Greetings everyone. I return yet again, rejuvenated after my enforced sojourn on the other side.

As with the Time lords of Old in our ever changing and expanding universe, I am now in my 3rd incarnation, and let us hope that the Dark forces are forever extinguished as I ascend into a new light of tolerance and understanding – especially from those who would have otherwise.

With your kind forbearance, I shall re-launch the Mercy Street kids thread, and, as time permits, will cut and post the key stuff from the previous thread – for, as Artisan, so eloquently put it - it was becoming somewhat trivialized. Unfortunately my un-technical brain cannot work out how to transfer the photos from the old thread, but I will try to re-post them, plus new ones, over time.

So here we go:

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OK guys, listen up.

There is a children’s mission in Pattaya, just off Sukhumvit Road, that rescues the kids that no one else wants – not even the orphanages. Some of these kids are stateless, many have chronic illnesses, many have been abused - physically, sexually or both.

Right now, the mission is home for 20 kids, ages ranging from a couple of months to ten years. The mission survives on public donations – it has no government funding whatsoever.

Two of the youngest babies are so ill that they are in hospital – one little girl with a hole in her heart is in Chonburi hospital, and the other, who has pneumonia, is in Banglamung hospital. The hospitals require that both babies have 24/7 adult supervision, and the mission has to pay 2 ladies 200 Baht per day to stay there as their own staff have to take care of the other 18 kids.

As well as taking care of the resident kids, the mission goes into the Pattaya slums and gives what it can to the mums and kids who live a desperate existence.

One of the mission’s biggest expense items are nappies and formula milk for the very young. For the past 3 months I have tried to support this costly burden, but I am finding it a bit heavy by myself.

So I am looking for a bit of help. One box of formula milk costs around 300 baht, and one packet of nappies, depending on size and quantity, also costs from 300 baht or so. I am not asking for much, and I am not asking for money - just a few guys who could each commit to providing one box of milk powder or one packet of nappies per month – total monthly outlay per person just a few hundred baht – maybe the price of a small bar bill, or a lunch downtown. Put it in your weekly shopping trolley and you’d hardly notice it.

If there is anyone who can help me on this, please pm me, and I will arrange to collect from your place, or from any nominated meeting point, or I can email you a map of the mission’s location (easy to find – near mini Siam on Sukhumvit) and you could deliver yourself.

Here’s a recent picture of a day out we arranged. Two of the kids that we took were so traumatized by their previous existences that we couldn’t put them down the whole day. They just clung to us and cuddled us for comfort and love.

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I am not asking for much, and I am not asking for money - just a few guys who could each commit to providing one box of milk powder or one packet of nappies per month – total monthly outlay per person just a few hundred baht – maybe the price of a small bar bill, or a lunch downtown. Put it in your weekly shopping trolley and you’d hardly notice it.

commit to buying one box of milk powder, or one box of nappies per month and I will do the rest. More if you want, but I'm trying to keep it simple, affordable, and therefor do-able

Yes, its the Mercy Mission - a non denominational Christian group. But many of the volunteers and helpers, including me, are not Christian. We just want to help the kids.

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Here are just a few highlights from THIS week-ending: June 3rd 2006

§ Our water system at our new MERCY Center & Children’s shelter had to be completely replaced. Normally we don’t do anything unless the money comes in first but in this case we were forced to act. Our thanks to the very kind Thai business man (Youngyut) who installed it all giving us time to raise the money. We pray for someone to come along to sponsor the cost of the water system (B 50,000)

§ A 27 yr. mother wants us to care for her 5 month old baby girl and when in process of medical checks find she has either pneumonia or perhaps even TB, but we won’t know for 3 days. Baby is in hospital but we must have someone there with her 24hrs. day because she’s under 5 months. and public hospitals don’t provide baby care. Now we know the man of the house has TB so bad he can’t work or hardly walk anymore, the mother is there also sick with likely TB, the baby’s mother refuses to be tested cause she has to recycle trash as she is the only working person in the family. She also has her young niece & nephew with her as their mum is in jail for drugs. The baby’s mum is elated that the baby’s in our care … but refuses anything else, saying she has to work … driving her broken down motorcycle from one garbage bin to another through the night … going home in day time to care for all the sick in her home.

