It already feels so wonderful to be loved by your neighbors. But here at Warm Heart we get a truly special kind of love. I think the best place to start describing that love has to be the random gifts.

From time to time I will find a table or fridge full of new food and drink. But we didn’t go shopping for them, they were dropped off by a neighbor who loves us.

Just this week it was an abundance of fruit and milk. People around truly appreciate all of the work that we do. Their way of thanking us for this is by giving these gifts.

When I go for a walk wearing my Warm Heart t-shirt passing motorists always give me a honk or cheer.

Michael is greeted with such love wherever he goes. He knows everyone so well that he can give me the life story of anyone we encounter.

But no matter who it is they always ask the same question. Where is P’Lin?

P’Lin is Evelind’s Thai name who is currently in the U.S. Everyone misses her friendliness and warmth which helped her become friends with nearly everyone between here and Phrao. 

Don’t worry folks P’Lin will be back soon, 

What’s your community like?

Yours Truly, Neighbor Yosi

The post Our Community appeared first on Warm Heart World.

Just about the only time we come out from our hiding places is to eat. And you know it’s us from a mile away.

I’ve had a lot of alone time out here and it’s quite nice to have someone who is just like me. I am of course talking about my friend Henry The Chicken.

We’ve known each other for the last few months and we have been having a splendid time. The time we spend seeing each other is VERY chaotic.

That’s because he runs right back into the jungle. I try to ensure that we don’t meet by not leaving my room between eight and ten.

If I do leave then I run the risk of startling him while he’s eating the cat food. We came to an unspoken agreement of letting him be when he’s eating.

What came to be a big surprise was that Henry wasn’t the only chicken. A hen started coming along with him and they are a very happy couple.

I wish the two of them nothing but the best. 

The post My friend Henry appeared first on Warm Heart World.

Today I went to the Old City for the first time since February. What I saw there shook me beyond comprehension.

This whole time my life at WarmHeart has not changed at all. The days are still filled with work and the kids’ laughter.

But when I went to the Old City I knew that something terrible had truly happened. I saw a ghost town where there was a sprawling space of life.

I have walked the streets at all hours of day and night and I’ve never seen them this empty. I literally went blocks without seeing another person.

I went down my favorite lane and found that all the hostels from which there was once a blend of languages are now just shutters.

There is an eeriness to this silence which sends chills down my spine.

The restaurants that used to spread the aromas of rich and diverse food are also just shutters. That air no longer has its exciting flavor, it’s just regular air now.

There was just an overwhelming emptiness. I felt that emptiness, this city’s been a home and it will always be a part of my heart. Now I feel like a part of my heart is empty.

I pray that they can recover and get back to the good times that we all had.

P.S. Seeing the city in this state left me in such shock that I completely forgot to take any pictures.

Yours Truly,
Yosi

The post Lockdown in Chiang Mai appeared first on Warm Heart World.

In my old life, a power outage was a once a year occurrence. But out here it’s a weekly (and sometimes daily) happening.

The reason why they are so regular is due to a single suspect; the one power line. There is only one power line between Chiang Mai and Phrao, so if ANYTHING happens between Chiang Mai and here it is lights out.

During the dry season, the only thing that caused an outage was a bushfire hitting the line.

Now that the wet season has come with its falling trees there are regular outages.

I learned how to beat them from my coworkers in the office. They are always ready for one so they never unplug any devices, especially phones.

When we lose power the cell towers batteries kick in. I use that time to either work directly on my phone or use my phone as a hotspot for my laptop.

After three hours the cell towers batteries are toast and I am literally in the dark. I always keep a podcast on hand in case the outage lasts this long.

The heat is not usually an issue during an outage because of the clouds from the storm.

It hasn’t happened yet but the only real interruption would be to the kids’ lessons. If an outage does happen then they’ll get a lesson outside. Don’t tell them this or they may unplug the lines themselves.

What do you do when the power goes out?

Yours Truly, Electrician Yosi

The post Power Outage appeared first on Warm Heart World.

