Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host,
Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and
I bring you content that's informative, positive,
fun, and uplifting. This podcast is created and
produced with the help of students from the International
Community School of Bangkok. Hey everybody, Mr.
Jason here. Today we are exploring a theme that
I think every student and aspiring entrepreneur
needs to hear. The power of legacy. Typically,
when we discuss big business, we think of spreadsheets
and sales. But today we're looking at the human
side of leadership. We are joined by a guest
who manages one of Thailand's most iconic exhibition
empires, yet spends her heart and time giving
smiles back to children who need them most. Joining
me to lead this conversation are my co -host
Esther and Pan. But before we jump into our first
segment interview, let's hear our quote of the
day and get some headline news. Our quote of
the day comes from none other than Winston Churchill.
I think this quote perfectly matches our guest's
life story. Winston Churchill once said, we make
a living by what we get, but we make a life by
what we give. This quote really highlights the
difference between material success and personal
fulfillment. While we all work hard to build
our careers and make a living. Churchill reminds
us that the true meaning of our lives is found
in how we contribute to others. It's a great
reminder to look for our ways to use our own
talents and platforms to make a positive impact,
no matter how busy we get. I think this sets
a perfect tone for the conversation we're about
to have. And that's our quote of the day. Now
on to some headline news for Bengal. Now. Here's
some headline news about upcoming expos coming
to Bangkok. Our first event will be Money Expo
Bangkok 2026. It will take place from May 7 to
10 at Impact Exhibition Convention Center. This
expo brings together banks, insurance providers,
and financial technology companies. This event
will showcase new financial services. investment
opportunities, and digital banking innovations,
highlighting how technology continues to reshape
the financial industry. Then, at the end of May,
from May 26 to 30, is a trade show put on by
Tyfex Anuka Asia, which has positioned itself
as Asia's F &B powerhouse. This expo that will
be held at Impact Arena in Bangkok is recognized
as one of Asia's largest food and beverage trade
exhibitions. The event will welcome thousands
of exhibitors from around the world. The showcase
will feature new food products, industry technologies,
and culinary trends, reinforcing Thailand's role
as a major hub for international food trade.
And finally, our last headline takes us to the
Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center,
or better known as BITEC for short. BITEC will
be hosting both the Thailand Franchise and Business
Opportunities 2026 and the Asian Retail 2026
shows from June 4 to 7. These events bring together
franchise brands, retail innovators, and investors
from across the region. This joint event helps
create new partnerships and highlights the rapid
growth of Southeast Asia's retail and franchise
sectors. And that is our headline event news
for Bangkok for this episode. Thank you for the
quote in the headline news. For our first segment,
we're honored to welcome Ms. Ching to our studio
today. She helps lead Union Pan Exhibitions,
one of Thailand's premier consumer fair organizations,
and she also serves as a Smile Ambassador for
Operation Smile Thailand. I'll hand over the
mic to Pun to get us started. Welcome to the
show, Kun Ching. We are so happy to have you.
Get us started. Please introduce yourself to
our listeners and tell us a little bit about
the scope of your work. Yes. Hi, I'm Jing. I'm
a Board of Directors at Unipan Exhibitions and
also as my ambassador for Operation Smile Thailand
Foundation. And my company is a family -owned.
I'm a third generation. It's a well -known consumer
fair exhibitions organizer in Thailand. I helped
Operation Smile for the past 10 years already.
I think you guys will be familiar with this foundation.
It provides the free surgery to repair cleft
lip and cleft palate as well as post -operative
care including speech pathologies and orthodontics.
Now I have two children. First one is seven years
old now and the second one is three years old.
That is such a massive responsibility you have
to take care of. You are carrying on a huge legacy.
What is it like really to be one of the leaders
in your family's company, Union Pen Exhibition?
