Ecumenical Retreat 2009 in Nakhon Patom, Thailand

Last month senior students and staff joined an annual Ecumenical Retreat between various Protestant and Catholic Christian theological schools throughout Thailand. It was mostly meant for students to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Christians groups. We were happy to have groups from all across the denominational spectrum. The Seventh-Day Adventists from Mission College did not join, or come to 'observe' as is sometimes preferred over officially participating. The organizers had spend much time and effort to get them involved last year, so that was a disappointment. Other than that drawback, it was a success. Some time was spent in conference style lectures and discussions. And of course prayer and meditation. The retreat was hosted at lovely grounds of the Catholic guesthouse and retreat center, Baan Phu Waan.We also had the chance to visit some of the different orders and ministries in the surrounding area. One was a house of sisters from the Capuchin tradition. The nuns do not take drop in visitors, so people coming with prayer petitions speak into the wood cylinder below the picture of St. Clare while spinning it so the sound goes to a nun on the other side.

The sisters made a special exception for us and came out to the visiting hall to greet us. Still, we were separated by bars. We didn't quite know what to make of this at first. They knew we would ask about it, and they quickly explained it was a symbolic separation - and protection - between them and the world, holy and unholy, ordinary and sacred spaces. This photo is with the head mother. Some of the nuns had been there for decades, some were just coming in, as young as 14 years old. We were also interested to know that a good majority of the Catholics we met were from the Karen ethnic minority. It's quite something that these women are willing to go into the order with little contact with the world and dedicate their lives to prayer and meditation.
On our way there and back we made a number of excursions, I'll just mention one: Above, is The Church of Saint Joseph, the oldest Catholic Church in Thailand, a lovely yellow church facing the Chao Phraya river in Ayutthaya.

2009 New Year in Singapore

So I spent a few days in Singapore to pass the new year. This was my first time, and I'm glad to have also met up with friends of friends and my housemate Jloh and her family. This picture is with the "durian dome." Doesn't it look like a huge durian?
The diverse cultures that makes Singapore special was really something for such a small place. Although the majority of people are from Chinese backgrounds, they really try not to give preference to one ethnic group or language. I like to navigate the diversity through sacred spaces and, of course, food!
Here is a Chinese temple, and the rubbing of the belly of a Bodhisattva for good luck. Naturally, with the coming new year, the temples were crazy full of people praying, giving offerings, and burning incense.

This is a statue of the Hindu God/dess Kali in little India doing her destroyer thing.
The little place I stayed in was a family owned spot (they were so warm!) near Bugis station in the Malay-Muslim side of town. Right down the street was this beautiful mosque (below).

There seems to be two big things to do in Singapore: eat and shop. Now every big city has a variety of food choices. But compared to other cities in the region, Singapore excels and is unique for the restaurants and food joints that specialize in and master a specific dish. And locals go out to the many restaurants and eateries to eat a particular dish or two. It goes something like: "We'll go to this place in Chinatown for the best chicken rice," and "To this noodle stand for the best seafood soup," "let's go to Zam Zam's for the best moktabar and biryani." (Which was fortunately right in my neighborhood so I went twice. As for the chicken rice, I tried a few pieces, the best I could do, and yes, it was amazing! I decided to emphasize the 'flexible' in my flexitarianism and be let by locals for this trip. Below are JLoh's pics of Zam Zam's biryani, and Chinese rice chicken, veggies and sauces.)

As for the second big pastime, shopping, well, I'm not a big fan! That IS a problem, since there are more malls and shopping centers crammed into the city than you can imagine. Really. Malls in the lobbies of hotels, malls in the subway, malls every other building! And all as air-conditioned and as interconnected as possible, which after three days made things feel artificial.

I should mention that I was starved for art so Jloh and I went to some decent museums. Notable was a powerful and sober photo commentary by Chien-Chi Chang. One part documented the explosion of 'buying' brides through marriages of Taiwanese men and Vietnamese women. Others included looking at migrant workers in Chinatown New York.

Luckily, the crowds and shopping centered-ness didn't burned me out until just before I left for the airport, so the trip was really fun, and its always nice to meet new people.
Happy New Year to all. Bring in the Year of the Ox!