§ Another young mother with 3 children is desperate for us to take her baby boy one month old cause she just can’t provide for another mouth to feed. She will come tomorrow to bring the baby so we can talk to her and see if there is some way she can keep him. She says she will give him away to anyone who will take him because she just has no other answer. If there is no other answer, we will take the baby …

§ A Thai man was referred to us last week with a 4 yr. girl who was left with him as a small baby by her Mom who said she’d be back … but 4 yrs. later … still no word and they just can’t keep her anymore. Pattaya Orphanage refused her as she has no proper papers and she may not be a real orphan. We agreed to meet her and verify the story (as we must do) and the phone number the man left with us is not working. The little girl’s name is Annie. I just can’t get he out of my mind. . Over the past several months there have been 2 separate stories of 3 yr. girls raped in Pattaya because they were not properly being cared for.

§ A 15 yr. girl in the N.E. area of Thailand is expecting a baby any day now. She was going to have an abortion but was persuaded and convinced her to let the baby live and that God would bring a home & family for the baby. As yet there is no home & no family yet, she is desperate and we’ve been asked to take the baby. We need to send her money for the hospital bill and send someone up there to pick up the baby. If we can find a Thai adoptive family she will write the man as the baby’s father in the birth certificate and it could all be settled that simple. We have visited with 2 potential Thai adoptive families this week but they both want a farang (white skinned) /Thai mix baby.

§ Malagah is 6 yrs. old with pustular psoriasis. That means his skin constantly breaks out in infected sores … peeling his skin like 3rd degree burns. We just has him in hospital for 2 weeks to get him through a particularly bad bout … but it’s appearing again on his lower legs and head … as the weather is hot, humid and difficult even for those of us in good health. We are looking for a Thai foster family … then we will give them financial support to care for him in their home. He should be in school but his skin is just too bad … He runs up to everyone who comes for hugs. He has a tired old grandma who recycles trash and lives in a run down shack too dirty even for healthy children to survive. We were his last stop …We are seeking a family to open their home to him, and for him not to feel the rejection and dread so many people feel when they see him.

§ Niger is 2 yrs. + and is part Japanese & part Thai. His mother left his at birth with a neighbour promising to come back … but did not. He has changed radically from the love & care of our staff … particularly a young Dutch volunteer we have named Dorine. He has a growth in the back of his throat that prevents his swallowing properly and needs some sort of surgical procedure. He has great difficulty talking but is just so happy to be loved he doesn’t seem to care about his other problems.

§ We now have 50+ scholarship students and our administration & paperwork is so far behind because we spend most of our days responding to crisis. We so wish gifted people to come along who LOVE logistics & office admin.

§ We just visited this week with a Burmese pastor friend who lives in a state where there is constant fighting so no foreigners are allowed. We gave him money to extend his house so he could care for minimum of 12 children, and sent him off with instructions to look those small ones that are hiding in the darkness, ashamed of their own need for food and love … afraid to tell anyone they needed help because at any point they could become more trouble than they were worth and invite even more pain into their little lives. A US military chaplain who was with us that day enough money for him to buy a goat for milk for the small ones that are sure to come. When he comes to Thailand again in September, we have promised to have sponsorship money for his children. We worry for the children who are the most desperate to be found first, then for money & means for him to care for all and also for him to receive finances to restock his fish farms that were washed away in the floods.

After a very long day again at ‘work’ I came home to catch up with our email as our office computer & phone lines are not working AGAIN! I had downloaded the messages and was scanning them for anything urgent before I gave my attention to preparing our Joshua for bed. (for those of you who forget, Joshua is the little baby we took in at 6 wks. old because he was dying in one of the slum areas we visit regularly. He’s like our boy … and we believe his life is representative of the so many small ones we work so hard to save from abuse & neglect. He’s now 2 yrs. 2 months. and a very wonderful small prince).

A glimpse into the work of The Mercy Project in Pattaya from Dianne Doell

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….. may I thank those of you who have already donated money through PayPal, the ones who have donated provisions, and also the ones who have offered, either on this thread, or by pm to make donations in the near future.

It is all very much appreciated, and humbling that so many of you have made offers of help.

For those who have offered and were awaiting bank details etc, hopefully you will have seen them on the thread, but for your convenience, I will restate the details below:

Thai Bank Account:

Bangkok Bank, savings account No. 4840940300, account name: Victory Family Church.