Being part of a family business is both an honor
and a responsibility. Union Pen Exhibition has
been part of Thailand exhibition industry for
like over four decades. So there is a strong
legacy to carry forward. For me, It's about respecting
the foundations that previous generation built,
while also bringing new ideas to help the company
grow in changing world. I focus on strengthening
in organization internally, especially in areas
like human resource development, strategic planning,
and modern marketing, so that the company can
continue to grow sustainably with our clients
and partners. Wow, that's very insightful. Let's
move on to our next question. Thinking about
that legacy, can you share a project or a specific
moment you're most proud of in your career so
far? One of the moments I feel most proud of
is helping refreshing the brand and organization
structures. The company I approached this year
is 46 years already. nearly like half a century.
So we have to learn to adapt with the new things.
We also work on modernizing our internal system
and repositioning the brand so that it remains
relevant in today's digital era. Seeing the company
evolve while maintaining the trust of long -term
clients has been very meaningful to me. It's
inspiring to hear how those big moments shaped
your career, and it's clear you stayed very grounded
through it all. Thinking about your foundation,
what values from your education or personal life
guide the way you approach your work each day?
My study in local economic development and London
School of Economic and Political Science taught
me to think about how business can contribute
to broader economies. community growth. So in
my work, I always try to think beyond just the
company itself. Exhibitions and fair are not
only business platform. They also create opportunity
for entrepreneurs, small business and local industry
to go. On a personal level, I value intricacies,
responsibility and empathy. This value guides
how I work with colleagues, partner and the community.
Wow, those values clearly act as a compass for
your leadership. Well, since we're talking about,
you know, the way you work, let's now look at
the industry itself. So looking toward the horizon
or the future, how do you see the role of exhibitions
and fairs evolving in Thailand in the next few
years? I believe exhibition will continue to
play an important role in Thailand's economies,
but they will evolve to become more experience
-driven and digitally integrated. Today, people
are not just looking for product. They want meaningful
interactions, like networking opportunities and
inspirations. Organizers therefore need to combine
physical events with digital platforms to create
more engagement experience for both exhibitions
and visitors. That sounds like a very exciting
and busy future for the industry. With so much
on your plate between innovation and tradition,
I have to ask about the human side. How do you
balance your professional responsibilities with
your personal life and family? Balancing work
and family is always a learning process. For
me, as a mother of two daughters, family is extremely
important to me. I try to prioritize my time
carefully and stay present in whatever role I
am in. Whether at work or with my family, having
a supportive family also helps a lot. They remind
me that success is not only about professional
achievement, but also about building a meaningful
life. Wow, that sounds very meaningful. Well,
since we already talked a bit about your experience
leading UnionPan, let's shift gears now. We'd
like to hear more about your experience with
Operation Smile. So what does your involvement
with Operation Smile look like? I have been involved
with Operation Smile Thailand Foundation for
more than 10 years as an ambassador. cleft lip
and cleft palate as well as post -operative care
such as speech therapy. My role mainly focusing
on fundraising, also like raising awareness and
helping with fundraising effort so that more
children can receive life -changing treatment.
That is such a life -changing work and it's incredible
to see that level of dedication. It makes me
wonder about your daily or weekly routine. Can
you describe what it is like balancing your time
between leading Union Pan and working with Operation
Smile at the same time? For me, both roles are
connected by a shared purpose, creating positive
impact. My work in the exhibition industry helps
supporting businesses and economic growth. why
my involvement with operations might allow me
to contribute to society. Balancing two reminds
me that success should also include giving back
to the community. Wow, thank you so much for
this. Let's move on to our final question. We
like to end by asking our guests for advice.
So what advice would you give to young people
who want to start or grow their own business?
My advice would be, to stay curious and never
stop learning. The business world is constantly
changing, so adaptability is very important for
me and I think it's for you also. It's also important
to build strong values and surround yourself
with good people, mentor, partner and a positive
team. And most importantly, be patient. Building
something meaningful takes time. But with dedication
and resilience, it is definitely possible. Wow,
thank you so much for that good advice. It's
for everybody, no matter their age or where they're
at in life. It's good to stay curious, never
stop learning, be adaptable, be patient, and
building something meaningful takes time. It's
been a privilege having you in the studio today,
so thank you for showing us that high -level
business and a big heart for humanity can and
should go hand in hand. Your work with both Union
Pan and Operation Smile is a true inspiration.
