Now! Anyone who has met Barry Iddles of Sorrento Catering Company knows he’s not only a man of many great talents, he’s also very charismatic and funny, but there’s another side to Barry…
Here is a little story about what Barry gets up to when he’s not performing miracles on his home soil. In 1999 Barry toured Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, accompanied by 3 amazing friends from Canada.
One day, he saw on the steps of the local “Wat” temple next door to where they were staying, was a novice Monk sitting under a purple bougainvillea.
Barry, as curious as he is, gestured could he take a photo of the man. The man replied “fatso you can sit with me if you like” and there began a 14 year journey…
Auod, Barry’s new friend continued to email and practiced English over the next 12 months. Auod was leaving the temple to go back to his Dad’s farm. He could not afford to go to university and that’s where Barry stepped in, paying for his education for the next 4 years.
This gift of education has now given Auod a fantastic job as Sales and Marketing Manager for the Santi Group in Luang Prabang. This has given him the opportunity to earn 5 times the local monthly salary which is around $500 per month. A Gardner gets $80 a month a Waiter $100 a month. This act of kindness has then enabled Auod to put his 4 brothers through school, purchase a tractor for his father and get married, with now two beautiful children.
Barry’s kindness extended to buying him his first laptop, tablet, and a motor bike and also give him financial assistance to buy land. Auod has built a small house on one block of land for his brothers.
Thanks to Barry and his ability to see in others, life, compassion and kindness, Auod is now set up for life and if there is anything that Barry would like to see out of this experience, it is “I hope that he continues to help others”
Thank you Barry for being such an awesome individual with such a gracious heart and soul. You’re our hero!