Headline Oct 26, 2015/ ''' THAILAND'S TEACHER SAINT : SUTHASINEE NOI-IN '''

''' THAILAND'S TEACHER SAINT :

 SUTHASINEE NOI-IN '''

TEACHER Suthasinee Noi-in is better known by her nickname  Mae Tiew  [Mother Tiew ] among the  AIDS/HIV  orphans living in  Home Hug Orphanage.

Suthasinee's devotion to her cause came under the national limelight in 2007 when her story was turned into a TV commercial for a life insurance company. 

The popular ad showed the 54-year-old dedicating herself to maintaining and supporting those children despite suffering from cancer herself. 

Her desire to help others started many decades a go at  university when she joined a volunteer camp to help poor farmers in the province. However, her inspiration went farther back to her imperfect childhood. 

After obtaining a bachelor's degree in psychology from Bangkok Technical College, Suthasinee decided to take a teaching job in the northernmost province of Mae Hong Son  where her students were ethnic mountaineers. Then she moved to a  Child Village in westernmost province of Kanchanaburi.

While working for a non-government organisation that aimed to improve the quality of life of slum dwellers in the Khlongtoey District of Bangkok. 

So, during the course of working in the slum area, Suthasinee started to notice the great suffering of many poor  HIV/AIDS-afflicted children  who became orphans after one or both parents succumbed to the disease.

This was especially prevalent among the migrant workers from the northeastern part of Thailand. She decided to tackle the problem at the root cause by choosing to work in Yasothon province  -among the poorest areas in the country.

''Home Hug Orphanage''  always welcome volunteers to help care for the children, especially during weekends and school breaks, since supervising hundreds of children from different backgrounds is no easy task. The atmosphere at the orphanage is, in her own words, is like ''a world war''.

During the school time, the world war starts from   5 to 7am. The children wake each other up to get ready for school. In addition to breakfast, they have to take their pills regularly. The other children help out with house-hold chores, watering vegetables and taking care of the younger kids.

Many visitors to Home Hug  end up being very surprised. The majority of donors, who are from Bangkok, presume that the visit will be depressing, but these people usually leave with tears of joy.

''Some of the kids did get better and went on to live for more than ten years. Today they will go to school and help me take care of the younger children. Of course many others don't make it and I have to let them go.

In the past, some other children would have to dig a grave and help each other make a coffin. Finally, we had to bury them with our own hands, because the undertakers refuse to do the job for the fear of the disease.

This fact is never concealed from the children. I tell them everything, even about suffering and death. All the children of Home Hug know very well that one or two of their friends may not wake up tomorrow''.

*Mother Tiew always promotes education in her children to help them survive and to contribute to the society in the future. She has fought tooth and nail to get her kids to sit in the same class with regular children*.

''While we are alive, we should love others as much as we can. Don't wait until they are gone and then weep for nothing. Death is the conclusive chapter of the love you mutually share with someone.

Tears cannot bring the dead back to life. So, please give these children love and access to medicine. Most of all give them happiness.''

Suthasinee says that bringing up children is not difficult, but helping them grow up to be good citizens is.

Family members and general society should give them a chance to learn to be independent. When  Home Hug  children come to her with desperation, her final advice to them is :

''As soon as you want to give up and want to die, you start to count down to your last breath,'' says Mae Tiew.

With most respectful dedication to Suthasinee Noi-in. and the Students, Professors and Teachers of Thailand.  The World Students Society Computers-Internet-Wireless is greatly honoured for the great inspiration she has provided to the entire world.

''' Supporting All Orphanages '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless