It's been exactly one week and I can confidently say: we did it.  We successfully promoted our own show in the village. The permit almost wasn't processed in time, the police tried to shake us down, and an injury kept Bpaet from competing but we did it.

When people ask what Boom and I are doing in Thailand, we do not simply say we are running a gym but instead tell them we are running a non-profit organization for disadvantagted children in Isaan; empowering families through Muay Thai.  And in saying that, I myself become empowered and realize how truly amazing what we are doing is.

Poverty is so deep here that you can swim for years before ever touching the surface.  Bpaet's auntie farms rice for $6 US per day, but that is only seasonal.  She weaves grass mats , grows chillies,  crosses the moon river to dig for wild potatoes, and still can barely make ends meet.

Even the drive to the village requires effort. The road is inches away from being flooded; flooding caused by deforestation and hasty development, not mother nature. Navigating through the patches of partially paved and dirt sections, new potholes show themselves almost daily.

There are things that happen at the gym that are too precious to record, but instead must be lived in the moment. Tonight was one of those nights.