For two years Laura has worked as a teacher at The Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled, (RVSD).

Laura is the sister to one of my friends and Dieter and I have often talked about going to Thailand to visit her.

This winter we decided that now is the time to visit Laura and I must say, I was supprised how well the school worked, how many facilities they had and it's so big.

The Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled was established in 1984, it teaches and trains about 200 disabled studens a year.

All students are taught English and the school provides a graduate training course in computer graphics, programming and electronic repair.

Everything started about 30 years ago.

In 1970 a Catholic priest named Father Ray Brennan, who lived at the eastern Thai seaside resort of Pattaya, was left with a baby in his care. Shortly after another baby came along and soon after the Pattaya Orphanage was founded by Father Brennan.

Dieter and I visited the orphanage. The children looked happy and at peace and all the children seemed to be taken good care of. I think they were as happy as you can be, when you are in a orphanage.

There's not only the school for the disabled and the orphanage but also a home for street children and a school for deaf and blind children. Alltogether there're up to 100 street children, 220 deaf or blind children and 200 disabled young people.

It looks like the schools and the homes cares for the children and tries to ensure that everyone who leaves any of the projects will be able to take care of the future with a job and or a family.

The Street Children's Home is housing neglected and unwanted children who would otherwise live on the streets and or be prostituted.

Father Brennan started the School for Blind Children in 1987. It teaches Braille, educates blind or visually impaired children to the Thai National Curriculum standards.

In 1985, Father Brennan started the School for Deaf Children which teaches sign language, reading, writing, arithmetic, lipreading and gives speech therapy. There is no tuition fee.

To learn more about the schools, please go to: www.rvsd.ac.th