We're going to take a quick break for our PSA
announcement, and then when we return, we'll
bring you part four of our serial story, The
Mystery of St. Augustine. The plot is thickening,
so don't go away. We'll be right back. Did you
know that every three minutes a child is born
with a cleft lip or a cleft palate? In Thailand
alone, around 2 ,000 babies are born with this
condition every single year. For many of these
children, breathing, eating, and even speaking
can be a daily struggle. But there is hope. Operation
Smile Thailand provides safe, life -changing
surgeries and comprehensive care to underprivileged
children across the country, completely free
of charge. In as little as 45 minutes, one surgery
can transform a child's future and give them
a smile that can carry for a lifetime. You can
be part of this mission, whether it's through
a donation, volunteering, or simply spreading
the word. Your support helps bridge the gap to
essential health care. To learn more or to make
a contribution, visit operationsmile .or .th
or follow them on social media at Operations
Smile Thailand. Give a smile, change a life.
Now let's get back to the show. And we are back.
For this segment, we will bring you part four
of our 10 -part adventure story titled The Mystery
of St. Augustine. Before we jump into part four,
here's a brief recap of part three. Following
the shocking theft at the Historical Society,
the El Dorado team decide to pursue a secret
lead of their own. Professor Amanda Chase revealed
her two -shipwreck theory, the possibility that
Sir Francis Drake lost a second, undocumented
ship carrying other materials and contents of
great value. To test this theory, James Hawthorne
arranged a private charter with local captain
Bobby Mitchell, intending to scout the coastline
under the guise of a simple historical tour.
After finding an old buried box containing 24
16th century gold coins, the criminal network
known as The Table shifts its focus. Chairs 3,
4, and 5 were dispatched to Jacksonville on a
dual mission to shadow their surrogate employer,
Eleanor Bennett, and to infiltrate a university
research lab. Using forged credentials, they
aim to authenticate the stolen documents to ensure
the red list treasure is truly within their reach.
As both groups move towards their targets, The
El Dorado team prepares to uncover a secret that's
been guarded for centuries at the Cathedral Basilica.
And now, without further ado, here's part four,
titled The Clues. The sun was bright, and the
midday heat was starting to rise. Even though
summer had not yet arrived and the humidity was
low. Midday in St. Augustine could get warm,
especially when there was no clouds in the sky,
and this was one of those days. Tom Reynolds,
feeling a little warm under his collar, walked
into the small St. Augustine police headquarters
and was happy to be in the air conditioning.
He approached the check -in counter and mentioned
that he had an appointment to see Lieutenant
Daniel Walsh. After filling out a visitor's log
and signing his name, He sat down in one of the
orange bucket seats in the small waiting area.
These are the kind of seats that come in pairs
and are connected to each other. Tom was thankful
he was the only one there. Lieutenant Walsh opened
a side door just next to the check -in counter,
smiled at Tom, and then said, Thanks for coming
on such a short notice. Follow me. Lieutenant
Walsh then motioned for Tom to follow him through
the door and down a hallway. As the two made
their way down a short hallway, Tom replied,
I'm excited to hear what you have found. That
was pretty quick. Lieutenant Walsh opened one
of the last doors in the hallway and motioned
for Tom to have a seat at one of the chairs at
the table. Lieutenant Walsh with a straight face
then said, Yeah, we have a few young, tech -savvy
officers here that helped us with this lead we
are about to show you. At the moment, Chief Sullivan
stepped into the doorway from the hall and said,
Hey Tom, I hope the lieutenant is helping you
out. If you need anything else, please don't
hesitate to ask. I heard about the break -in.
