I'm Desperate For Help!

[davethailand]

Let me know where the place is and i'll drop it off tomorrow, i know mini siam very well.

[thaigerd]

Could you please mail a map here where to find this place>

I am in Pattaya this weekend and would be happy to help as well.

Gerd

[Mobi]

Ok everyone, here's a bit of info.

Firstly, for those who wish to donate within Thailand, here is the Thai bank account.

Bangkok Bank, savings account number 4840940300, account name: Victory Family Church.

I am only a volunteer helper, doing what I can, but the mission is run by a Canadian couple who have totally dedicated their lives to the welfare of these Street kids. I have got to know them over the past few months, and I am in awe of their selfless devotion in the face of unbelievable adversity.

They are christians, and also hold church services - hence the 'Victory family Church', but for those of you, like me who are either not religious or who have other religious faiths, I can assure you that they do not ram religion down anyone's throat. They just want to help the kids. They are operating legally, as they have 'piggy backed' onto another registered Thai charity, whilst awaiting thier own charity to be formally approved. In the meantime, any donations sent to the above account will be earmarked 100% for the kids.

Today, I have tried to set up a PayPal account for them, but it is proving problematic. I will get back to all you good folks as soon as possible, when we have cracked the problem on how to send money from outside Thailand. Please bear with me.

here is the map of the mission:

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 yellow on the left. Turn left down this small turning and you are there.

To all of you have PM'd me, I will respond sometime tomorrow. I will also try to respond to the points raised on this thread. I have to go out very early tomorrow, and will be out till late afternoon, but hopefully I will be back on my PC by early evening and will answer you all.

I am extremely thankful for all your responses. Please keep them coming - it couldn't be for a better cause.

Mobi

Edited July 24, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[alexth]

Ok everyone, here's a bit of info.

Firstly, for those who wish to donate within Thailand, here is the Thai bank account.

Bangkok Bank, savings account number 4840940300, account name: Victory Family Church.

I am only a volunteer helper, doing what I can, but the mission is run by a Canadian couple who have totally dedicated their lives to the welfare of these Street kids. I have got to know them over the past few months, and I am in awe of their selfless devotion in the face of unbelievable adversity.

They are christians, and also hold church services - hence the 'Victory family Church', but for those of you, like me who are either not religious or who have other religious faiths, I can assure you that they do not ram religion down anyone's throat. They just want to help the kids. They are operating legally, as they have 'piggy backed' onto another registered Thai charity, whilst awaiting thier own charity to be formally approved. In the meantime, any donations sent to the above account will be earmarked 100% for the kids.

Today, I have tried to set up a PayPal account for them, but it is proving problematic. I will get back to all you good folks as soon as possible, when we have cracked the problem on how to send money from outside Thailand. Please bear with me.

here is the map of the mission:

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 yellow on the left. Turn left down this small turning and you are there.

To all of you have PM'd me, I will respond sometime tomorrow. I will also try to respond to the points raised on this thread. I have to go out very early tomorrow, and will be out till late afternoon, but hopefully I will be back on my PC by early evening and will answer you all.

I am extremely thankful for all your responses. Please keep them coming - it couldn't be for a better cause.

Mobi

Thanks Mobi, will have something sent at the 1st SCB atm in my way. Do they have a website or something where we could keep updated on the results of this project?

[davethailand]

Ok everyone, here's a bit of info.

Firstly, for those who wish to donate within Thailand, here is the Thai bank account.

Bangkok Bank, savings account number 4840940300, account name: Victory Family Church.

I am only a volunteer helper, doing what I can, but the mission is run by a Canadian couple who have totally dedicated their lives to the welfare of these Street kids. I have got to know them over the past few months, and I am in awe of their selfless devotion in the face of unbelievable adversity.

They are christians, and also hold church services - hence the 'Victory family Church', but for those of you, like me who are either not religious or who have other religious faiths, I can assure you that they do not ram religion down anyone's throat. They just want to help the kids. They are operating legally, as they have 'piggy backed' onto another registered Thai charity, whilst awaiting thier own charity to be formally approved. In the meantime, any donations sent to the above account will be earmarked 100% for the kids.

Today, I have tried to set up a PayPal account for them, but it is proving problematic. I will get back to all you good folks as soon as possible, when we have cracked the problem on how to send money from outside Thailand. Please bear with me.

here is the map of the mission:

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 yellow on the left. Turn left down this small turning and you are there.

To all of you have PM'd me, I will respond sometime tomorrow. I will also try to respond to the points raised on this thread. I have to go out very early tomorrow, and will be out till late afternoon, but hopefully I will be back on my PC by early evening and will answer you all.

I am extremely thankful for all your responses. Please keep them coming - it couldn't be for a better cause.

