Further BIOs from TPHS students.

This one comes from Phil Hohnen:

1963-77 Studies in Geology (ANU, Uni of PNG) and Civil Engineering (Uni of NSW) and worked at BMR, Canberra; PNG Dept of Lands, Surveys and Mines; Swiss Aluminium Mining, based in Mackay, Queensland.

1978-88 Prospected for opals in far western Queensland; marketed opals in USA and in Surfers’ Paradise; had a bad experience with others exploiting my opal claim.

1986-1998 opened and operated antiques business in Gold Coast; did furniture making and restoration.

1995-1997 Studied fulltime at Bible College.

Late 1997 Helped plant a church in the Baiyer River, PNG.

1999 built a sports car 'Aquila Audax' from scratch, an unfulfilled ambition. Registered and raced it early 2000. It was faster than a Porsche Carrera back in 2000.

In March 2000 I came to see what opportunities/challenges there were for me in the Missions area in Thailand, when I visited a refugee camp for the Karen on the Burma/Thailand border. I taught in their college, preached in their church and returned to Oz to have a fire sale of my antique business stock and house on 2.5 acres on the Gold Coast. In December I married my Thai partner Wanida, in Queensland and returned to Thailand and bought land at Hot, 111 km south of Chiang Mai.

Here Wanida and I have worked with a shared vision to help Thai orphans. We have built two dormitories; a Kindergarten; a Primary School for Grades 1-6, with playing field; a 150-tree mango orchard; a salt water swimming pool and various other facilities. We have taken in 25 HIV/Aids orphans and other, abandoned newborns, over the past 9 years, and are raising them as our own children and educating them at our own Government-approved school. We also have a registered charity, "Nurturing Children Foundation", and are licensed to care for up to 50 children.

We now take paying students from outside, to help with economies of scale, but it all keeps us too busy. I'm cook and in charge of the 9 car pool. Wanida is usually at the orphanage/school in Hot 2 hours away from 'home' where her three teenage children and I are weekdays on 5 acres we have developed in a mountain-resort area, 35 km out of Chiang Mai. In my spare time, I'm trying to develop 20 more acres of Macadamia plantation to supplement our income and give the 28 kids a future cash flow.

We have been partially supported over the past 9 years by friends on the Gold Coast, and from my nearly exhausted fire-sale funds! All done by faith. Gold Coast Christian schools visit twice annually to do voluntary work for a few days each, before doing similar things in the refugee camps. Oh, and we of course have staff, including 5 teachers (3 are sociologists too), nannies, a cook, and laundry lady.

Along the way, I have had some serious health issues and various operations. I’m still fighting fit and have driven 500 000km commuting in Thailand.

For those wishing to contact Phil, his "snail mail" address is: 28 Moo 7, Baan Pang Yang, T. Baan Pong, A. Hang Dong, Chiang  Mai 50230, Thailand and if you wish to contact him by email send to our blog address "tphs1962@hotmail.com" and we will forward it to him.

This one is back to Australia and from Richard Dash:

Newcastle

Community Welfare

After leaving Canberra and the public service in the 1970s I have lived mostly in Newcastle and worked mainly in welfare-related jobs.

My fourth marriage, to Stephanie, has lasted 27 years - so far, so good.

My interests include travel, food, reading and art. I have the largest collection of 'Vande' (vintage Australian pottery) in Australia.

For my sins, I am still working four days a week.

There are still more BIOs coming....