Well, the so -called break -in. Sounds like a
professional job. Our usual suspects don't fit
the profile. Anyways, I think the lieutenant
is onto something. He continues, Anyways, I'm
off to the courthouse for the afternoon. Walsh
will fill me in later. Okay, take care. End of
that. Chief Sullivan left. Tom nodded his head,
as if to say thank you to the chief, and then
looked up at Lieutenant Walsh and asked, Okay,
what do you have? Well, we have an old city ordinance
in place that requires all commercial businesses
to register the placement of CCTV cameras with
the police department. Meaning, if a business
is granted a business license within the city
limits, and that business installs CCTV cameras
on the exterior of their business or building,
and if those cameras are pointing toward a public
road or area, that business is required to inform
the police department of that camera. Lt. Walsh
paused for a moment and then asked, Are you following
this, Tom? Yeah, okay, that makes sense, Tom
replied. I think I know where you're going with
this, so please go on. I had one of my deputies
look into our CCTV registration records, and
she found a registered camera belonging to the
business that sits across the street from your
building. It's an old thrift shop business, but
they do have an old camera that points in the
direction of the historical society. I know which
place you're talking about. but I've never seen
any cameras on their storefront. In fact, I wasn't
even sure they were still in business, Song replied.
Well, thank you to our young deputy. She was
able to find the owner, who, by the way, is as
old as our town, and the owner was able to provide
her access to the camera's recordings from the
timeline you believe the documents were taken.
Lieutenant Walsh continued, Anyway, I wanted
to play you the video we found and see if you
recognize the individual who was recorded. It's
not great quality, but it's at least something.
With his eyebrows raised in surprise, Tom replied,
Wow, that was fast. Sure, let's have a look and
make sure to thank your deputy for me. Tom watched
as Lieutenant Walsh plugged a USB stick into
a laptop that was already open and sitting on
the table in front of them both. It took Lieutenant
Walsh several clicks to find the file. Tom, along
with Lieutenant Walsh, watched the slightly blurry
video footage. The CCTV camera had recorded one
person coming into frame, then turning and entering
the alley behind the Historical Society's building.
The camera then captured that same person leaving
the alley and walking out of frame around 10
minutes later. The images were not very clear
since the camera was old and the lens was dirty.
And this happened at night. Tom looked up at
Lt. Walsh and then said, Well, that's something.
That's more than what we had yesterday. I guess
this video does confirm that we did have a break
-in. I also don't recognize this person. It's
too hard to see any type of detail besides the
fact that they are wearing dark clothes and a
hat to cover their hair and face. I thought you'd
appreciate the video lead. We couldn't make out
the identity of the person, but we thought we'd
show it to you in case something stood out to
you. Lieutenant Walsh responded. Can I see the
video again in slow motion? Tom asked. Yeah,
no problem, Lieutenant Walsh said, and then played
the video a few more times in slow motion. Tom
stood up halfway from his chair, pointing at
the laptop screen. and then said, Pause it right
there. Can you see that? Lieutenant Walsh squinted
his eyes and then responded, Let me zoom in a
bit. My eyes are getting bad with my age. If
you know what I mean. Keaton continued, Okay,
I think I see what you are pointing at. It was
a marking on the backside of the hat the individual
was wearing. It was blurry, but the shape resembled
what looks like the letter J. I can't tell for
sure, but... Doesn't that look like the letter
J? Tom asked. It does, Lieutenant Walsh replied,
and the hat looks to be a baseball cap, and it
looks more like a dark blue than black. I'm not
a baseball fan, but what do you think, Tom? Do
you recognize that? No, but I know someone who
will, he replied as he pulled out his phone and
video called Cece. Just as Cece was leaving her
mother's house, her phone started vibrating in
her back pocket. She stopped by her driver's
side door, grabbed her phone and saw it was Tom,
and clicked the green accept button. Hey boss,
she answered. I was just about to head over to
the old church to meet up with Mr. Hawthorne
and his team. What's up? Hey there. Thanks for
picking up so quickly. I'm still at the police
station with Lieutenant Walsh, who may have a
lead on our stolen archives. Tom then continued.
I'm going to text you an image of what looks
to be a baseball cap. There's a symbol or emblem
on the back of the hat. It's quite small and
a bit blurry. We think it looks like the letter
J, but not sure. Anyways, I thought since you've
been around baseball so much because of your
brothers and somewhat professionally around here,
you might recognize it. If you could take a quick
look and then text me back, that'd be great.
