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I drive from my subdivision outside of Chiang Mai into the city area almost daily. When I first starting driving in Thailand, I was at a stop light on the way to the city and a young girl approached the car. She was selling flowers for 20 baht (50 cents). When she approached my car she put her hands inside to feel the cold AC air that was blowing out of the vents. She seemed very comfortable opening up to me and we spoke for a really long time. It actually surprised me that she understood my Thai but she did. Whenever people stop at the lights and intersection I was at, this girl and a couple of other kids walk in between the cars and motorcycles, approaching people who seem interested in buying flowers from them. The people who sell these things are generally very poor, often homeless. I try to buy the flowers from them as often as possible because of that. But this girl, there was something different about her. Every time I pulled up she would run to my car (to hurry before the light changed to green) and put her hands by the AC and spoke to me about life. I discovered she is only 14 years old. She is Burmese, living at the temple nearby with her sister. I never saw her sister so I am not sure how old she is or what she does, since she is not with this girl. The girl who sells the flowers, her name is MeToo. 

I know that my old neighbors, the Burmese construction workers had kids that also went to the same temple for schooling during the day. The monks are very kind to take in so many street kids or poor people and help educate them. Last night I went to buy some medicine for Josh and it was pretty late at night (in Thailand one thing I normally avoid doing is going out at night because we have a lot of drunk drivers out on the road). On the way there, I saw a huge elephant on the back of a truck, then we pulled up at the intersection near the city and MeToo ran to my car. I was so surprised to see her out so late in the street still selling these flowers. I felt really concerned for her - her safety, her life, her future. I know I can't save the world or anything but I can't help but to try to help this one girl. I will invite her to lunch sometime this week and I'm thinking of maybe inviting her to stay with us. She'll be safe, won't need to sleep at a temple, have work (there are so many people who need help around in my subdivision, cleaning jobs, etc.).  I'll post any updates on the blog here! 

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