It's my birthday yet again (uff), and the day started on the right note with the girls in the group serenading me with the Marilyn Monroe version of “Happy Birthday (Mr President)” with a candle stuffed into a cup cake and a lovely bouquet of lotus flowers. I actually filmed it, but have been threatened with castration if I upload it in the internet - so if you hear that I've changed my name to Mildred, you'll know why…

The atmosphere at LRDE was a little off today. I couldn't put my finger on why but this morning the street children seemed to be uncharacteristically boisterous, so I thought I'd better get cracking with the lesson and give them something from the Helen O'Grady repertoire to channel their energy and get them to focus and, of course, it worked. For a while - because I'm not quite sure what happened afterwards because it was all a little bit surreal.

As soon as I'd finished my segment teaching animal names and the sounds they make (cows moo, frogs croak, etc - although apparently here some animals sound different– for instance frogs go “maa”), the entire room suddenly emptied and every one disappeared round the corner and came out brandishing balloons, home-made cards, sweets and cakes and singing Happy Birthday to me. For a moment there, I'd forgotten it was my 40th again. Ahem!

I spotted Mr Chiu grinning, as well as Sophorn and the other volunteers, while the children mobbed me, still singing and stealing hugs. Of course, Gaby was sobbing in the background, and the rest of the team admitted to having huge lumps in their throats and fighting back tears. I soldiered on for the cameras.

Then, as though that was not enough, the kids proceeded to spray me with confetti and spaghetti spray and put paper garlands around my neck and continued to sing something in Cambodian - presumably a birthday song. It was a touching and magical experience and I loved every minute of it.

It was fortuitous that apart from my birthday, today also marked the 180,000th meal that was served at LRDE since it opened its doors in February 2010. It was presented to an 11-year-old girl named Kha Kimhong who was a tad overwhelmed by the attention!

Open 300 days a year, approximately 240 meals are served in the restaurant each day. Curries, rice and noodle dishes are prepared daily for the scores of kids that stream in for their daily meal, a quick shower or a haircut (as we witnessed yesterday) and a little bit of rest and respite from the slog of their daily lives where they have to work hard rummaging through garbage, day in, day out, to contribute to the sustenance of their large families.

And yet, they took time out between yesterday and today to organise a party for me. These children have nothing... but they just keep giving and giving. I don't get how they do it. I have so much to learn from these angels.

But the surprises didn’t stop there. On arrival at the SFODA orphanage, I was asked to sit down with my hands over my eyes until the children, all smartly wearing their Helen O’Grady t-shirts, came out in a single file procession singing “Heppy Ping Pong to Yuuuu” and presented me with a small cake, a beautiful silk scarf and fresh coconuts for the team.

Of course, Gaby cried again but also, for me, it really was the most emotional birthday I have ever had.

Ciao for now