Thanks. And with that, Tom ended the call. Cece,
knowing that Tom was focused on this one thing,
didn't mind at all that he cut the call short
without asking her anything else. She knew Tom
could be like this, especially when he was stressed
or focused. He was short and to the point. She
opened the car door and then got in and sat there
for a moment, waiting for Tom's text. Bing, there
it was. She looked at the image Tom had sent,
ran the image through one of her favorite camera
filter apps, and enhanced the back of the hat
to clear it up. She knew right away. This was
the logo of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Minor
League Baseball team. Tom was right. The emblem
did resemble the letter J. The image was blurry,
but she was sure of it. She found a clean version
of the logo online, took a screenshot of it,
and sent a text right back to Tom with her reply.
It read, I'm pretty sure the emblem on the back
of the baseball cap is of the Jacksonville Jumbo
Shrimp Minor League Baseball team. Here's a screenshot
of the real logo I found online. If you put the
two side by side, it's almost a perfect match.
Tom's phone dinged as Cece's incoming message
appeared. Bingo. Tom said out loud as he held
his phone up toward Lieutenant Walsh. Well, Lieutenant,
I think that emblem on the back of the hat our
thief is wearing belongs to the minor league
baseball team, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Lieutenant Walsh removed his glasses from his
front shirt pocket and then put them on as he
leaned over the table and squinted to see the
small images on Tom's phone. He then stepped
back and replied, I think you're right. That's
good detective work, Tom. He then continued.
We have a good lead on at least one article of
clothing the thief was wearing, and it's very
specific. I'll do some more digging with this
new information, and if we find out anything
else, I'll be in touch. Tom stood up from the
table, had a small smile on his face, and then
replied, This detective work is exciting. I understand
why you like it, Lieutenant. However, I've got
to get back to the office and start coordinating
schedules with the team here from California.
They're out this afternoon doing some research
with Cece. Thanks again, Lieutenant. And with
that, Tom left the police station and headed
back to his office at the Historical Society.
Hawthorne parked on the street opposite the Basilica.
He knew that Cece would be meeting them there
shortly. As the Eldorado team got out of the...
Rental walked across the street and stood next
to the large front entrance doors. Hawthorne
turned to Professor Amanda and asked, While we
wait for Cece, what should we know about this
place before we go inside? Amanda looked over
at Professor Hawthorne and then replied with
a smile, Well, I'm glad you asked. I'll give
you the quick version before we go inside. Amanda
paused a moment to make sure Anne and Olivia
were listening and then continued. Well, what
we are standing in front of is not the actual
first church building. The original church was
much smaller and didn't survive the attack by
Drake's men. Since the old Drake days, there
have been different church buildings constructed
and torn down on this location. The basilica
here, the one we are looking at, was built in
the 1790s. Since then, it's been officially recognized
for a lot of things. Cece would be able to give
those details. She continued, anyway, maybe it
holds some secrets we don't know about. At that
moment, they all saw Cece on the sidewalk walking
toward them. Hawthorne grinned, then said, hello,
and then said, all right, we're glad we get a
tour guide and are excited to see the inside
of this place. Cece grinned and said hello as
she walked past them all and knocked heavily
on the front large wooden doors. She then turned
around and said, Actually, John Tanner, a friend
of the historical society and caretaker of this
old relic, is going to be our tour guide. He
knows this place like the back of his hand, and
he knows all the history, even more so than I
do. It's closed right now to the tourists, but
he'll let us in to see the place. One of the
front large wooden doors slowly opened with several
skiffing noises. And John poked his head out
to see who was banging on the front of the church's
door so loudly. After recognizing Cece, he opened
the door wider and then said, Oh, it's you, as
he nodded his head towards Cece. He then asked,
Who's with you? Cece introduced the El Dorado
College team, Professor Hawthorne and Professor
Amanda and Olivia. After the brief introductions,
Sisi then asked John, I know it's short notice
and visiting hours for this time of year are
different, but would you mind giving us a quick
tour of the church? I'd love for my colleagues
to see the church and maybe get some of their
questions answered. John's face lit up, and then
he replied, Yeah, no problem, Sisi. Any friend
of the historical society is a friend of mine.
