Please help us give back to our Thai Family

Mackenzie and I have been living in rural Thailand for going on 4 months now. We have met some amazing people throughout our journey but there are two people that have changed our lives forever. Before explaining why these two people are so inspiring and incredible, I must refer to the author of The Light in the Heart, Roy T. Bennett, who once wrote, “Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps other see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.” These two people, P’Mai and her husband P’Samart, have lit a candle in Mackenzie and my life and helped us to see so much about ourselves that we never even knew existed. P’Mai and P’Samart have helped Mackenzie and I to see the deepest meanings of life.

I suppose I should begin by explaining how P’Mai and P’Samart have done so. P’Mai and P’Samart own two portable food trucks and make their income selling food and smoothies at the evening market. Mackenzie and I have found that our favorite Thai meal will always be from these two food trucks. P’Mai, an incredibly hard working cook, makes us noodles with fresh veggies and P’Samart prepares for us the best smoothies we have ever tasted. Since little people in our town speak English, Mackenzie and I gravitated towards P’Mai since she could communicate with us in our native language and was always greeting us with a smile and hug. From day 1, P’Mai and P’Samart have treated us like their own children and looked out for us in ways no one else has.

Throughout the past 4 months, Mackenzie and I have really gotten to know these two. They have taken us on adventures to see local treasures and told us a little bit about their life here in rural Thailand. P’Mai and her husband P’Samart struggle, but with a smile on their face, every single day. You would never know from looking at them that they don't live a perfect life. Their generous and kind spirit radiates everywhere they go. P’Mai and P’Samart live on a farm with their whole family and support them all as much as possible. Mackenzie and I teach their two adorable twin nephews who also radiate the same incredible spirit. P’Mai’s mother died last month which left them all out of work, with no income, to grieve. P’Samart has prostate cancer and the little money that they have been able to save up has gone towards saving his life with operations and medications. When P’Mai told me this, she was fighting back tears. I couldn't help but hide my own tears, too, because I couldn’t believe the internal suffering that they were going through.

P’Mai and P’Samart have taught Mackenzie and I that faith heals all pain. They have shown us that a smile and hug can change someone’s entire day. They have given us so much love and generosity throughout these past four months. They have given us so much meaning to life and helped us to strengthen our faith and always give back.

Mackenzie and I have spent hours reflecting on how we can give back to P’Mai and P’Samart. If Mackenzie and I could afford it, we would give them our entire salaries here because they deserve it more than us. We think that the most helpful and life changing thing that we could do for them is to raise money so they will be able to comfortably afford P’Samart’s cancer treatments and live with a little less stress in their life. Trust me when I say that they deserve this more than anyone we know.

Mackenzie and I would be so grateful for any donations you can afford to give. $1 USD is equivalent to 35 BAHT which is what P’Mai charges for one meal at her food truck. If you could even just give $1, it would significantly help P’Mai and P’Samart. If now is not a good time for you to help out by donating, I would just ask that you please keep P’Mai and P’Samart in your thoughts and prayers. As said before with the quote from Roy T. Bennett, the deepest significance in life is being a light in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Please help Mackenzie and I be that light for P’Mai and P’Samart, as they have done the same for us these past four months. Thank you all!