In Reply to: A question for Filo posted by kbl on Sunday, 5. June 2005 at 17:15 Bali Time:
- we had a small bag of mixed adult clothes that seemed to be very welcome. Money of course is always the comodity most in need, and I don't care too much if some that I think might go to the kids or the facilities actually winds up on the backs of the workers or blowing a cooling breeze on them when they are working or trying to sleep. I often ask myself, where would the kids be if these carers went back to their home villages and worked a rice plot and farmed some chickens. They don't get paid enough in my opinion and your thoughts for them will not be misplaced I think.
We also found that the carers joined the end of the queue when the Chuppa Chups were being handed out and we saved a packet of Chocolate Eclaires for them whenever we could.
If you have a day or two up that way take some nice photos of them and give them enlargements if there is somewhere you can get this done, and put them into frames if possible. Wrapping them up in party paper is a small gesture but one which will make sure you are remembered next time you visit. These things that are really very little mean so much to people who love things to be presented nicely. Just look at the way they present food to the gods at a temple festival. Appearance means so much.
We are trying to collect old mobile phones when friends change theirs over for a newer model. New SIM cards are cheap in Bali and the one we took last time could have been a brick of gold and it would not have been more welcome.
Simple electrical appliances are quite cheap at Macro's, fans, kettles and so on.
One thing you can be sure of, whatever you give will either be used, sold, converted, traded or given to someone else who needs it. Nothing will be wasted and nothing will be considered in appropriate.
I'm sure you will have a great trip and our thanks go to you for thinking of these people.
Love to hear from you when you return.