And I haven't seen you here in a while. Anyway,
come on in. John pushed on the large wooden doors
open further and motioned for them all to enter
the church. As the team was funneling through
the half -open front door, John continued, Not
sure how much you know about this place, but
here's a quick history lesson. Amanda, now standing
inside the back of the church with the others
visibly excited, stared down the central aisle
of the main seating area. interrupted John and
said, Okay, great. We'd love to hear the history
of this place, especially the parts that haven't
been published for the public. John, surprised
by Amanda's excitement, then said, Okay, then
this will be fun. John stood in front of the
group with his back toward the front and started
walking backward. He motioned the group to follow
him up the main central aisle inside the nave.
as he would give some history about the famous
church. John continued with his history lesson.
The official name of this National Historic Landmark
is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, and
it is the oldest Catholic church in the city
and the oldest parish in the United States. It's
still active today with regular services and
other activities, and it's free to the public,
I might add. John went on for about 10 more minutes
about many of the features inside the main nave
area. The stained glass, the different statues,
and other symbolic relics and objects during
the services. As he stopped at the front by the
main altar and statues, John continued with a
few more facts. Although the original parish
here in St. Augustine began in the 1500s, The
permanent cathedral wasn't built until 1790s.
Several walls in the current structure we are
standing in right now are from the original built
back in the 1790s. Unfortunately, there was a
fire in 1887 that destroyed many of the interior
items at that time. However, a fellow by the
name of Henry Flagler helped fund the restoration.
So, The current cathedral building we are standing
in is a combination of the original 1797 structure
and the restored interior after the 1887 fire.
As John continued to talk about the basilica,
pointing out other small details, Anne nudged
James' arm and then whispered, Look at the base
of the middle wooden carving of Jesus behind
the altar. It's a little hard to see because
of the greenery they placed on the ledge. But
what do you see? Hawthorne squinted his eyes
and trained them on the base of the middle carved
wooden statue of Jesus, which was elevated above
and behind the main altar. Hawthorne could tell
that there was a marking at the base of the carving,
right below the feet of Jesus. As he studied
it for a few seconds, it finally dawned on him
what Anne had noticed. There was a marking in
the wood that resembled a thin arrow that pointed
down. Anne, getting a little impatient, nudged
James' arm again and asked, Do you see it? Yeah,
I think so, he then replied with a louder whisper,
as he talked about the marking that looks like
an arrow pointing down. Yep, she then asked,
What do you think that means? Well, let's ask
John. I'm sure he'd be glad to tell us. At this
time, John had stopped talking about the history
and had suggested the group could just roam around
the main nave area. take photos, or simply rest
and pray if they felt like it. Hawthorne had
to admit the place was peaceful and quiet. James
noticed that Amanda was walking around with Olivia
and Cece, talking softly and looking at the different
elements sitting around the interior. James walked
over to John and then said, Excuse me, do you
mind if I ask you a question about one of the
wooden carvings behind the altar? No, not at
all, John replied. Hawthorne then said, Ann noticed
and then pointed out to me that there's a small
carving of a directional arrow on the base of
the middle statue, right below the feet of Jesus.
The arrow is pointing down. What does that symbolize?
I've done a lot of field work in Central and
South America, and I've never seen a symbol like
this before in an old Catholic church. By this
time, Amanda, Olivia, and Cece had made their
way back to where John and Ann, the professor,
were standing. right in front of the altar and
staring at the base of the statue. Okay, I'll
tell you. This isn't public knowledge. Well,
as at least part of it isn't. And since you are
all here with Sissy and represents the St. Augustine
Historical Society, I can let you in on a few
inside secrets the caretakers, like me and others
before me, have committed to preserve and protect.