Exercise has been a part of my entire life. Being around the kids has given me a chance to see how I exercised when I was their age.

I am so happy to say that kids around the world truly do love a good time. They have bikes from Warm Heart which they love riding around the property.

Their laughter and bell rings form a wonderful soundtrack everyday. This takes me back to the jr. speed demon that I was.

They love playing games like hide n seek and tag. WarmHeart might be the best place to play these games. They are so creative with their hiding spots. I’ve thought that I’m alone until I hear a laugh.

The kids also love playing football (soccer for you Americans) on the field here. I am amazed by their dazzling moves which are far better than anything that I can do.

Most importantly, they get a good workout from my English lessons. I remember that the best way for me to learn was by being physical. Every word that I teach them has a physical action to it.

They love doing these activities whether it be jumping or moving their arms. It feels so good to see the smiles on their faces every lesson. Having a smile on your face while having an enriching time is what it’s all about.

How do kids in your life exercise? 

Yours Truly, 

Gym Teacher Yosi 

The post Exercise appeared first on Warm Heart World.

Normally that’s not a real stumper. When you’re locked down in Covid-Quarantine, however, even such an everyday question can be problematic.

Sure, like at home the first thing we do is review the pantry, but it’s not as if we can just pop out for a quick shop if we are missing something.

Shopping is a weekly affair at best, because it’s a 12 mile drive to “city” with a 7-11.

When I cook I must also be aware of our limited supplies of certain foods, such as cheese, a luxury that we can buy only monthly when we drive two hours to the big city. 

Out here, I can’t ask my Mom to get something on the way home. So what we have around us is what we eat.

Now, around us literally means “around us” since we live on a farm it also means that we can only eat what is in season. Once I see what we have around, I come up with a few options and test them.

The most important factor is time. I am a one-man cooking team and it must take 45 minutes or less to prepare the meal. The meal must also be balanced and completely vegetarian since I eat no meat, but allow Michael to add meat if he wants. Michael and I debate our options and pick one for the night. 

How do you decide what’s for dinner? Bon Appetit

Yours Truly,

Chef Yosi 

The post What’s for dinner? appeared first on Warm Heart World.

The most beautiful thing that I can see comes out after the Sun goes down.

Slowly but surely they emerge from the empty void. Stars that form vibrant constellations.

They are uninhibited by any form of light pollution due to the remoteness of this area. Up there Lucy is truly In The Sky With Diamonds.

The most magical moment is when I look to a certain spot in the sky and my eyes adjust. They seem to materialize before my eyes and form a warm presence in a spot that had just been cold.

I use an app that traces out the forms of the constellations. I see the horoscopes, animals, and of course the Little and the Big Dipper.

I’ve always heard people talk about the twinkle of stars but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes until now. There are of course shooting stars and if I look to a spot in the sky and one will come in under five minutes. Then one comes that is truly shooting across the sky.

There is a very slow moving star; the International Space Station. Who knows, one day I might be looking down on you from up there. Now that will definitely be a blog post. 

P.S. considering the footage the Pentagon just released someone else might be looking up at us in their night sky. 

Yours Truly, Astrologer Yosi

The post The Stars appeared first on Warm Heart World.

This gave me a chance to reflect on what motherhood is. My first thoughts were on how I have felt her presence while we’ve been so far apart.

Her teachings have guided me in all my work and how I have carried myself.

I also thought of my other mother, Evelind, who is far away from me.

Evelind’s motherhood is on full display with her child, Warmheart. Her love-filled spirit is soaked into every centimeter of this place.

She took on all of these incredible children as her own. I was amazed to see her give every single kid true understanding and care.

For some of them this was the first time they had felt loved and accepted for who they are.

I know this love first hand because that’s how she made me feel when she took me on as not only an employee but her own son.

I know that every single one of us who have felt her love will pass it on to people in our lives. We will carry it for the rest of our lives.

Thank you Evilind and all of the mothers out there.

What’s motherhood in your life? 

Here’s to wishing a normal Mothers Day next year! 

Yours Truly, Son Yosi 

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