DAENG made it HOME SAFE from BURMA

Daeng made it home over the border around 3:30 PM. I was extremely happy to see her.

She spent the next few hours filling me in about the trip. We had only talked on the telephone once as the area she was in has no cellular or land line telephone service.

The electricity that runs the lights and the television was made with a paddle wheel in the stream which turned a generator. They did have TV with satellite reception.

Daeng said that she did not encounter any problems with the military or the police except she had to pay 1500 TB ($45.00 USD) to a policeman at the first check point after the bus left Tachilek.

They told her that it was for reservations for three nights at a guest house as she told them she was going to be there for three nights due to friends death. Of course they did not give her a receipt or the name of the Guest House.

When they arrived Daeng's Uncle was laid out for viewing in the home's living room. Daeng calls him her Uncle but he is really Daeng's Sister-in-law's Father's Brother. I think that is correct but don't know if I should have used three hyphens for three possessives. Oh well, you get the idea.

Part of the grieving process for the family is being together, crying together eating together and laughing together.

Things moved along pretty fast that day as they don't do any embalming. Everyone eat and they started to move Daeng's Uncle in a processional to the area he was to be cremated.

After loading his casket onto a truck the oldest son is in the lead holding a string that everyone else holds along the way.

They traveled quite a ways up on a hill where his wife's ashes was already entombed.

I am told the man with the coconut is going to wash Daeng's Uncle's face with coconut water before he is cremated.

A platform of small logs were in place to put his body on and a tire was put on top of him to be sure he burned well.

It is my understanding that he picked out this tire himself and told everyone that it was for his cremation so don't throw it away.

It was time to start the fire. Everyone prayed, cried and hugged wishing him a safe journey.

Back at the house they had bought a pig and a small cow to feed everyone.

They had to butcher and start cooking as there are no refrigerators.

There were a lot of people to feed.

Everyone stayed up late talking, playing cards and games like BINGO.

Daeng said she couldn't play BINGO as she didn't know her numbers in Burmese.

Next morning, up early, wash up and brush your teeth at the river and eat.

After eating it was time to go up the hill to where he was cremated and put the bones that are left in a masonry entombment.

Daeng said the ground was still very hot but everyone helped find all the bones that were left.

They placed them into the start of the entombment next to his wife.

After that Daeng left this family and travel by car to another village where she was told her Aunt had died the day before. She was greeted by the family, spent the night and then traveled back to meet the rest of the family at her deceased Uncle's home.

Well, almost three days without a shower, it was time for a bath. the girls all made the trip to the river.

It was quite a trip for Daeng but she is safe now in Thailand with me.

We are going to rest tomorrow and go to Ban AYO on Saturday if we can get ahold of Chom-nom.