John then continues. Yes. The etching is of an
arrow pointing down. The arrow is pointing down
at two things. The altar and the Coquina vault
beneath the floor. John hesitates for a minute
and then says, Tom at the Historical Society
already knows a little about this. But there
are a few other fun and interesting things he
doesn't know about. And I'd be happy to show
you if you're still interested. Maybe this will
motivate Tom to get back over here and visit
again. Amanda, visually excited, then jumps in
and says, Yes, please. We'd love to see more.
This is why we're here. Please go on. Okay, John
replies, and then continues. After the fire of
1887 and the renovations were complete, Henry
Flagler, who funded the restoration and renovation
of the church, didn't want the caretakers to
forget about these two things. First, the altar
contains several sacred relics that were saved
from the fire. Supposedly, the relics in the
altar are linked to three saints and a Franciscan
friar. I'm not sure what the relics are exactly
because the altar is permanently sealed. And
the second thing, Amanda pressed. Yes, John hesitates
for a moment and then says, And the second thing
is something I can show you. Follow me. John
motioned for them to follow him as he stepped
up on the elevated platform and walked behind
the central altar. There was a small gap about
four feet between the back of the large altar
and the back of the church wall. The statue carving
of Jesus was positioned and fastened to the wall,
elevated about five feet off the floor level
of the platform. Okay, this is interesting, Professor
Hawthorne said out loud as the group followed
John Tanner onto the platform and then walked
around the large altar. The group was fixated
on what John was now pointing down at. The group
watched as John rolled up a rug which revealed
a small door in the hardwood floor with a small
lock and latch. As John retrieved an old key
from his inside chest pocket and unlocked the
small lock, he said, We don't show this to tourists.
Obviously, but this small space in the ground
is from the original church building. It wasn't
destroyed in the fire because it is partially
located under the floor of the church. Anyway,
this room is empty, as it sometimes fills up
with several inches of water during a heavy storm.
But there are several carvings in the coquina
walls that you might enjoy looking at. They date
back to the 16th century. John finished saying
that as he lifted the heavy wooden door, rested
it on the back wall, pulled a small flashlight
out of his pocket, and then looked at the ground
with a smile and added, I hope you're not claustrophobic.
Follow me. He then proceeded to descend into
the dimly lit Coquina vault. Amanda watched as
John ducked his head and then climbed down the
old wooden steep staircase into the space below.
Amanda followed John, careful not to misstep.
Once down on the damp stone floor, she was happy
she could stand completely upright, unlike John,
who was taller and had to bend his head down
a bit. Amanda guessed there was only about 6
foot head clearance, and the space looked to
be a square room, maybe around 12 feet by 12
feet. Hawthorne waited as all the others descended,
then he was the last to go down into the vault.
As he reached the bottom of the last step and
then the floor, he felt the top of his head touching
the ceiling of the short room. All right, he
thought to himself, this is pretty cool. The
room was small, smelled very damp, and with all
six of them crammed inside, it did feel quite
small and cramped. He noticed that John, who
was closest to the backside wall, was pointing
his flashlight at several what looked like carvings
in the old Kachina wall. The others had gathered
around him, staring at the wall. Olivia pulled
out her camera and then warned everyone that
her flash was going to go off before taking several
photos of the wall. Hawthorne then asked, What
are we looking at, John? He could tell Amanda
could barely hold her excitement in as she turned
to look at Hawthorne as he asked that question.
John replied to Professor Hawthorne's question
and said, What we're looking at are carvings
from the original 16th century church buildings.
Back then, it was thought that this room was
above ground and a sacred chamber that held Catholic
relics. Obviously, it can't be used all that
today. But the carvings here in the Kokina Wall
have survived many hundreds of years. So John,
Amanda then asked, are these carvings thought
to tell some sort of story? Yes, John replied.