Christmas in Phang Nga

My mom, step-dad and I spend the Christmas holidays in Phang Nga bay area and Phuket on the Andaman Sea of Thailand. Phuket was ok, a few nice beaches, very developed and all that; but it was mostly a way for me to get to Phang Nga province and visit some of the gorgeous national parks and hang out in the many mostly Muslim fishing villages and islands.
And to kayak! through the many beautiful collapsed limestone caves. You have to basically lay down to get under some of the small entrances, and you can only do it at the low tide point of the day, but its really a great experience. Above we explore one of the caves. From pictures I've seem of Halong Bay in Vietnam, Ao Phang Nga is Thailand's equivalent with hundreds of limestone islands and formations jutting out of the emerald colored sea. It also has many species of birds, plants, mangroves, and coral formations.
I would definitely recommend a few days, a few weeks if possible, in Phang Nga province. I noticed that there was some boats that take people on day trips from Phuket going just to the Phang Nga park, but it is not worth it; plus the bay is too shallow for them to get into the more interesting parts of the park like the mangrove canals and to get good kayaking in. These two pics are the views from our balcony. Needless to say, I keep the curtains open to watch the sun set and rise.

These are some views from the bay of islands and caves - some of the caves contained ancient paintings.

The people that live in and around the national park are ethnically Javanese or Malay of Islamic faith that migrated to the area as much as two centuries ago. As was the case on the island of Panyi where we stayed for a night (below).

The first thing my mother when we arrived at Ko Phanyi was that it was reminiscent of where we're from, Bonnaca Cay on the Bay Islands of Honduras ... a small Cay with many of the houses on stilts and connected by bridges. Yes, mom! I was a bit homesick and that was part of the point :)

The mosque in the center of Panyi above is one among the many cute and brightly painted ones around Phuket and Phang Nga provinces, familiar sights in the south of Thailand where Islam has a strong presence. Everywhere we stayed on this trip (even when in Singapore for the new year) was within a block of a local mosque. So we could enjoy the solemn yet beautiful Call to Prayer alerting us to new morning, greeting us throughout the day, and welcoming the evenings. Listen to one call to prayer here:

[Listening may require Quicktime plug-in and settings]

Christmas Prison Ministry

I want to share a day of a special Christmas program at a local prison. Not long before Christmas, and through aj.Chulee, we teamed up with the International Prison Chaplaincy Association to provide a Christmas service for inmates at the Chiang Mai Central Prison for men. We had quite a big group for quite a large production: interactive singing and dancing, caroling, preaching, praying and a dramatic performance (yes, all this, we only had a couple of hours to do it!). It was quite an undertaking. This was the first time I'd been a men's prison, and first time to do prison ministry with such a large group.

For a group of our size, entering layer upon and layer of steel bars involved a fair bit or waiting, confusion, commotion, and guards shouting instructions two feet next to us through hand-held megaphones.

We watched as new prisoners were transported to the prison, like cattle, in the cadged backs of pick-up trucks, like this one below. Part of the delay was waiting for them to get through. When we were finally two layers of bars inside we noticed they had brought in two frightened teenage prisoners who were squatting in the temporary containment cell next to the walkway we had to pass through.

The prison is one contained cage after another, separated by steel, fences, or barbed-wire. Most prisoners are separated by whether they are sentenced or not. Most of the men are in for drugs, many Burmese immigrants, and many are very young men, teenagers even. We were only allowed to see those awaiting sentence - which can take years. Upon entering, we found ourselves in an open but fenced-in hall. Next to the hall was the one open courtyard where prisoners were loafing, playing, making cement in pipe tubes, and washing laundry. They didn't expect to see us, nor could they join in, but those that noticed looked on eagerly. We arrived to find hundreds of prisoners dressed in blue and seated behind tables, awaiting us quietly.

The place was intolerably crowded. The whole building stank of a strong scent of urine and a faint hint of feces. Dust everywhere, from the cement making. Constant noise from banging plactic tubes and guards on loudspeakers every few minutes. I don't need to go on. Thailand is notorious for prisons with terrible living conditions, negligence and mistreatment, and extreme sentences. (This one was not the worst of Thai prisons; there are many movies and books on places far worse: some of you watched Brokedown Palace, or read The Damage Done, or Forget You Had a Daughter about the Bangkok Hilton, or maybe remember the Bridget Jones II prison mixup).

