May Full Moon Celebration

Baan Unrak has a tradition of celebrating the full moon day of May. It is a special occasion that we observe every year, marking the important birthday date connected to our mentor and teacher, Baba, whose ideology inspired the building of Baan Unrak.

The celebration at the pagoda on the hill. It began at 5 a.m. by candlelight. We sang the chant that is most dear to our hearts, “Love Is All,” and gradually the children gathered in the main meditation hall. By 7 a.m., they are all there, freshly bathed and dressed in their best clothes. They look like little drops of morning dew under the rising sun, full of fresh and pure energy.

We spend the morning chanting, meditating, listening to Didi, and sharing a special cake. Afterwards, everyone enjoys a festive breakfast.

Bread is not something we often have, so the children were especially happy to have bread with peanut butter and jam. We also had yogurt and plenty of fruit, all generously sponsored by our friend Apsara, who came from Malaysia to celebrate the festival with us.

It was wonderful to spend time together with our volunteers, visitors, and children. There was a beautiful feeling of family, simply enjoying one another’s company.

This year, we also wanted to honor a member of one of the poorest communities in Sangklaburi. He is a blind man with a remarkable talent for traditional Karen music. The Karen people are a tribal community living along the border of Thailand and Myanmar.

Usually, we are the ones singing and entertaining others, but this time we were the ones being entertained by his peaceful and beautiful songs. It brought such a calm and joyful atmosphere to the day.

It was truly a beautiful day of relaxation, celebration, and togetherness.