PayPal email: [email protected]

PayPal have advised me that for donors who pay with their credit cards, it is no longer necessary for them to open a PayPal account.

For anyone in the UK who wants to pay money in sterling, and avoid PayPal’s charges, I can pm you the details of my sterling account. As I have said previously, this is a temporary arrangement until the mission can get its own foreign currency accounts set up.

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.... some of you have asked me about 2nd hand clothes, toys etc. The answer is: yes, all are welcome and can be used. re is also loads of work and jobs to be done at the building itself. There have been groups of volunteers that have come and gone (even the US navy lent a hand), but there is still much to do. The place is a large, converted ex diamond factory, and although it has huge potential, there is so much to be done. Any budding builders, decorators, or just plain labourers, I am sure will be most welcome.

There is also a huge requirement for women to help out looking after the very sick babies who are in hospital. It’s a terrible strain on the Mission’s resources. The staff don’t mind spending the nights at the hospital, but they need to be at the mission during the day to carry out their normal duties. So if there is anyone who can do a few hours at a local hospital, either on a regular basis, or on call in an emergency, please let me know.

….. I should just add that the mission doesn’t only take care of these kids in their residential home. They also go out and help the kids and the Mums in the slums; run scholarship classes for very poor, local children; make prison visits to take food and water to the destitute and children in jail; send supplies to the refugee centers in the North for Karens and other stateless folk; and also give assistance to illegal immigrants and try to provide safe houses for those awaiting deportation. Their work is never ending, and their need of help is never ending......

So every little helps......

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Most urgently needed items

• Nappies size S (preferably Mammy Poko)

• Nappies, sizes M and L (any brand)

• Formula milk – Dumex No.2

• After formula milk powder (in boxes) for ages 6 months to 3 years (any brand)

• Nestle infant food (in boxes), preferably mixed fruit.

• Drink boxes (Milk – white and chocolate; Juices, preferably no sugar, yogurt)

Other

• Sugar (white/cane)

• Salt

• Soya sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, cooking oil, vinegar

• Liquid baby shampoo, regular shampoo, liquid shower soap, tooth paste & brushes

• Toilet tissue rolls, facial tissue boxes, baby wet wipes

• Washing machine soap, fabric softener, ironing spray

• Bleach, liquid dish soap, bathroom & toilet cleaner

• Clothes – all sizes but especially children

• Toys – especially educational

• Bedding – single bed sheets, towels etc.

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS GRATEFULLY RECEIVED. ANY EXCESS IS PASSED ONTO OTHER NEEDY, STATELESS AND DESTITUTE PEOPLE.

Here is the map of the centre:

Take the left turning into Soi Nong Yai which is just by the footbridge across Sukhumvit. Follow the road until you come to Soi 8, turn right into this Soi, and bearing right, cross over the railway line, and a bit further down you will see the Mercy sign in English – red writing on a yellow background - on the left. Turn left down this small turning and you are there.

Mobi

Have you caught up with all your PM's yet?

Keep up the good work.

if only all hotels would have a notice giving info on these places i feel tourists would be more than willing to visit them and donate stuff and cash.

if only all hotels would have a notice giving info on these places i feel tourists would be more than willing to visit them and donate stuff and cash.

Actually, most of the hotels have donation boxes for different cases (children, blinds, war veterans, etc.)

Well done Mobi - keep up the great work. Perhaps the regular updates will keep this topic fresh and at the head of the forum.

Mobi. My trip has been cut short. I leave next Monday so PM me when you get a chance.

Cheers,

Hiro

I would loke to know more about Mercy Mission -- does it hold meetings etc.

Who can I contact -- I am an OAP but computer literate if that is any help

Here is the website:

Mercy Mission

You can also contact Mobi via PM for more details (location, events, ect).

Unfortunately my un-technical brain cannot work out how to transfer the photos from the old thread, but I will try to re-post them, plus new ones, over time.

If I may I would like to add add my voice in support of the Mercy Project.

I came across this thread whilst browsing and my first visit to Thaivisa so my apologies if my message does not appear in the format I intend it to.

I sponsor one of the Mercy Project student through a charity in the UK that supports both the Mercy Project and other Thai childrens' projects.

I am not certain who Mobi D'Ark is within the Mercy Project but I am sure he/she can confirm the UK charity does work with them. Being in the UK I find it easier to sponsor through the UK charity simply because of the ease of making my sponsorship payments.

