17 May '15 - 05 Jun '15
PICOLOVE III
Pa Bong Village, Laos
Small love, BIG difference
We were strangers starting out on a journey, and this journey was a rewarding one.
Joining an OCIP was not without uncertainties for many of us. “How much of a difference could we really have made?” “Would a group of people from different faculties and walks of life really be able to live and work together?” “How was village life going to be like and how would we communicate with the villagers?” - these were among the many questions that bugged us at the beginning of our journey.
Putting these aside however, we decided to step out of our comfort zone and kept in mind the Picolove mantra of “Small Love, Big Difference” to put in our all for the project and Pabong Village.
At the village, we were warmly welcomed by the villagers and were eased into the village life quickly!
Picolove II's Pabong Journey
The Picolove II team all ready to embark on the journey of service and learning and discovery :)
Thirst quenchers prepared by our host!
Pico members trying their hand at petanque, a game played everyday by the Pabong village men
The new school still in progress
And so we begun the construction of the retaining wall... "15 pails of sand, 10 pails of pebbles"
We call this our masterpiece ;)
Learning how to make metal brackets to form the supporting pillars of the retaining wall!
We also had healthcare lessons where we imparted the importance of sanitation such as oral hygiene...
and handicraft lessons to interact with the children and show the different uses of recyclable materials!
Played simple games after class :)
And had lots of fun!
We also had a cooking day were we cooked our local dishes for our hosts
Our host also taught us the art of harvesting rice, and we learnt why each grain is so precious
On our last night in Pabong, we took part in the traditional Basi Ceremony where we received blessings and thanks from the villagers
A final photo with the family we stayed with
We arrived in Pabong Village apprehensive, but left humbled by what we had experienced and learnt. With our small love, we had hoped to make a big difference. But with their small love as well, Pabong Village had made a big difference to each of our lives.
“Because we serve, therefore we learnt.”
From the warm welcomes upon our arrival to the blessings and gratitude during our departure, what truly struck us was that our service to the community cannot be compared to how the villagers and children have touched our lives. It dawned on us how an OCIP trip was not just about helping or serving a community, but that it was also an interactive process between us and the community, of learning, and of forging bonds.
Project Picolove II may have ended, but definitely not the spirit of Picolove and its members. The experience gained, friendships forged and memories made will stay with us forever, and we will continue to be one big family.
A collage collaboration between our local CIP community and the students of Pabong Village.
"every little bit counts"
Picolove members working it