Inspiration in founding the Shining Orphanage:
Mrs.Sirinapa
Chaocharoen
In my childhood, I grew up in the small rural village of Mae Hong Son. Almost every household was a poor farmer. At that time, the drug problem was rampant. Many families were torn apart. People got married so early. All of my friends got married after finishing primary school only.
Things that I often saw were people going out to farm, and then coming home in the evening. Young people got married, had children, raised their children, and then farmed. It was like this from generation to generation.
Even though I was very young at that time, I had this question in my mind: Is life just this? Should there be more to it?
Things that I often saw were people going out to farm, and then coming home in the evening. Young people got married, had children, raised their children, and then farmed. It was like this from generation to generation.
Even though I was very young at that time, I had this question in my mind: Is life just this? Should there be more to it?
One day, my friend and I were up on the mountain and looking at the horizon as far as the eye could see, suddenly I felt I heard a voice calling me from the horizon. That voice breathtaked my heart a lot. It called me to leave my hometown, to find something new, but I didn’t know where, when, or how to go. Even though years had passed, that feeling never faded.
Maybe it is because of some events I’ve met in my childhood that were not-so-good experiences that made me hear that voice.
Maybe it is because of some events I’ve met in my childhood that were not-so-good experiences that made me hear that voice.
The following are some events that made me feel bad about.
When I was a kid if someone in my family got sick and had to go to the hospital, some officers often yelled at my parents, even me, who was a child.
Once, when I was in grade 3, my mother asked me to accompany her to the hospital. She wanted me to explain her symptoms to the doctor and explain the doctor’s diagnosis back to her because she was just an ordinary villager. It was a very embarrassing experience for me because I had to explain the contraception by using condoms to her. At that time, I was very young, only in grade 3, and I knew nothing about sex.
In rural society, sex is a shameful, secret, and something that people don’t talk about. So every time I had to go to the hospital, always made me feel not so good.
Sometimes when we went to do business at government offices such as district offices or police stations, we were often yelled at by officers either.
The upside of having such a bad experience is that it made me want to release from ignorance, inequality, and discrimination.
Although I was just a little girl, I knew that education was the only way to overcome these things.
When I was a kid if someone in my family got sick and had to go to the hospital, some officers often yelled at my parents, even me, who was a child.
Once, when I was in grade 3, my mother asked me to accompany her to the hospital. She wanted me to explain her symptoms to the doctor and explain the doctor’s diagnosis back to her because she was just an ordinary villager. It was a very embarrassing experience for me because I had to explain the contraception by using condoms to her. At that time, I was very young, only in grade 3, and I knew nothing about sex.
In rural society, sex is a shameful, secret, and something that people don’t talk about. So every time I had to go to the hospital, always made me feel not so good.
Sometimes when we went to do business at government offices such as district offices or police stations, we were often yelled at by officers either.
The upside of having such a bad experience is that it made me want to release from ignorance, inequality, and discrimination.
Although I was just a little girl, I knew that education was the only way to overcome these things.
However, at that time, the society I grew up in did not favour a girl to go to school because people saw that no matter what in one day their daughters would eventually marry and finally belong to others.
Thank God that my parents thought differently. They supported me in going to school although our family was so poor. My family became freaks of the villagers because after primary school while I still wore my school uniform to go to school every morning, my friends of the same age, all got married.
I didn’t care much how people thought about me and my parents. I concentrated on my studies only. Finally, I graduated high school and then moved to further study in Chiang Mai province. I was one of the two students in my district who was able to enter Chiang Mai University.
After my graduation, before getting married, I prayed with my boyfriend to ask for God’s guidance in our future (we believe in God). And the Isaiah 60:1, came to us;-
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”
At that time, we didn’t understand much. How arise and shine? However, we trust in God that life is not a coincidence, but He has chosen and predestined us before, to do His will.
After married, I worked as a full-time staff in church and volunteered as a teacher for underprivileged children in several orphanages.
Thank God that my parents thought differently. They supported me in going to school although our family was so poor. My family became freaks of the villagers because after primary school while I still wore my school uniform to go to school every morning, my friends of the same age, all got married.
I didn’t care much how people thought about me and my parents. I concentrated on my studies only. Finally, I graduated high school and then moved to further study in Chiang Mai province. I was one of the two students in my district who was able to enter Chiang Mai University.
After my graduation, before getting married, I prayed with my boyfriend to ask for God’s guidance in our future (we believe in God). And the Isaiah 60:1, came to us;-
After married, I worked as a full-time staff in church and volunteered as a teacher for underprivileged children in several orphanages.
I have 3 children. When my two older children were little, I homeschooled them, and now I homeschool my youngest as well.
Thank God for the last year, the Chiang Mai Ministry of Education selected us as a successful homeschool and the Ministry of Education officers came to interview my husband and me to apply it to the Thai education system.
Homeschooling made us discover our children’s talent.
My eldest daughter likes swimming. She has been swimming for 8 years. Last year, she represented the Thai national team in the 45th SEA AGE Group Championships 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
My second child is a son. He likes to play football. Now he is a trainee footballer for the Chiang Rai United Football Club. This football club is one of the few football clubs in Thailand that has competed in the AFC Champions League (ACL).
Thank God, both are by the grace of God.
Thank God for the last year, the Chiang Mai Ministry of Education selected us as a successful homeschool and the Ministry of Education officers came to interview my husband and me to apply it to the Thai education system.
Homeschooling made us discover our children’s talent.
My eldest daughter likes swimming. She has been swimming for 8 years. Last year, she represented the Thai national team in the 45th SEA AGE Group Championships 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
My second child is a son. He likes to play football. Now he is a trainee footballer for the Chiang Rai United Football Club. This football club is one of the few football clubs in Thailand that has competed in the AFC Champions League (ACL).
Thank God, both are by the grace of God.
When considering the life path that God has taken me so far, I am beginning to understand what Isaiah 60:1, “Arise and shine” meant to me.
I am convinced that He wants me to pass on His love to other unprivileged children for them will arise and shine as He has always done to me.
I am convinced that He wants me to pass on His love to other unprivileged children for them will arise and shine as He has always done to me.