That's pretty much how they documented some of
the more important events back then. If the priests
wanted something to be remembered, they would
inscribe it on the walls. It's a simple way to
pass down a story to the next generation. He
then continued. Feel free to take photos of the
etchings, but out of respect for the Catholic
parish, please don't publish them. Hawthorne,
looking at the half dozen or so carvings and
etchings in the wall, knew that Amanda had noticed
the same thing he had. One in particular etching
stood out to him, and Professor Hawthorne knew
exactly what it meant, or so he thought. However,
he knew John did not, and he assumed Cece didn't
either. Only he and Amanda had been privy to
the exact wording in the records Amanda had found
in the old journal logbook back in the library
at the college, and this etching is connected
to it. He looked over at Amanda, raised his eyebrows,
and then said out loud, This is really something,
John. Do you know what these mean? Not really,
except that some of the etchings seem to highlight
significant events back in the early days. Maybe
something the priests were a part of or the town
was a part of back then. I mean, there are no
other records really that connect to the church
other than this small original space and the
etchings. Amanda, not wanting to seem too excited,
then said, I'm just going to grab a few extra
photos with my phone camera. Don't worry, we
won't publish these anywhere. After that, John
then led the group back up into the church, closed
the heavy wooden door, locked it, and rolled
the rug back over the door. As the group walked
down the main nave aisle again towards the main
doors, John then asked, Is there anything else
you want to see while you're here? Amanda replied,
I think we are good. Thank you for hosting us.
We really appreciate it. I'm not sure I've met
a more knowledgeable parish caretaker. This place
is in good hands with you here. As the group
made their way outside, they were all met with
the bright late afternoon Florida sun. Squinting
his eyes, Hawthorne looked over at Cece and asked,
Hey Cece, we booked a boat ride tomorrow morning
with First Coast Charters. Maybe you and Tom
could join us. What do you think? Actually, that
sounds like a good idea. I can check in with
Tom back at the office and then let you know,
Cece replied. Okay, great. I'll send the details
and we can just meet down at the harbor in the
morning. We wanted to get out on the water for
a few hours to get a sense of the landscape and
what it might have been like for Drake and his
ships to see the land from the water. Makes sense,
Cece replied. I know Tom was at the police station
most of this afternoon, and I'm sure he'll enjoy
a field trip tomorrow with you all. Bobby at
First Coast Charters is great and super knowledgeable.
That's good to know. We're going to head back
to our hotel and call it a day. We'll agree to
meet up tomorrow morning at First Coast's office
down at the harbor. Oh, by the way, do you need
a ride back to the office from here? Hawthorne
asked. No thanks, I parked around the corner,
Cece answered. See you tomorrow then. Midnight
looked at the small clock hanging on the living
room wall of the condo and noticed it was just
past 4pm. Hey, which one of you is going to go
to the post office to pick up the package? I
can go, Chair 3 answered. What PO box am I accessing
again? 32, Midnight said with an annoyed look
on her face. Just get in, get the package, and
get out. Don't talk to anyone and mind your own
business. Yeah, I know the routine. Chair 3 snatched
back as he got up and walked toward the door
to leave the condo. Chair 6 then blurted out,
Wait, you need to conceal your face without looking
too obvious. I'm sure there are cameras in the
post office. Here. Chair 6 grabbed the dark blue
baseball hat that was sitting on the table and
tossed it at Chair 3 and then said, Make sure
you wear this. Chair 3 caught the hat, looked
at it, and then asked, Interesting hat of choice.
The jumbo shrimp? Really? Chair 6 responded,
Never mind the logo. Just make sure you come
back with the package or you guys won't be able
to get into the university's lab tomorrow. She
continued, And for the record, that's the only
dark colored hat I could find on such short notice
before I hit up the historical society the other
night. Chair 3 tucked the hat under his left
arm, opened the door, glanced back at the others,
and then said, Hey 4 and 5, you owe me. and with
that he shut the condo door behind him and walked
down the hallway toward the elevator And that's
a wrap for this episode. A big thanks to our
guests, Ms. Jing of Union Pan and Operation Smile
Thailand on segment one for showing us how to
lead with both business smarts and a big heart.
We've covered everything from international exhibitions
to the latest twist in the mystery of St. Augustine.
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And we are signing off until next time. We are
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