To be Fair: Breakfast is served

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Breakfast is served

Breakfast is served at the main hall where the monks and nuns preach. There are 4 monks and 2 nuns in this village. They will be seated on a raised platform while we sat on the floor facing them. Before the breakfast is served, the chief monk will address the village folks, on various topics such as crops, principles of life or even asked where I am from. I have to pronouce Malaysia as "Ma-lai-sia", the only way Thai folks will understand.

Men are seated to the right of the monk where women to the left.

Then food is placed on six to seven large wooden trays mounted on tiny wheels. Like a conveyer belt, they are glided with respect sequentially to the monks and then the nuns. The venerable ones take their picks as the trays glided along. There are student helpers waited by the end of the train to move the trays down to the children and women seated on the floor. Men gets to the train last.

These trays are quite heavy especially when they are loaded with food

But before we could dig in, we have three bows to offer to the monks and nuns. Then the school kids offer their bows to us adults followed by one last prayer we need to offer as a group. The simple prayer is titled "Why we eat rice?" Head Chef Wan translated every line for me, and by now my stomach is rumbling.

Why are we eating rice?

We eat rice because we would like to thank our nation.

We thank our farmers.

We must be focused on what we do.

We respect our elders.

We contribute to our community.

We thank our chef".