Pi Mai Lao celebration 2014: Happy New Year Laos April 14-16

Oh what do you do in the summertime
When it's 99 degrees?
Have big water fights
For three days and two nights.
With people that just happen by?
Is that what you do?
So do I.

Glenn had a water fight with these total strangers.

Glenn was soaked to the bone but so was this little boy.

Susan got wet earlier and opted to watch from the balcony. They put flowers in some of the water they dumped down her back for good luck and that made the water stain her shirt yellow. Luckily, she had been warned and she was wearing old stuff. Some people were throwing water with tempura paint mixed in. But, Glenn came home without any stains, just plain water was thrown a him. 

Happy New Year
Listen at the end of the next video when almost at the end, he reminds them: "No smoking, no violence and then he laughs." 
If they lit up a cigarette, there's no chance of it staying lit. 

TO EVERY THING THERE IS A SEASON

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

On Sunday, the Jorgensens took their last ride to church before leaving to go home to Utah. Lots of tears were shed that day.

After church we hurried over to pick up Larry and Linda Sippel, Jorgensen's replacements, at the airport. 
The tributes were held the next two days. They were well attended.

The Jorgensens were beloved teachers to hundreds of students over the last 18 months. Their students loved them dearly and it was very emotional when they sang and danced to the goodbye song.

The Jorgensens had certificates and flowers and gifts and souvenirs from those who worked with them and those who were their students. It was an outpouring of love in a huge display of respect and admiration. The VIP's showed up too with the Director of Mahasot Hospital there to present and to participate in honoring the Jorgensens. 

Everyone danced  to celebrate the time the Jorgensens spent in Laos. Students and administrators asked them to please come back and visit in the future.

Another tribute was held at the Center of Medical Rehabilitation where they were thanked for their service in providing wheelchairs for the disabled and a beautiful hand carved plaque was presented to them. They will be missed.

Phonxay Primary School Well and Toilet Handover Ceremony

Bend the fingers. 
Watch the feet.
Hear the music.
Feel the beat.

ELEPHANT MARCH

BY THE RANKS OR SINGLE FILE

OVER EVERY JUNGLE MILE

OH WE STAMP AND CRUSH THROUGH THE UNDERBRUSH

IN THE MILITARY STYLE

-- Jungle Book Colonel Hathi Elephant March

Hup, two, three, four

Keep it up, two, three, four

Hup, two, three, four

Dress it up, two, three, four

Company, Halt.

Time to play ball

Going for a ride

Susan and Glenn Singley

Elders Pat Xiong, Jason Murray, and Braxton Johnson

Elder Nathan Bartling and Deanna and Bob Zdunich
Elder Bartling is going home. Deanna and Bob came to take him home.

Ahhhh. Fancy!

Cooling off!!

Lollipop, Lollipop, Ooo Lolli Lolli Lolli

Sweeter than candy on a stick
Huckleberry, cherry, or lime
If you have a choice what'd be your pick?

That chicken foot is mine... 

Don't worry every chicken has two feet.

Here we are, on our way to a jacket and blanket delivery in Xaysomboun Province, Laos about 5 hours away from our apartment. The school we are going to is in the mountains and it gets cold there.

This is Pat Xiong. He speaks Hmong. So do all these people. Only the older people speak a little Lao. Pat is from Sacramento, California but he is of Hmong descent. The children were so happy he could speak their language.

The people are so gracious and beautiful. Take a look at the faces of Thong Khoune Village.

 

 

  

 

When we arrived, they were all put into lines according to height. It was very organized. We tried our hardest to get the right sizes to each of the students.

Well, nobody's perfect. This one was the smallest jacket we had. But, her daddy made it fit. We had enough that even the preschoolers took one home.

Then we had our huge stack of blankets for everyone. 

They showered us with tokens of their appreciation and tied strings to our wrists while giving us wishes of good luck and prosperity. Then they fed us lunch. What wonderful people.

Nope, he didn't eat it. 

This is the clean-up crew.

 

A last look into the village from the school yard.

 

Even the pigs were leaving. Or, maybe they were coming to see if anything was left?

On the way home, the Elders got some good shots (out of the car window) of people gathering broom-making supplies.