We were happy to have a successful program; we sang our songs, prayed our prayers, and shared food with them. They men smiled widely, sang enthusiastically, were in relatively good spirits. What we did is but put a speck of joy and Christmas cheer into an otherwise dreary prison routine. By the time we left, the men in the courtyard were aware of our presence. They all gathered close to where we would pass to get out, and took in a good look. Even the few western foreign prisoners did it. We may be the only people coming for a long, long time. We hope that those who could join, and those who might have seem us from afar, were uplifted by our program.

Merry Christmas, Thai Aquarium Style

What is Christmas-time like in Thailand, the land of a thousand Buddha images? Were can you find the Christmas holiday spirit? My family is visiting me for Christmas break, and I had warned that there may not be a whole lot of Christmas-y stuff going on in this Buddhist country. I hadn't spent a Christmas in Thailand, but I thought if Thailand is anything like Cambodia or the surrounding countries I have spend Christmas in, then I was guessing: pretty quiet. Boy, was I completely wrong! We found Christmas celebrated most enthusiastically in, of all places, the Aquarium in the Chiang Mai Zoo! Let me tell you a little of what we found: A big Santa Claus and reindeers greeting us at the entrance to the Aquarium; every one of the staff were wearing red and white Santa hats; inside, Christmas tunes were jingle-belling loudly; and, the best was the Christmas trees, all decorated and with presents, inside the tanks! On Christmas day, the Bangkok Post front page had two employees inside the tanks dressed in Santa Claus gear feeding the fish! I leave you with these images to smile at :)

Merry Christmas, and blessings to all!

Loi Kratong in Chiang Mai, Thailand

In my neighborhood, when you're awoken at night by what sounds like either the Burmese Army invasion, or another government coup, you know it's Loi Kratong festival time. It's one of the two main festivals in Chiang Mai, and it attracts many people from around the country. One of the main things people do is give an offering to the River Goddess. As a historian friend pointed out, this is actually an old Indian tradition based on the story of Rama who gave a similar offering in the Ramayama--many rivers are considered sacred in India. Thais got the tradition from the Khmer who took on Hinduism. And the offering (a little floaty thing called a kratong) is considered a prayer that washes away your sins. It's ashamed that not too long ago these little prayer boats were made out of plastic! Poor River Goddess, clocking on all that! They've recently campaigned to have the kratongs made of biodegradable materials like coconut husks, palm leaves and flowers. BigA is holding one below:

People also send these kon loi into the sky.

And yes, the fireworks are another part of it. Kids have been blowing their limbs off for years, all in good fun. People throw them off at all hours, and things are especially loud close to the Ping River. I'm not far from it, but far enough away that a good set of earplugs got me through the worst. A colleague living right on the river invited us to her place on the main night. She was so nice, and provided dinner for us. I don't know how she was such a good host, as she said she had barely gotten any sleep in a week from the fireworks going off! Here are some pics from the river. Listen below to the sounds of Loi Kratong at night:

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Red Tips | If you're visiting Chiang Mai for the Loi Kratong, and are around the Ping River area, bring some good earplugs! The firecrakers and fireworks can get very loud. Although quite fun, it can also can get quite crowded with tourists and Thais visiting from different parts of the country, so you may want to make arrangements in advance. Check out Chiang Mai Hotels for a wide range of options and prices.

Huan Soontaree: Lanna Food & Music

One of my favorite places to soak in sensuous Lanna Thai culture in Chiang Mai is to enjoy the atmosphere, food and music at Huan Soontaree's restaurant. Huan is local gam muang language for house and Soontaree's, with its big, open-aired spacing and colorful hanging embroidery, is truly an ode to local folklore, decor, cuisine, and music. Khun Soontaree Veechanont is a well-known musician specializing in Lanna folk singing. Opening acts start early evening, and Soontaree regularly goes on around 830-9pm to intone difficult nasal notes in gam muang to an applauding, mostly Thai audience. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of Lanna style music in general, but when Soontaree sings, I just can't get enough! I've even bought several of her albums and always end up singing along with her.

You may also want to enjoy the Lanna puppet show if you're seated downstairs. I prefer to head upstairs since it has better acoustics and an eye level view of the performers. And the show by no means takes away from the quality of the food which is very tasty: the stuffed serpent fish, tom ka guy and penang tofu are just a few excellent dishes.