The charity to which I contribute to the Mercy Project to is: http://www.pattayastreetkids.org so maybe anyone in the Uk would care to take a look at their website to see if it is easier for you to donate via them.

There are a lot of pictures on the website of the children they are helping and I do know that one of the charity trustees makes regular visits to Thailand to ensure the donations are being used as intended by donors.

Mobi, can one sponsor a kid?

Mobi, can one sponsor a kid?

How to sponsor a child: http://www.pattayastreetkids.homestead.com/Mercyinfo.html

Hi Mobi, I've sent you an email yesterday, just let me know if you received it and if you did, let me know what you think.

Hi Mobi, I've sent you an email yesterday, just let me know if you received it and if you did, let me know what you think.

Hi Alex, and to all the others who have posted questions, suggestions and sent me emails or PM's. in the last day or two.

I'm afraid there's been a bit of a crisis in the Mobi household, and I haven't had the time to attend to this thread properly.

All will hopefully be back to normal in a couple of days or so, so please bear with me.

Thanks

Mobi

Good Luck, Mobi

Moss

Hi All,

I'm slowly getting my life back to normal, and will try to answer all your questions and PM's over the weekend.

In the meantime, for those who did not read them the first time around, I thought I'd cut & paste a couple of "kids' Profiles" form the original thread:

GOLF

“Golf’ is six years old. His mother is illiterate, and Golf was her first child. She was 13 years old when she had Golf.

His father is an unknown, long forgotten farang.

Golf’s mother has since had 3 more babies – she is now 18.

Golf’s mother has had a succession of Thai boy friends – all drug addicts. One of her boy friends “sold “Golf to a paedophile to fund his drug habit. Golf escaped and returned to his mother. He was put up for sale again, but this time Golf’s poverty stricken Grandmother somehow managed to raise the money to “buy” him. Golf’s grandmother then brought him to the Mercy Mission, and visits him there about twice year.

Golf has no idea who his parents are, and insists they are both Thai, even though his has very strong western features. He is a very beautiful boy, and very vulnerable. He clung to my wife the whole day when we took the kids out to the zoo. Sometimes, he curled up into a little ball, as if to protect himself from the outside world. He told her that one day he would like her stay with him - just one night - as a special treat.

The future for Golf is bleak. He cannot be adopted, because in spite of everything his mother will not give him up.

He is a “commodity” that may become useful again one day, when her latest boyfriend is in need of drug money.

JOSHUA

Joshua’s family had been known to Mercy for several years before he was born. They lived under a tarpaulin tied to some trees, with no water or power, next to a recycle centre, earning their living collecting & sorting through trash.

The Mercy centre people had visited this area weekly for several years with food, clothes, milk for babies and emergency first aid. This was one of the first areas that Mercy had visited.

A few days after Joshua was born, his mother gave the new born baby to her Mother and left. Grandma already had 3 children, from 3 different mothers, to care for, so Joshua was put in a hammock tied to a tree and was fed a diet of mashed bananas with condensed milk. When he cried, a rope was pulled to rock his makeshift bed.

It wasn’t long before he became very sick. After 6 weeks, a Thai social worker took Joshua to a doctor, who advised that the baby would die very soon. The social worker warned Grandma that if the Joshua died, she would be responsible, so Grandma asked the Mercy Mission to take care of him.

At that time, just 2 ½ years ago, the mission had only 3 staff and took care of 7 children, 2 of them under 1 year old. They did not have the resources top take care of Joshua and nurse him back to health, so Dianne and Fred, the Mission Directors, took him into their own home.

When he arrived, his back (from the top of his head to the bottom of his heels) was red, swollen and cracking from lying in his own body waste. Several times a day, he was bathed, and rubbed with oil until slowly he began to heal. The first day he slept 1 hour, the second day 2 hours, third day 4 hours, and so on. When he was hungry he screamed, as if in terror and would go completely rigid. Finally, after 2 weeks, he was eating & sleeping normally.

Now, two years and 4 months later, Joshua is a healthy, happy young kid of 2 ½, still living with Dianne and Fred, but spending his days at the centre.

The centre now has 20 children, and following a recent regularisation in their foundation status, they will be able to care for still more children – in fact an unlimited number, only limited by the resources at their disposal.

