Hope Diamond & The River Rats

Two days before my wife Sarah died we watched P.S. I Love You. Like any good
couple we laughed a little, cried a lot, told each other what we
wanted if the other died first, made love like there was no tomorrow,
and fell asleep in each other’s arms. We had no idea what was coming.
one of the things Sarah asked me that night was if she died first
that I take her engagement ring diamond and either give it to our
children or sell it and use the money to “change the world”.

Well, we didn’t have any kids so seven months later I found myself on the banks
of the Mekong River in northern Thailand with a chance to honor her
request. Due to the global economic crisis 165 orphans had been displaced and
were living in extreme conditions on the border between Laos and
Thailand.

Nicknamed the “river rats” by locals, these children had
nothing and were forced to survive on their own. fourteen children had
died in the last seven months and five had been abducted by workers
from a nearby brothel for underage sex.



Two of the orphans that particularly captured my heart were sisters
Boi and Dow. Their brother Nak had been one of those who had died
since they had been displaced; yet both girls carried an infectious
joy about them. At only eight years old Dow had been chosen as the
leader of the group and was responsible for finding food each day. Boi
(five yrs old) was the entertainer; always singing, dancing and making
up games to play.







I have spent the last twelve days with these children; hearing their
stories, playing their games, dancing around the fire pit at night,
and researching ways to get their orphanage funding back. I have never
been more amazed at the power of the human spirit and at the fact
that one person can make a difference.




Sarah’s diamond has provided food, clothes & medicine for these
beautiful children and through generous donations enough money has
been collected to reopen the orphanage and school. We have established
a fund ensuring Boi and Dow will receive a college education and
yesterday we were able to persuade the Thai and Laos governments to
pass binding legislation that will prohibit future injustices like this.
though this story has a happy ending there are many that do not.




Tonight the children in Indonesia are suffering from a broken
education system and we have a chance to make a difference. This
spring, many will converge in the most creative city on the planet to
celebrate life, art, and the truth that we all can “change the world”.
For more information please check out revola.org. But be careful, in
trying to change the world the life you save may be your own.

Be REVO,
Mark


For more river rats pics see Mark Rife’s facebook page
For more updates follow mark on twitter @ markrife