf called a Pa Kao Mao meaning A Wonderful Thing. The scarf has many uses from being used as a fan or swatting mosquitoes, or even drying dishes. Our Pa Kao Mao was to be tied around our waist. We were then escorted over to a series of chairs set side by side in a large row. In front of each chair were two silver bowls, a large one and smaller one. Inside of the bowls was water with flower petals. We were instructed to sit with our hands in front of us, in a praying position pointed out from us. In succession each and every guest at the banquet walked down the row, taking the smaller cup, filling it with water from the larger bowl and pouring the water in between our hands and saying a prayer or wish of luck for each of us person after person.
In today’s world it is commonplace to focus on the negative, to speak out when adversity strikes. To come to a culture that is so incredibly humble, so immensely appreciative, it refills the soul and makes the hard work and sometimes exhausting experience that clinic creates completely worth it. After the welcoming ceremony, the feast began with traditional music, dancing, traditional Thai foods and some more familiar (some KFC showed up for our more finicky eaters). In the Thai culture no detail seems to be overlooked, tasks are thought out and completed to their fullest extent. Just when you think they can’t outdo themselves they surprise you again. The Thai people have the cultural habit of saying yes to any request; they find a way to accommodate any situation when it would be far easier to politely say no it can’t be done. That is a true lesson we can all take away from this experience.
After the dinner we lit more than 200 hot air lanterns. As they all drift up and around in unison the Phayao sky was illuminated as our cares and troubles drifted away with our lanterns. As our evening came to a close the governor thanked us by presenting all of us with an award from the people of Phayao and implored us to return to continue to help the province. A wonderful, over the top evening came to a close, but in traditional Thai fashion the experience didn’t end there.
In their never ending request to out do themselves, this morning a tour bus was awaiting us to ferry us to the border of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand to the Golden Triangle. The experience could have ended with the banquet and we all would agree this has been the trip of a lifetime. It’s almost as if the city of Phayao seeks to repay us with every minute of time we spent helping them with an equal amount of time experience Thai culture and sights. We traveled to the Golden Triangle (or for those geographically challenged the area where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet). We spent the day sight seeing and browsing at markets and returned back to our hotel tired, but very enriched.
Tomorrow we begin our long journey home, as we return we will have many stories and pictures to share. We have made new memories and friends that will last a lifetime. Those of you that have followed our blog (and sometimes lack there of) thanks for your patience and support of us. We would also like to thank our clinic leadership team, whose effort and hours of hard work and planning made this one of the most efficient and successful missions many of us have ever had the pleasure of participating in. To our Thailand hosts, it will be quite hard returning home and not having a parade or banquet or award ceremony or a temple to visit while riding on elephants. You have treated us like royalty; made us feel completely appreciated and filled our hearts with joy. We will leave this experience better people, more enriched and thankful for the opportunities in our own lives. With that we bid you farewell and look forward to seeing our families at home, even though we may only see you in between naps for the first couple days. Kap Khun Kup to all.
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
“We are Onesight couldn’t be prouder if you can’t hear us we’ll yell a little louder!”
Well the cheer worked to get us all pumped up. We were scheduled to see 1500 people, but once again pushed the number to 2075. With this we successfully saw 23,252 people on our Onesight Clinic experience. We dispensed all 10,000 pair of sunglasses we brought, all 12,000 readers (plus an additional 3000 the foundation bought here to accommodate the demand). We spent time after clinic taking pictures and sharing moments with the Thai translators we have come to hold close to our hearts.
The mission experience is a funny thing, due to the intense working conditions, long hours, and emotional experiences of giving some people sight for the first time, we have found ourselves bonding with those around us in such a way that would not be possible in everyday life in such a short amount of time. We have developed bonds with many of the translators that we will carry in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Leona put it perfectly when saying bye to a couple of our new found friends “We came to this country to give the gift of sight to the people of Phayao, but the insight we gained from them was so much more valuable.” After some tender moments with our helpers we began the task of breaking down the clinic and packing the equipment.
