New Life Outreach

As scheduled, we'll head up once again to Phetchabun this friday to bring warm clothes to the children as well as to run another installment of our MILK! mission.

Whenever I head up to the refugee camp, I feel a big heaviness in my heart. A sadness for the Hmong people who may only have less then 2 years before being sent back to Laos. That is where their fate remains terribly uncertain.

A friend sent this video link to me and I guess it deepens my resolve to help these people before their time runs out.



My opinion is that as long as there is no international oversight in the resettlement, we cannot be sure if the Hmong people will safe. For me, I choose to take the worst case scenario.

We've been just informed that the cold season has arrived in the mountainous Phetchabun and today we're starting to feel the cold even here in Chiang Mai.

I'm really glad that we've managed to bring all the blankets to the Hmong people and we know for sure that each family has a blanket from us to tide them through the cold nights.

It has not been a easy task, but when I look back... its truly worth it !

Our next task ? To bring the remaining warm clothes up in the next 2 months !

Some of the readers have asked for our routine outreach schedules so they can join us if their schedule permits.

So here it is
Date : 2 - 4 Nov 07 (Friday- Sunday)
Type : Routine + Fact Finding
Outreach Focus : MILK! & Distribution of warm clothings

Date : 16-19 Nov 07
Type : Routine
Outreach Focus : MILK! & Distribution of warm clothings

If you would like to join us, please drop me a email for more details. These trips do not include sightseeing and all cost quoted will go into the refugee outreach.

From 17-19 Oct, the volunteers arrived and assisted with the packing of blankets and warm clothings. Of course this was not all without fun !

On 19 Oct, we loaded the remaining 600+ blankets and made the push to Phetchabun with 3 trucks and a team of 17 people.

Left : Our logistics and preparation for the MILK! mission

Bottom : Children running up in anticipation of the food they'll receive








When we arrived in the refugee camp, the children were already crowding in the hundreds around the exit. Each hoping to be the first to reach us for the milk & biscuits.

Its a tearful scene when you see the children are allowed to come out.. Many children started running towards the shed which we have prepared the food.

On that special day, 1000+ children from Zone B, D & G were given milk and food. (Numbers closer to 1400 as some hungry children from other groups sneaked out too ! In hope of getting the milk from us)


Just as we were about to leave, we were informed that the nights are turning extremely cold and our blankets arrived just in time !

It may not be much, but at least we know that each family in the refugee camp has at least a blanket to see them through the cold.

Just on our previous trip, the leader of Zone E surprised us when he asked for more blankets.

At first we though that our census figures were incorrect, but after doing some checks, it was correct. At least for the last couple of days !

The leader and the military informed us that every other week there are new families. And to complicate matters, a baby born in the camp every 2 days.

With the ever increasing demand for blankets, it is not only challenging but also ineffective to "chase these needs". What I've done instead is to buy 100 more blankets, this would be distributed to the refugees equally. Just to tide these people through the cold season.

I'm thinking it would be only effective to run a blanket mission once every year over the Aug-Sep, just before the cold season. Let me know what you guys think !

p/s : Blankets will be brought up this weekend with 8 of our volunteers. Pray with us and standby for more pictures when I get back !

After working with the Hmong refugees for 3 months, I see a huge amount of needs. Needs which cannot be fulfilled by just a one off relief effort or even a 3 month stint. To make a significant impact, it demands regular and consistent commitment.

I had given much thought to this issue and I decided to commit further and give up the prospect of having a cushy well paid job.

This is my plan. I'm starting a commercial company to allow us to do the following :

Now, this is a huge step for me and foolishness for many, but maybe through my small ways I can make an exponential impact and difference to the lives of these people !

Yes. We have all heard these saying all too often. Let’s re-look at some of these sayings and examine its sense. Let me give a few common queries and examples:

1 ) "What can a few bucks do to help the less fortunate? Since I cannot donate much, then I rather not give."

So let me break it down in numbers so we can all visualise.

SGD 10 Bucks can do the following :
- Buy a packet of milk powder ( One packet can feed some 50 hungry children or
- 2 warm blankets for the refugees or
- 23 packets of food.

Now, to a mother in a refugee camp who has a hungry child crying on the floor your 10 bucks tides the child though one month. This critical one month can mean life or death to that child.

