Dear Friends:

Well, last year in November the old truck took a turn off the mountain. This year the engine fried. As well, a little bit of the mountain fell on me, a feeling like my head was being baked, a kindly bonus from my Keng Tung, Burma trip in November, Malaria. Well, I guess the odds weren't too bad, ten years, many trips into Burma, and only now malaria. Fortunately it was only pv variety, and I was able to recover quickly once the third hospital visit and second blood test figured out what it was.

But with the down side always comes the upside and this November was full of surprises. A very kind donor donated three commercial baking ovens and a large electric mixer for our nutrition project. This will be a really big step forward for helping the street kids and the children in the worst hit villages, which are many.

By example, Pah Nmm Akha saw its rice harvest register at half of last year due to Forestry department taking so much land away. Forestry would best be compared to Scrooge around here. As it is Pah Nmm villagers are walking one and a half hours just one way to the fields, then working all day and walking back again. Not surprising 9 miscarriages in this village in last two years, notes that Forestry does not pay much attention to.

This is just one village of scores that were relocated to marginal lands, stuffy locations, while Thailand lost one of its most stable environmental relationships, the old villages having been sustainable for years on end.

It's that time of the year....when everyone is asking for money. So why not give to an organization that will make sure your donation goes straight to the heart of a child. Your donation will help buy flour and other ingredients for our Baking Project that is being used to provide much needed nutrition to the Akha children of northern Thailand. Give a present....give a toy.....or give a child a chance at life with the necessary nutrition for survival so that they will one day make a contribution to our world significant enough to make a difference. Our goal this holiday season is to raise $2000 for the baking project to help raise the nutritional levels of the Akha children of northern Thailand. Give a dollar or give more if you can but know that your donation will be used to help this project give more children a chance in life. The Akha Heritage Foundation appreciates your generous donation this holiday season for our Baking Project.

With the donation of the ovens came the donation of a new iMac DVD Classic with fire wire and iMovie. I can now directly hook my digital camera to the computer and pull footage that I want, edit it, and produce a mini movie in minutes.

So this will be the beginning of the Akha Weekly Video Journal as well.

Remaining details are that we still have the fish project to finish and repairs to the truck, replacing the engine.

Please remember the Akha Children of north Thailand this Christmas Season.

Matthew McDaniel