Mobi

Fred and Diane Mobi?

They married the wife and I a couple of years back.

[Mossfinn]

I'm in Mobi.

I wont be in Pattaya until Christmas, unless I am able to take a break earlier than expected.

So it will have to be Paypal for me.

Good Luck

Moss

[pepsi666]

Mobi,

PM with your email address, I'll send a nominal amout to it, then you can see how Paypal works, if your happy with it, then you could PM everyone else with your address, honest its the easiest way to transfer mony, better and cheaper than Western Union

AND as I'm in the UK it would be really expensive shipping milk, rice, nappies even though I can get em at trade, and it would be best if you got it, YOU know what they need and REALLY want

[Mobi]

Mobi,

PM with your email address, I'll send a nominal amout to it, then you can see how Paypal works, if your happy with it, then you could PM everyone else with your address, honest its the easiest way to transfer mony, better and cheaper than Western Union

AND as I'm in the UK it would be really expensive shipping milk, rice, nappies even though I can get em at trade, and it would be best if you got it, YOU know what they need and REALLY want

Hi Pepsi,

I've just sent you an email with the PayPal email adddress on it. Could you try it out and make sure its working Ok before I publish it?

Thanks

Mobi

[Mobi]

Fred and Diane Mobi?

They married the wife and I a couple of years back.

That's them. Wonderful couple - totally dedicated. Renews one's faith that there's still some good ones out there.

[davethailand]

Fred and Diane Mobi?

They married the wife and I a couple of years back.

That's them. Wonderful couple - totally dedicated. Renews one's faith that there's still some good ones out there.

I'll be dropping the stuff off in about an hour or so.

[pepsi666]

Mobi,

sent that nominal amount to your email address (not the street kids one) you sent me, if it worked okay I'll sort out something when I get home later

[thaigerd]

Fred and Diane Mobi?

They married the wife and I a couple of years back.

That's them. Wonderful couple - totally dedicated. Renews one's faith that there's still some good ones out there.

I'll be dropping the stuff off in about an hour or so.

Well done Dave

Spoke to a friend of mine in BKK today, he will go with me to Pattaya and he will give them some donations as well.

On top of this I spoke to Bruno(you know whom I mean)today and sked him to give me some money for this project so that I am able to buy some stuff for the kids , he agreed.

Hope to meet u Thursday night in your BF.

Gerd

[Mobi]

Keep the geneous offers coming guys - anything and everything is needed, as I'm sure you have realised if you read this thread.

Can I just use this opportunity to re-state what this charity is all about, and, I guess clarify my postion in this matter.

I have been deeply moved by the plight of these street kids ever since I set up home here in Pattaya and for some time I have been looking for a way to help. I stumbled upon a website which is a charity in England dedicated to helping the kids. I contacted them to find out how I could help locally, and they put me in touch which Dianne and Fred Doell, who run the Mercy Centre.

I was immediately co-opted onto their volunteer committee, and have been doing my bit ever since. I wanted to contribute financially as well, but I was keen to buy provisions, rather than just give money, so I could see where my money went. Many of you have made the same point. Dianne told me that their biggest provision burden is formula milk and nappies for the very young, and at the time, she asked me if I could help out in that area as they had just had two very young babies who had just arrived and it was an urgent need. So I started supplying this stuff regularly, and last week I asked one of the helpers what was exactly was their monthly requirement. The list she gave me, was much more than I could handle alone, so hence the topic on this forum. I wanted to appeal to Pattaya residents to help with provisions for the babies – I wasn’t asking for money –it didn’t even occur to me.

In the last few days I have received many messages of support, both on the open forum and in p.m.s and emails, and many wanted to donate money. I didn’t even have any bank account details to publish, let alone a PayPal account.

Well, I have now published the local Bangkok Bank account for those living in Thailand who can donate by ATM. The setting up of a PayPal account proved impossible – firstly because a credit card was required to activate the account, but more importantly, PayPal will not send funds to Thailand, and any Thai domiciled PayPal operator must have a US Dollar account. I discussed this problem with Fred Doell, and as a result, I have very reluctantly agreed to use my own PayPal account until we can sort out something better. He has told to keep a paperwork trail of all donations, and I will emphasise that ALL doners will receive letters of acknowledgement from The Mercy Mission. Dianne also told me today that they now have a registered charity number in Thailand, and hopefully they can regularise the charity’s bank accounts as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I will repeat the local account. It is:

Bangkok Bank. Savings account number: 4840940300; Account name: Victory Family Church

For those who wish to pay through PayPal, I have set up a special email account to keep proper track of your donations, and it is: [email protected].

