Field Reports

February 2014 Thailand Trip
This Thailand Report covers the third and final leg of my February 2014 SE Asia trip. In the event you might have missed the earlier reports, you can see the Cambodia segment by clicking here, and you can see the Myanmar segment by clicking here. Leaving Myanmar, I headed straight for Pattaya, Thailand where I had meetings at the Fountain

February 2014 Myanmar Trip
Here’s a report on the Myanmar segment of my most recent trip Just getting to Myanmar is a bit more of a hassle than traveling to other countries in SE Asia. Myanmar requires a Visa – in advance. That involved downloading the proper forms, sending them along with my passport and a $20 money order to the Myanmar consulate in

February 2014 Cambodia Trip
This most recent trip to SE Asia was a particularly long and busy one. So, I’ll report on it in three separate sections — one for Cambodia, one for Myanmar, and one for Thailand. Here’s the Cambodian segment. In Siem Reap I connected with my good friend Jana Stanfield and joined in with a group of good-hearted people from Atlanta

My November 2013 Thailand Trip
This most recent trip to SE Asia was a very busy and productive one, with the full three weeks spent in various locations in Thailand. I was particularly pleased to be joined for the first week of the trip by a long-time friend and colleague, Peter Scontrino. Together, we began working with the Fountain of Life Women’s Center and the

Sangkhalaburi & Myanmar
Here’s the final episode in what has been a long, busy trip to SE Asia this time. Returning from Cambodia, I was met at the Bangkok airport my my good friend and colleague living in Thailand and Myanmar, Treasure Shine, Thailand Project Manager for Partners Asia, a US non-profit headquartered in Seattle and San Francisco. Off we went, first by

Fourth of July … and Cambodia
My Fourth of July was amazing. Along with a couple of my American colleagues and dear friends (Scott Friedman and Jana Stanfield) here in Siem Reap we concentrated on being the best of Americans and demonstrating what caring, compassionate Americans have to offer to the less advantaged people in the world. Jana, Bill, Scott We began the day with a

Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai
Still catching up on my recent travels — this time about my visits in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. Entrance First stop in CR was to visit the Good Shepherd Sisters Girls Home an hour south, in the town of Phan. Sister Lena is still in charge there, but otherwise there has been turnover in the Sisters assigned to that

Two Days in Bangkok
Entrance Upon returning to BKK from Nong Khai, (which is in the north east of Thailand, not the north west, as one of my astute readers pointed out to me) I was met at the airport by Sister Louise who escorted me to her facility in central Bangkok. This a very large facility that I had visited on a prior

Two and a Half Days in Nong Khai
Nong Khai is an important town located right alongside the Mekong River in the northwestern part of Thailand, known as Isan, a mostly agricultural region. Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is right across the Freedom Bridge. People here speak their own dialect of Thai. And, they face the many challenges of a rural life, impacted by the vagaries of nature,

Three Days in Bali
Hi All, Busy time in Bali to begin this trip. Three-day off-site meeting. 30 people. No opportunity for an advance design. It was all on the fly. Arrived Sunday afternoon. Met with Nengah and Yati right after that to plan the first 1/2 day. Began the meetings first thing Monday morning (no time for jet-lag recovery) and designed and led

Local charity provides COVID relief in Cambodia
Here’s an article that appeared in our local on-line newspaper, My Edmonds News, on September 14th. SE Asia Foundation, an Edmonds-based charitable organization, has announced the completion of a successful

You Really Stepped Up To The Challenge
Two months ago we told the story about how the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting so many villagers in Cambodia – and what was needed to help those folks survive during

As pandemic spreads to small villages, kids in Southeast Asia need your help
The following article appeared on the My Edmonds News web site today. in Southeast Asia are in real peril from the current pandemic, way more than we are. Think about

Your Amazing Help with the COVID-19 Crisis in Cambodia
With a huge thank you to all of our supporters – you know who you are – last week we were able to send $22,000 in grants to eight of

Vulnerable Villagers Need Our Help Urgently
Under normal circumstances this would be the time for me to send you a quarterly newsletter reporting on another successful trip working with the organizations we regularly support in Cambodia,

It’s Always About the Kids — This Time in Cambodia
It’s hard to imagine that $2500 could buy 10 computers and give a group of young students in Cambodia their first experience with modern technology, but a recent contribution made

A Social Enterprise Story Helping the Entire Community
This is a story about social enterprise, and how we work to support education in a very real way. Imagine living in a house like one of these Now imagine

Innovation in Education
Meet Tammy DurandTammy runs an innovative school called ABCs and Rice educating street kids in Siem Reap, Cambodia.Nine years ago Tammy visited Cambodia. Saw the challenges village kids faced. Vowed to

Helping People Help Themselves
This is a story about how we enhance the sustainability of the organizations we serve. He needed $20,000 CCDO is a fine organization. We’ve worked with them successfully on several

We Can See The Difference
There are so many heartwarming stories I could tell you about the work we are doing in Southeast Asia. With your help we are now providing education and housing for