Full Hearts and Heads at Im Jai House

Hello friends and followers,

With the busy schedules we have at ARI, often our weekends become treasured times - time to visit the markets, to sleep-in, to not worry the logistics involved in having a dozen children around cups of paint. But this last Saturday, instead of late brunches and afternoons in the Old City, ARI's staff hopped in the van and traveled through the rice patties to our newest partner organization: Im Jai House.

Im Jai House is a home for teenagers orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Northern Thailand. Over two dozen children currently live at Im Jai House, each of whom is given shelter, education, and individual support as they learn and grow.

Our goal at Im Jai House was to give the children an opportunity to learn about HIV and how they can protect themselves from the disease, which, even in their short lives, has caused them much pain. We were working on the project as part of our partnership with Volunteer Positive, a group that brings international volunteers who are HIV+ together in Chiang Mai to work with local organizations to erase stigma and misconceptions surrounding the HIV/AIDS.

As it was our first time working with Im Jai House, instead of expectations, we had hopes - we hoped that the teenagers would be engaged and creative,  that they would be willing to listen to what we had to say about HIV/AIDS; and that they would open up to us. I can confidently say that all of our hopes were met.

An Im Jai resident presents his wish for the future.

Cee copies down the wishes of the Im Jai students.

As we completed the activities - watching movies and playing games that focused on basic information about HIV - the children became more and more engaged. We ask the children if they have any quetions to write them down anonymously and everyone has one, even two, questions scribbled on paper for us to answer. Towards the end of our day, we had the children write down or draw a picture of a wish they hold for the future of HIV/AIDS in the world. Though their wishes were in Thai,  I thought of my own wishes for the future of HIV/AIDS: that everyone has free and equal access to medications, that doctors can find a cure, that children don't lose their parents.

Boy shares his designs with us.

A surprise came after our workshop as we were given a tour of the Im Jai facilities. Several of the students and one of their social workers showed us the location of an adobe house they are in the process of building and the pens of the pigs they keep to teach the children about agriculture and the chickens that provide fresh eggs to the residents of Im Jai. The last spot on our tour was the old art room, which is now called "Boy's Studio." Boy, a deaf resident of Im Jai House of about eighteen, has turned the art room into his personal fashion house. He has sewing machines and piles and piles of fabric scraps. On the far wall of the room are bags and change-purses that he has made. Our volunteers bought purses to bring home to family and friends, to keep for themselves. Boy was glowing. He pulled a drawing pad from the bookshelf against the wall, which is overflowing with fashion magazines. He opens it up, and we see that its pages are full of his designs for dresses. The social worker explains to us that they have been looking for a university program for Boy in fashion design, but they haven't been able to find one that will accommodate his hearing-impairment. We learn the Thai signs for beautiful and I like it.

Boy's handiwork.

As we made our way to the van, waving goodbye to the students, carrying our purchases from Boy, I began to think about the name Im Jai House. Though I only know a minimal amount of the Thai language, I was able to piece the meaning together: Im means full and Jai means heart. Full Heart House. I'm not entirely sure that the name is applicable to the residents of Im Jai, all of whom have lost their mothers and fathers to a terrible and vicious disease, but I can confidently say that, on the ride back to  Chiang Mai from Im Jai House, I certainly understood the full heart feeling.

with love,

Aimee