Our wonderful hosts prepared a thank you celebration later that evening. Just as we had began to think that this clinic experience couldn’t get any better, the Thai people once again surprised us with their incredible hospitality with the incredible closing festivities began and blew us all away (a true Mind Blowing Experience). We were each presented with hand tailored traditional Thai shirts to wear for the banquet dinner, as we all gathered in the lobby to make our way to the celebration a few of us had the opportunity to ride to the event in peddle carts adorned with Thai fabrics and orchids. As we travelled down the city streets, locals would stop what they were doing and wave to us. When we arrived at our destination by the Phayao Lake’s edge, we were greeted with numerous Thai people in traditional ceremonial clothing. We were told this party and festivities are traditionally what are done with dignitaries. Our own Mitch Belinsky was waiting for us as well, dressed completely in Thai clothing with traditional silk pants and Thai jewelry, as he would be officiating the ceremony.
At the water’s edge were 40 or more small wicker bird cages with 2-3 small birds in them, along with an equal number of bags containing many fish. The Thai’s believe that by releasing a captured animal you can release the things in life that trouble you and put yourself at peace once again. In unison we released our bird to fly away, followed by our fish. We then began the parade march to the banquet site. The city of Phayao had constructed a series of water jets that blew water in a beautiful arch from one side of the street to another for around 100 feet down the street. As we walked under the water arch to the banquet entrance we felt as if we were Thai dignitaries being welcomed home.
We were greeted by the district governor who was a crucial part in the success of our clinic and our fabulous treatment here, who present us with a traditional, handmade, scarf called a Pa Kao Mao meaning A Wonderful Thing. The scarf has many uses from being used as a fan or swatting mosquitoes, or even drying dishes. Our Pa Kao Mao was to be tied around our waist. We were then escorted over to a series of chairs set side by side in a large row. In front of each chair were two silver bowls, a large one and smaller one. Inside of the bowls was water with flower petals. We were instructed to sit with our hands in front of us, in a praying position pointed out from us. In succession each and every guest at the banquet walked down the row, taking the smaller cup, filling it with water from the larger bowl and pouring the water in between our hands and saying a prayer or wish of luck for each of us person after person.
In today’s world it is commonplace to focus on the negative, to speak out when adversity strikes. To come to a culture that is so incredibly humble, so immensely appreciative, it refills the soul and makes the hard work and sometimes exhausting experience that clinic creates completely worth it. After the welcoming ceremony, the feast began with traditional music, dancing, traditional Thai foods and some more familiar (some KFC showed up for our more finicky eaters). In the Thai culture no detail seems to be overlooked, tasks are thought out and completed to their fullest extent. Just when you think they can’t outdo themselves they surprise you again. The Thai people have the cultural habit of saying yes to any request; they find a way to accommodate any situation when it would be far easier to politely say no it can’t be done. That is a true lesson we can all take away from this experience.
After the dinner we lit more than 200 hot air lanterns. As they all drift up and around in unison the Phayao sky was illuminated as our cares and troubles drifted away with our lanterns. As our evening came to a close the governor thanked us by presenting all of us with an award from the people of Phayao and implored us to return to continue to help the province. A wonderful, over the top evening came to a close, but in traditional Thai fashion the experience didn’t end there.
In their never ending request to out do themselves, this morning a tour bus was awaiting us to ferry us to the border of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand to the Golden Triangle. The experience could have ended with the banquet and we all would agree this has been the trip of a lifetime. It’s almost as if the city of Phayao seeks to repay us with every minute of time we spent helping them with an equal amount of time experience Thai culture and sights. We traveled to the Golden Triangle (or for those geographically challenged the area where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet). We spent the day sight seeing and browsing at markets and returned back to our hotel tired, but very enriched.
Tomorrow we begin our long journey home, as we return we will have many stories and pictures to share. We have made new memories and friends that will last a lifetime. Those of you that have followed our blog (and sometimes lack there of) thanks for your patience and support of us. We would also like to thank our clinic leadership team, whose effort and hours of hard work and planning made this one of the most efficient and successful missions many of us have ever had the pleasure of participating in. To our Thailand hosts, it will be quite hard returning home and not having a parade or banquet or award ceremony or a temple to visit while riding on elephants. You have treated us like royalty; made us feel completely appreciated and filled our hearts with joy. We will leave this experience better people, more enriched and thankful for the opportunities in our own lives. With that we bid you farewell and look forward to seeing our families at home, even though we may only see you in between naps for the first couple days. Kap Khun Kup to all.