I will be posting more 'stories' here here over the coming weeks, so that you become familar with some of the recipients of your kindness and generosity.

Golf

Joshua is 2nd from right, seated, with red flashes.

Lunch at the zoo

The kids at their home

CO0LLECTION BOX APPEAL

Now that the Mercy kids Mission has a Thai foundation number, it is legal for them too place collection boxes in public (and private) places.

On the previous thread, there was a slight confusion about the distribution of boxes, and I would like to clarify that the box kindly placed at The Blues Factory, by Dave, was supplied to him by the Mission.

Home made, unofficial boxes are not legal, and should not be used.

We have been putting out boxes for a few weeks now, but the take up has been quite low. The Pattaya Sports Club has a box, Rosy O’Grady’s has one, Juice restaurant has one. There a few others around that have been passed on by the aforementioned places, but I am unsure of the locations at present.

May I ask all of you Pattaya residents and visitors to advise me – either on this thread, or by PM – if you know of any bar, restaurant, shop, club or other establishment that would be willing to have a box placed at their premises?

I am asking that you, as customers, to approach owners/mangers, or for owners to come forward and volunteer their places.

I am willing to deliver the boxes anywhere in the Pattya region, if you advise me of their location.

I can’t emphasise enough how important this cause is. Please do something for these poor, unfortunate kids, who are unable to help themselves.

Thanks very much.

Mobi

Have you approached Friendship mobi?

Have you approached Friendship mobi?

Do you have the name of someone there?

It's bit tough to cold call.

BTW Going through my PM's etc, and just want to express a huge thank you to Johnb who has made a very generous donation.

Some of you have been so generous, and I can't thank you enough.

Every donation, whether money or in materials - big or small - will be put to good use.

Nice work. The Mercy Mission is a great foundation. I cannot commit for months, because I am leaving, but I think I can handle a month or two.

I will get in touch with you or Father Joe.

Cheers.

Nice work. The Mercy Mission is a great foundation. I cannot commit for months, because I am leaving, but I think I can handle a month or two.

I will get in touch with you or Father Joe.

Cheers.

Kat,

With the graetest respect, there is no Father Joe with the Mercy Mission in Pattaya. There are two pastors, husband and wife, and they are non - denominational Christians. (Fred & Dianne).

No 'Fathers' , No catholics.

Maybe you are confusing the Mercy mission with the Camillion centre in Rayong?

Anyway, thanks for your kind words.

Here are some pics form the Pattaya slums.

Mercy Mission visits these slums every week and distributes formula milk, water, food and other desperately needed supplies.

And of course, it is from these slums that most of the mission children have been rescued and given a home.

Theses slums are just a 'stone's throw' from Walking Street and the bright lights of Pattaya.

SPECIAL REQUEST

Here is a list of "one-offs" the the Mercy Centre is currently in need of.

Higher priority:

· 4 drawer filing cabinet

· 16 mattress pads (for our vinyl bunk bed mattresses)

· 4 large rotating wall fans for new multi-purpose room.

· 2 clothes racks for girls & boys rooms

· Clothes pins/pegs for hanging out.

· Shoe Racks (for storing children’s shoes)

· Racks for storing plates, bowls and cutlery

· 20 blankets

· Fence (and small gate) to divide the car parking area from the grassed play area

Lower priority:

· Materials to build another covered car park area will cost approx. B 3000

· Bike Rack – so that bicycles can be neatly stored and chained

· Garden Shears

If you have any unwanted items at home that might fit any of the above needs, please let me know and I will try to collect them, or feel free to deliver them yourself to the centre.

(The above list is of course in addition to the regular needs which are posted on page 1 of this thread.)

Thanks all.

Hi Guys,

the mission just called. They have urgent need of the following:

FABRIC SOFTENER

BAY WIPES

FLOOR CLEANER

YOGHURT

MILK - ORDINARY DRINKING MILK.

Next time you go shopping how about putting one or more of the above items in your trolley and let me know - I'll come and collect.

I'm sorry to say that all the TV activity seems to have dried up lately.

Those of you who said they would give but haven't yet done anything, please don't forget your kind offers.

Come on guys - this is our town as well - we live here - and so do those poor kids in the slums and at the shelter.

Thanks

Mobi

I guess they could do with some baby wipes as well as bay wipes.

Unless the Mission has bdecided to broaden their scope.