THE MILK MAIDEN’S TALE
SISTER JOAN EVANS
“God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot
change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it’s me.”
Unknown
The 5.30am alarm is ringing a Big-Ben-bell on my iphone. Sleepy but excited I throw on a tee-shirt and Fitflops and run out the door. Today I am to meet my first hero: Sister Joan Evans. I have heard that baby-by-baby, child-by-child she is making a huge difference to many anonymous lives of Bangkok’s urban poor, and I want to find out more...
Zooming through traffic with ANZWG
president Vesna Burgess and her trusty team, first light of morning reluctantly
squeezes in amongst the soaring luxury condos; shining stupas; and rising smog
off Sukhumvit Road. We are driving
to an existence so separate from our own- it could be science fiction, may as
well be an alternate reality,
existing- not on another plane, but sadly less than 2kms away…
Nearing Klong Toey, Bangkok’s
city streets- not exactly paved with Thai gold, become increasingly dusty,
potholed, and rubbish strewn. Open sewers join the klong- generously sharing
their stench, and random fanged wildlife. 21 years ago Sister Joan swapped the
affluent pristine coastlines of Western
Australia for a wee house in the middle of these sweltering, sprawling
slums. What motivates a woman from a country with so much to choose
poverty; choose selflessness… to make this choice?
"EVERYONE DESERVES A FAIR GO"
“In the early days my Thai was even worse than it is now,” Sister smiles, “So I helped in the kindergartens, where I could. One day, as I was walking back through the sois, I met a young lady with a baby girl. She had no milk- and no money to buy it. Mums who are carriers of Hepatitus A,B, C- or HIV, are obviously advised not to breastfeed. Sister explains that often too, to this day, their milk doesn’t come in because they have hidden type malnourishment. They are full with rice, so not hungry- but lacking in protein, essential vitamins and minerals necessary for development and growth. Vegetables and meat are expensive… Even when the husband is still around, the wages are miniscule and they can barely afford to feed themselves. So, I began carrying a few packets of milk with me wherever I was going- that eventually became, ‘The Milk Run.’ It was a huge need- and it still is a huge need. If you are underfed and undernourished your brain cannot function. My driving force is that I believe that every person within a country has a right to a fair go- a fair deal.”
“I originally came to Klong Toey for a meeting of religious women (Sister is a
Presentation Nun) to see what help was needed. She tells me, “I was completely
sold on the women and children. I
was approaching retirement from my job as a high school teacher, so I just
tucked away the idea of coming back. When a house in the Slum became available- we renovated and lined it completely- the
walls ceiling and floor. Patching up the cracks and hopefully preventing
insects, cockroaches snakes coming in.”
“As things happen, you deal with them- I have
never been really scared. You have to look after yourself!” Sister Joan points
to the canal that runs through the whole of Bangkok. “They caught a two meter snake there the other night.” And
what about the element of human danger? “No.” She tells me emphatically, “We
are a community. Sister explains,
“This is the Rong Mu community- historically there were a number of abattoirs
here, which, for religious reasons, was run by Christians- so the parish was
the original connection. Altogether there are about 43 communities in the
Slums. The boundaries are not defined- and like the rest of us, sometimes they
get on, and sometimes not,” she laughs.
It is hard to believe that malnutrition is still a constant threat in Bangkok. But the truth is, without people like Sister Joan- and her supporters (regular folk- you and me) this is the reality for underprivileged children of all ages. (Ref Government study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12693602)
Pulling out a large pile of immaculately kept books, she flicks through the pages telling me, “Every small amount is recorded- 20 baht, 80 baht 50 baht. The children are given money for breakfast and lunch- also bus fare to and from school. I continue this right up to secondary school, and after they commence vocational training and university. It’s a large number “Last year I think it was 79 families and 132 children, working out to be about 41,000 baht per week.
Where
Does the Money Come From?
“Most of my funds come from Australia. Mainly
the families at the school I used to work for. There are farmers who have
suffered six-eight years of drought- and are still putting something in! It
makes me want to cry. Generally it is not rich people, but people that work
very hard, as hard as the people in the slums have to. People who are trying to
bring up and educate families- just like here. It is valiant- and therefore to
me, it is very, very important that the money I receive, goes where it is
needed.”
Change
Is Possible
If there was just thing that could change-
what would it be? “That every Thai should be treated equally to every other
Thai. I maintain that these people are not made poor, but are kept poor… they
also keep themselves poor- but malnutrition affects all aspects of life. In
time there is hope for equality.”
How
Can You Help?
“If people want to donate they go to my
website.http://www.sisterjoan.info
Donations can be made by Paypal on the site. The money is held in an Australian account. The treasurer of the congregation sends what I need- provided it’s there. The last two years the amount has dropped. Recently when I called she said she didn’t she could send the regular amount unless something happened… then, luckily, by the time I needed it, it had built up. Lots of small amounts- little old ladies give me five, ten, twenty dollars here and there when I am home. That can add up to two or three thousand dollars. Everything helps!” Sister also welcomes volunteer help, and there is also information on the site about how to donate locally.
For more information please email: milkrun44@gmail.com
And so it was, with feet a little grubby, but heart so much more clean, I
left Sister Joan and the Klong Toey team. “Take care of yourself Dear! She called out with
a cheery wave…
There is something about someone so full of love that is contagious- I am vowing to do what I can- starting right now.
There is something about someone so full of love that is contagious- I am vowing to do what I can- starting right now.
QUICK FACT FILE: KLONG TOEY SLUMS.
Thailand has a population of 60 million people, 10 percent live in Bangkok. 20 percent of those live in slums. Klong Toey Slum is Bangkok's largest.
· Many of the approx. 100, 000 slum-dwellers are descendants of poor migrants from the countryside who came to build the nearby ports in the 1950’s. They then stayed to work as manual labourers, illegally occupying land owned by the Port Authority. It was however, a win/win situation. Employers had a large pool of cheap labour, and workers had accommodation near their jobs.
· Until recently, Bangkok slums developed without planning, adequate drainage, rubbish collection or clean running water. A maze of pathways linked houses with no play areas for the children, and no schools. Many non-profit, and Christian organisations are working with the communities to improve nutrition, education and quality of life from within.
Prof Pasuk Phongpaichit (courtesy Bangkok Post) in a keynote speech on "Towards a Fair Society" conference (2009) pointed out that
20% of Thais own 69% of the country's assets. The bottom 20% owns 1%.
42% of bank savings comes from 70,000 bank accounts. Less than 1% of the people own nearly half of the country's savings.
The average income of the bottom 20% is the same as the poverty line (1443 baht p/month in 2009).
The gap between rich and poor families in Thailand is 13 times, higher than neighbouring countries.