Khun Soontaree is not only famous for her musical talent, but also for her engagement in Thai politics. The current political crisis is on all of our minds these days, and as I write this, Bangkok's airports are closed due to protests. She speaks out regularly against ousted Prime Minister Thaksin, dangerous political posturing in Chiang Mai, his very supportive home town. She gives a speech in this picture on her wall (above) in front of a caricature of Thaksin devouring the Thai flag. Her old restaurant which was closer to the center of town was actually bombed a few years ago, may be one of the reasons why she moved to this new more remote location up the Ping river.

Whatever your political stance, you can still enjoy her friendly house. If you're as lucky as I have been, you'll be around a night her daughter comes to town. Like her mother, Lanna Commins is also a musician, and has several albums out of fusion folk and pop. Hearing them sing together is quite a treat. We chat with Lanna and Khun Soontaree below (to my left and right).
I leave you with my favorite Soontaree song. I don't speak gam muang, but there's something in there about a Chiang Mai girl and her everyday adventures eating khao soi in the mountains of Doi Pui :) Sabai Sabai ...

[Listening may require Quicktime plug-in and settings]

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Red Tips Location - Driving directions: Huan Soontaree is located on the west bank of the ping river, north of town. Get on the super highway toward the Ping river. If headed eastward stay left before the bridge to go north up the river (westward go over and under the bridge); go about 5-6km, it will be on your right. Drivers know where it is, just make sure to have them stay or come back and get you later. Phone: Call 053 872 707 if you want to make sure she's on that night.

Super Richy, Meeting a Vishnu Avatar

Recently I had the chance to meet a flesh and bone Vishnu avatar in Chiang Mai, Thailand. His name is Super Richy, and he says he has been spiritually inclined since childhood and is the avatar - incarnation - of the Hindu God, Vishnu. John B, a friend of mine who teaches Buddhism, was helping him prepare his English for presentations he was invited to give in Germany. Of course when some of us heard he was a well-known meditation teacher and Vishnu avatar, we wanted to meet him at once! John arranged for him to practice his presentation with us. He was so nice to let us listen, ask questions and take pictures.

Despite all the hype about him, he is as humble and soft spoken as they come, and doesn't go around advertising himself as a walking gift from the heavens. What he thrives on is sharing his experiences with meditation and passing on his techniques to those interested in improving their spiritual lives. His book is Super Richy: It's Not Easy to Be Me. He was gracious enough to pose with it above.

Now whether or not one believes in Vishnu avatars and incarnations, it was still great to meet someone like him - a young spiritual (Super)star, who has energized and transformed so many, especially Thai Buddhists. Thank you, Richy, it was great to meet you.

An Island Funeral

A few years ago my brother and I had the chance to visit Frida Kahlo's house in Mexico City. It was a charming old blue house that belonged to her family before her, a place she she was born, and where she lived and died. In the little blue house was a quote from Frida that really touched me. She said:

"Es un privilegio nacer y morrir en la misma casa."
("It is a privilege to be born and to die in the same house.")

My grandmother had this very privilege. She has the privilege of being born, having lived, and passing her last days in her home, in the land that she loved, the place of her fore-parents, and of her children.

My beloved grandmother, who I lived with through childhood and who I am named after, passed away on September 20, on the Island of Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras. She was sitting in her chair, resting, surrounded by family and friends. There was no struggle. No fear. No gasping. Only calm sleep. Her last words were "I'm tired." Now she can rest peacefully.

I've watched every episode of the series Six Feet Under. In the show, as with life in much of the United States and other developed countries, you give your loved one's body over to professionals and they take care of everything for you. The family hardly needs to do a thing but comfort each other, and show up for the funeral. There is something positive to be said about not having to worry about any preparations.

On the Bay Islands however, Death, preparations, funerals, could hardly be more different. On the islands, there are no funeral homes, no professionals to hand things over to. What we have on the islands are friends, family, and few local undertakers who can be called on to help with practical things. Yet there is also something positive to be said for death as experienced in the raw - intimate, present.

Here are some of our experiences dealing with the passing of a loved one. I think it gives a window into how Bay Islanders deal with death and funerals:

After my grandmother died my sister laid beside her on her bed for hours. My sister and my mom also helped dressing her. It was the most natural thing in the world for them.

