Wow, this is incredible!
On one hand I was about to comment on how good you look, being in charge of the tuk-tuk, transporting the local kids to and from school. And the kids seem to enjoy it, looking also fantastically happy in your pics.
At the same time it pains me to read your words, that you are facing this major burden by yourself, while all the others (neighbors, members of the community, the kids' parents) not lifting a finger - that is offering up a dime - to help out a bit. I guess if you weren't doing it, their kids wouldn't get to school. What a horrible attitude?
I really wonder what those parents are thinking: that you are crazy to do this? Or insanely rich? Maybe both? Though they sure don't seem to have a problem accepting your generosity! But it would be so easy to split up the cost of gas, oil, maintenance, as well as driving time among all families involved.
So sad! I agree, hoping that karma is real, and more than that, you won't have to wait till your next life to see its effects.
We certainly don't expect anything from Mey-Yii's grandma because we already know her education is not even worth a cent to that woman, so we've more or less taken her in as our own, although we send her back home in the evenings to sleep at her grandma's place. Our only hope is the family that has 4 kids which we take to and from school. They are a good enough family for Cambodia, not dealing with alcoholism or a gambling addiction, but the husband chooses to supplement his already decent salary with illegal logging. The Wildlife Alliance recently confiscated his chainsaw and burned all of his illegal timber, so they are in a tough financial situation, and he doesn't seem willing or brave enough to think of alternative streams of income.
I would like to do homestays in the village as a source of income that may prevent illegal logging, but right now I know most foreigners would be uncomfortable in the local households because of all the mental health problems, alcoholism, gambling, etc.
The family who sends 4 kids actually have 8 kids in their home but only 4 are their biological children, so they are doing a good thing in taking in several "throwaway kids." They tried to give us $25 when I first started taking their kids to school, but we said wait until they receive their salary, then only give us what they can afford to give.
Well, the offer was there and that's a good sign. And even if the financial situation may not permit it, they seem to be open to look for other solutions. So that sounds good. As for Mey-Yii's grandma, from what you told me, I didn't even expect too much.