For those who are familiar with PayPal should know that they just enter the above email address when making a credit card payment, via their own PayPal account. I will emphasise, that this is my own account, and the funds will go to a sterling account in my name. From there I will transfer to Thailand, (at no cost as I will add it to personal funds that are coming over anyway), and pay it over to the center. I could also agree a fair exchange rate with them and just give them local currency if I am not transferring. So if anyone is uncomfortable with this arrangement, I will quite understand – believe me I am not happy with it myself. Hopefully we can get something better set up in the near future.

There are many things that can be bought for the centre, and if anyone would rather buy goods than give money, I can email a list of requirements. Also, some of you have asked me about 2nd hand clothes, toys etc. The answer is: yes, all are welcome and can be used.

There 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.

For those who mentioned the rotary and expat clubs, I would emphasise that I am not a fund raiser – I’ve just got roped into fund raising with all your kind offers of help. The Mercy Mission is not unknown in Pattaya, so it is possible that the rotary people are already aware of it – I just don’t know. I will certainly follow up on the suggestions in due course, and discuss what role, if any, I can play, with Fred & Dianne. At the moment I have been put in charge of collection boxes, and will use this opportunity to ask all you bar, restaurant and shop owners/managers out there, if I can put a collection box in your worthy establishments.

Finally 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.

[Mobi]

Thanks Mobi, will have something sent at the 1st SCB atm in my way. Do they have a website or something where we could keep updated on the results of this project?

Thanks Alex. Could you pm or email me on the details, so that we can track it and acknowledge.

There is a website, but it is very basic, and hasn't been updated for a while.Here's the link:

http://www.geocities.com/vfcministries/

It's yet another need. Someone who can help improve the website and get it doing a better job for them.

Any website designers out there who could lend a hand?

[pepsi666]

Hi Mobi,

The nominal amout was accepted can you confirm it was you (either email or PM) and I'll get the rest off to you

See I told you it was simple

[davethailand]

I been today and toured the place with Fred (surprised to see one of my old singers there helping out).

Its a brilliant set up and made me think quite a bit about the lengths people will goto to help others.

I will be trying to raise more for them.

[cuddleypete]

Mobi,

PM with your email address please,

i would like to help with a donation ,iam in the uk with my thai wife ,i can send some money to my wifes mum and the she can transfer it to the bank account you have mentioned,

will not be in pattaya now for about 1 year but i hope that when we go back to pattaya we can help in some way

do you or anyone who is helping you have a uk bank account say nationwide ??? because if you have people in the uk could put money into that account and you could withdraw it in pattaya,only a idea for thos off us who want to help but are in the uk or do not have pay pal account

all the best and it is nice too see something positive on the forum for a change

[wcr]

Okay, may I suggest to contact the Rotary Club of Pattaya (www.rotary-pattaya.org) or (www.rotary-jomtien-pattaya.org)and let them know what you are doing. I am pretty sure they will support at least something. You may even get invited to one of their weekly meetings and tell them what you need.

I am the President Elect for Rotary Club Of Taksin-Pattaya the above quoted website www.rotary-pattaya.org which is actually not the Rotary Club Of Pattaya. However, this is the start of the new Rotary year and we all have new presidents and boards. It would be a good time to contact one of the clubs in Pattaya (5 in total), as they will be looking for projects. If you are interested in my club helping out then make contact with me directly via PM initially. I can't promise anything, but we will listen to you and the board and members decide if a project is a goer or not.

It's up to you to make the initial contact to us, then we can start the wheels moving. Over to you

[Mobi]

Firstly, 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.

For those of you who wish to buy provisions, please pm me and I will send you a list of their urgent needs, and you can make your own choice on what to buy.

To those who have posted suggestions on contacting rotary organisations, expat club etc., thank you, and they will be followed up. Where appropriate I will be sending you a pm in due course.

So thanks a million everyone – you have already made a difference.

[BROWNY]

Mobi - is this a registered charity ?

If it is i might be able to do something through my employer in the UK - they double any donation i make (get my drift ?)

I already help out The Pattaya Orphanage Trust this way - got them about £2,000 last year.

Let me know please

Ian

[pepsi666]

Could you keep us updated how things are progressing and what improvements are being made (ie the kids education, getting meat on their bones, and just the kids well being and welfare, would be appreciated (either here or PM or even me email addy)

[Mobi]

Good morning folks.

I'll try to answer some of your questions.

Yes the mission is working under a registered charity and is perfectly legal. At present they are "piggy backing" on another Thai charity, until they get their own foundation formally approved. As with everything in Thailand, this is taking a long time as there is a huge amount of beaurocracy to overcome, and not a little opposition from other Thai "Christian" groups, who resent farangs coming in and doing what they should be doing - but aren't. Typical Thai situation I'm afarid. Anyway, as I say its all legal, and hopefully they will have their own registration soon. (They've only been here for 6 years!!)