Many of the little details that need taken care of after any death were arranged for or given by our friends and family: food for the wake, flowers, the casket, even the preservation of the body. On the islands, if you want to preserve your loved one for more than two-three days, what is usually done is to lay them on ice in a box. This is how my grandmother was preserved so that other family could make it to the funeral. I was about to leave for home when she passed, and my uncle and other relatives had to get there as well.

Since there are no funeral homes, the wakes are held at the family house, usually with the ice box on the porch as we did. A family friend offered to prepare Granny's body for us for the viewing - she only does this for close friends and does it as a gift. This has to happen a few hours before the funeral ceremony so the body can defrost a bit. We waited elsewhere as she supervised getting Granny out of the ice box, and prepared the final touches. She did an amazing job. Granny's body looked so natural and nice. We were so appreciative of this kindness.

I spend much of the rest of the time with Granny's body, making sure it was ready. Blotting off the moisture that gathered from her arms. Helping pin fresh flowers on her dress. Covering-up with make-up a few red spots off her neck. Adding a bit more color to her lips and cheeks. I knew I wouldn't choose to see her at the funeral viewing, as is the tradition at the end of the service. These were my last moments with her, tactile, with my hands.

As far as funeral goes it was the most celebratory service I've been to. It wasn't about her potential, or a handful of good things we remember, but a genuine celebration of who she was. She was, in the words of a friend, a pure soul. The service was a celebration of the life she lived in generosity and kindness, her meek and gentle heart. A life that all of us can try to imitate.
My own tribute included Jesus' sermon on the mount, The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 :
"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth"
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God"
And the text that seems cut out for especially my mother,

"Blessed are those who morn for they will be comforted."

The preacher gave us a bit of a laugh when he said I had stolen his sermon his - he also focused on the Beatitudes! But, he rightly noted that any memory of her must necessarily include these text - because everyone who knew her would agreed they are a mirror of her Christlike character. We can only hope to live a life which can be celebrated this way at our own funerals.

For the burial we loaded ourselves on a friends Shrimp boat and steamed a short distance to the main island. About two centuries old, many of the first British settlers are buried on the graveyard above. Her family, the Kirkconnell's, lay around the big tree on the hill to the left.

Burials on the islands are fairly simple, a few words and a scripture usually from the Psalms, a prayer, and then every one joins in singing hymns. We sing as the casket is lowered into a hole in the earth six feet under, is then covered completely, and finally adorned with flowers. Thus we said our goodbye's to a beloved member of the community, a faithful friend, mother, and grandmother. She lives in our hearts and inspires us to be better people. May she Rest in Peace.

Political Crisis in Thailand, What Will Happen? (No Worries, aj.D is Safe)

Let me say a word to those of you who are following the news and are worried about me in Thailand. I'm watching closely, but from the comfort of pro-Samak/Thaksin Chiang Mai in the North. Meanwhile, 500 kilometers away, Bangkok is under a state of emergency. (Never mind that they found a bomb in the anti-Samak PAD office in Chiang Mai. It didn't detonate.) I've learned enough about Thai politics to know this is part of the system of a fledgling democracy working itself out of corruption, etc. It's part of the process (now on the 19th constitution, as many coup d'états).

What are my political pundit peeps predicting? If Thailand follows its previous pattern, and there is more bloodshed, there will be another coup. What is the point of taking out a corrupt Prime Minister 2 years ago only to replace him with a so-called 'puppet'? The story defies western ideas because it is an unlikely loose alliance of a 'pro-democracy' movement and something that starts with 'm' and ends with 'y'. Those who know how revered it is know what I mean. This article has a more exhaustive take on possible future scenarios. The article concludes:
"There is no obvious way out of this impasse, and none of the above scenarios is a clear recipe for lasting peace. Thailand is polarized into two sides - those who ardently support Mr Thaksin and his allies, and those who detest them and refuse to countenance the idea of them in power. Until a compromise is reached, the rift in Thai society is likely to continue."
If not, then perhaps another coup, or a 'people's coup,' as many call it? or another government? some minor compromise? ... and the cycle goes on, and on.

How does this effect me directly, might you ask? Well so far, the family that owns my local vegetarian restaurant closed up for a few weeks to join the protests in Bangkok. Other than that, not much!

An interesting time to be in Thailand. I will keep you posted.

(Speaking of politics, I'm watching closely the US election ... between the Hillary-Obama rift, and not picking her for VP, along with the Palin choice, which I could see coming, well, let's see where things go ...)