deliveries.

I think we sort of started a small business.

It seems like everything else here in our little neighborhood: we pray for God to open doors, and He does. Sometimes we don’t even know we’ve walked through them until we turn around!

Such was the case last Friday, as we stood on the steps of woman’s house and she told us, “What a great idea! You’ve started a little business!”

I’ll start at the beginning. I wrote this post a few weeks ago about the new little ways that our neighbors have been trying to earn more money to cover their higher living expenses. San Aye was the lovely friend delivering flowers to our door each week. As much as I loved the flowers, my $2-$3 each week wasn’t going to change her situation with rent. I started to wonder if some of my other friends might enjoy getting flowers delivered to them, and it could make her a little extra money.

I asked one friend, and she seemed excited. The Burmese market–the best place to buy fresh flowers–isn’t pleasant for everyone. Parking is a nightmare even with a motorbike, but nearly impossible with a car. It is a crowded, confusing maze of streets and vendors; I have been lost more than once.

Most flowers are available in the main covered market area–about a block-sized metal structure absolutely full of vendors selling their wares, including fish, fish paste, pork…some very strongly scented items, if you will. There are also some rivers of blood, urine, and who-knows-what running under your feet…

Let’s just say I don’t usually shower before I go each week with the neighbors.

I started to wonder how many other foreigners might like to avoid the market and have fresh, reasonably-priced flowers delivered to their door each week. I posted to our local Facebook page–“What’s Happening in Mae Sot”–and got more of a response than I expected.

We talked to San Aye, and she was so excited!  We headed out with her and her son, Na Leh Ton, a little after 8am last Friday.

For us, it is a commitment of about two hours each Friday morning, and maybe $3 in LPG. (We are thankful for a car with reasonably priced fuel!) For her, she can make around 2-4 times her usual daily sales, but in an hour or two. For our first week, we had eight houses signed up. For this coming Friday–our second week–we have at least ten.

And so here we are–San Aye has started a little delivery service in Mae Sot!