Browny, I will get back to you on your post. It may be better to wait until Mercy get their own charity registered, but also I have another idea. There is a charity in the UK that suppoorts the Mercy mission along with other charities in Thailand. Maybe it it would be a good idea to make payroll donations through them, but make sure the money is earmarked for the Mercy mission in Pattaya. I will discuss this with Fred and Dianne. BTW they are off for 3 weeks from tomorrow, so I'm not sure I can get back to you before they go.

As a matter of interest, apart from the offers of help you have read about on this thread, I have received over 30 PM's offering money, goods or assistance in one way or another, and I have replied to most of them. It's all a bit overwehlming - I was only looking for help with a few nappies!!

The money has also started to flow in,and I have received a lot of committments going forward. Just today, I have to go and collect two loads of provsions, and I know there are a few others who will be delivering stuff themselves.

When things setttle down a bit, I will try to give you an idea of the money so far donated through Thai Visa.

Pepsi and others, I will certainly try to get regular information on progress at the home. Please bear with me on this, it might take a while, but I know that you need it. I think the information is already at hand, I just have to tap into it.

Thanks everyone, keep it up.

Remember, in our home countries there are always safety nets for the most vulnerable, Here, there is no such net, and often the Thai authorities try to pretend the problem doesn't exist and sweep it under the carpet.

A lot of these street kids are the product of our "Paradise". Lets try to give something back.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[eljeque]

ThaiVisa may be the best on the web, but for Pattaya alone in Print, I believe that your mission could score a lot of funds from a Pattayamail article. I really think that they would be happy to put it together with a lot of photos of children. They might even ask you to do it and then simply run it as a feature.

[cuddleypete]

hi there mobi

thanks for your pm's

i know now you are very busy but i was just woundering if you could take some photos off the kids and place them on the forum??? so that people like me that are not there to help or go and see ,can see the kids.

[Mobi]

hi there mobi

thanks for your pm's

i know now you are very busy but i was just woundering if you could take some photos off the kids and place them on the forum??? so that people like me that are not there to help or go and see ,can see the kids.

Hi Pete,

Yes, I've got a load from our trip out last week.

I'll try to sort some out and post them tonight.

Got to rush, have to go and pick up donors' supplies all over town

[BROWNY]

Browny, I will get back to you on your post. It may be better to wait until Mercy get their own charity registered, but also I have another idea. There is a charity in the UK that suppoorts the Mercy mission along with other charities in Thailand. Maybe it it would be a good idea to make payroll donations through them, but make sure the money is earmarked for the Mercy mission in Pattaya. I will discuss this with Fred and Dianne. BTW they are off for 3 weeks from tomorrow, so I'm not sure I can get back to you before they go.

Ok - thanks Mobi, sounds like you are pretty busy. Let me know in your own time.

I was thinking more along the lines of someone collecting other peoples donations, making the donation to the charity under my name, and then my employer will match it.

PM me any time mate. I am also in Pattaya 17th - 24th August if you want to discuss.

cheers

Ian

[Mobi]

“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.

(I would love to show you a picture of Golf - I have some nice ones - but I cannot do that - or indeed show you any pictures of the kids until someone can tell me how to lock them into this webpage so that they cannot be copied or downloaded. I'm afraid there are too many bad people out there.)

[N47HAN]

Really nice to see and read this thread kinda makes you feel how luckywe all are.

Got your details and ill be sending in the morning....

One other avenue for you would be "The Lighthouse" this is an organization of ex-pat developers.I know here in phuket they not only donate a bit of cash , but have the resources to supply building materials and staff to improve living conditions.

Not sure if theres one in Pattaya, bu theres certainly many ex-pat developers , some of which maybe able to help.

Good luck and best wishes

[Mobi]

“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.

(I would love to show you a picture of Golf - I have some nice ones - but I cannot do that - or indeed show you any pictures of the kids until someone can tell me how to lock them into this webpage so that they cannot be copied or downloaded. I'm afraid there are too many bad people out there.)

I've been told its Ok to use group photos, so here's one for starters. Golf is at 12 O'Clock

More later.

Come on guys, keep this thread fresh.

We still need you.

[Darkhorse]

Hi Mobi,

We will drop by today sometime with some kids clothes and toys plus some formula milk.

Words are one thing but the pictures you post really bring the message home. What some of those small faces have been through in their short life is a terrible thought. At least they are safe for the moment thanks to you and the others involved with Mercy Church. You folks really are the good guys. I thank you for bringing the plight of these Children to light. A little help and support from each one of us adds up.

Darkhorse