2 ) "I want to make sure my money goes only to buying MILK and nothing else."

Sure we can do that. But again, if we are restricted to buy only milk and have no funds for our supporting logistics ie (Fuel for the trucks). It would still not be possible to bring these packets of milk up to the refugee camp.

I'm thankful that most of our donors have given with such trust and told us "Eugene, just use it in any way that the refugees will benefit from it.

3 ) “How do I know that it’s a genuine outreach and not a spoof ?”
My answer is simple.

“Fly up to Chiang Mai. Meet me in person and journey up with me to the refugee camp. After that you can decide if this is all a spoof”

Messages from the leaders and people from the Hmong Refugee Camp.

"....Please send our heartfelt thanks to the sponsors from Singapore. Thank you"

"...Thank you for loving us and remembering us..."

"...You have given us strength to live on..."

"... Thank you for all you have done. God bless you..."

"..Coming here we have nothing.... They [blankets] are like a miracle to us.... Thank you"

"...Please continue to remember us... help if you can"

- Translated by Antalika Saevue & Eugene Wee

Relief Mission (Blankets Distribution)
We squeezed as many boxes of blankets into our trucks and managed to bring 764 blankets in this trip alone. The distribution is as shown :


Zone Requirement Supplied
Zone B 187 187
Zone D 77 77
Zone F 142 142
Zone G 297 297
Zone E 184 61 (123 Outstanding)






MILK! Mission
This mission we saw some 1000 children being fed. Although the reported numbers was 984 but when a put a cup count, we gave out more then 1200 cups of milo to the refugee children.

Zone C - 463 Children
Zone A&E - 521 Children

We departed on 5 Oct(Fri) afternoon and have traveled some 6 hours towards Phetchabun to bring the reliefs to the refugees. Just when we were 1 hour away from our destination, we noticed some flooding along the highway. But we pressed on as this is the fastest route to the town.

Traveling on, we were halted by traffic and rescue wardens that the whole road leading to the town was impassable due to the floods. As such, we needed to backtrack some 2 hours and use another access road.

When we finally reached our destination, we have traveled some 10 hours on the roads. But we were more then happy as all our cargo are all intact :)
Picture on the left was was shot from our vehicle.

Our team have just arrived at CCOF this evening. Although it has been a tiring trip for all the team members, but its was well worth it !

It was an exciting trip as we managed to feed some 1000 children in this extended MILK! outreach. It was nothing short of an adventure !

Do give me some time to prepare the photos and articles before I post them up tomorrow !

We'll be heading up to Petchaboon refugee camp for a second installment of our MILK! Mission from this Friday onwards

In our last visit, we brought biscuits and milk to feed almost 500 children from Zone F. Although the journey was arduous but it was all worth it when you see the smiles of the children.

This time, we'll be pushing ourselves just a little more..... we'll be attempting to feed some 1000 children from Zone A, C & E. This will be done in 2 shifts, an early morning shift and one in the afternoon.

In total, we have budgeted about 14,820 Baht (About 650 SGD) for this mission.

We constantly need both financial and also your moral support, so please continue to help spread the word by directing your friends to this page.

In the month of October, we have also lined up a couple of events which will benefit our readers. All proceeds will be channeled to the refugee camp MILK! Mission. Please feel free to send this emailer to your friends.

There is significant difference between a hard-core missionary and a humanitarian rights activist.

Neither am I the kind that will go up to a place of need and coerce desperate people to believe in Christianity in exchange for reliefs.

I believe in giving unconditionally regardless of their religious backgrounds.

Saying all that, I would probably have never been able to do all that if I'm not first a Christian.

Without lifting a finger, many can talk about compassion and love. But for me, I choose to make a difference through my actions.

Update : The blankets have been received in good condition and the full amount of 118,750 Baht has been paid.

We've collected the 1250 blankets from the warehouse and we're on schedule to deliver them to the refugee camp this Friday!

Our container consisting of some 4 tons of relief items have arrived in Bangkok. However it is still undergoing inspection and clearance by the Thai customs.

NCL Agencies (Thailand), our shipping sponsor have been excellent in assisting us with not only for shipment process but helping expedite the custom clearance. Thank you again !