Happy New Year!!
Our kids just returned from their camping trip in the Nongbualampoo Mountains. It was really cold and they are happy to be home to new hot water showers, thanks to a generous donor from Texas!!
We picked up a little 2-year-old girl, given us by the Welfare department. Kingkaew had been badly beaten by her mother, who obviously has mental problems. She broke Kingkaew’s leg; injured her spine and hit her severely around the head. She was frightened and timid at first, but now has fit right in. She is a happy little girl, and quite polite! That won’t last long, dealing with our little herd of rug rats.
We recently were asked to take an 18 year old girl from Nakonpanom province, east of here. Her folks died of AIDS, and she was taken by her uncle’s family. When she was discovered to have HIV at the age of two, they dumped her with the Welfare department. The Welfare people sent her to the Northeast Girls’ orphanage, south of Udorn. She had been there for over 15 years, and she had been kicked and beaten by the staff. Dr. Pope, from the Srinakarin University hospital, was treating her for AIDS, and saw the bruises and dried blood. He is a great doctor, and when he asked me to take her, I felt obliged, although we usually only take babies and children. She is a very nice looking girl; kind of dejected and sad looking at first. Now she is happy and talking and is now in school, with her friends. On December 12, we also received an 18 year old girl, who looks 14. She is from Pattaya, and has a bad case of AIDS, and is getting special treatment.
I also met a University girl, who is 8 months pregnant, and we will take her baby when it is born, and the girl can finish her studies and get on with her life. She was the victim of a date rape drug. She is a really nice kid; 19 years old. Better to help her financially and take the baby, than have it aborted. We also are going to take in a baby boy who is still in an incubator. His mother had AIDS and died a week after childbirth. We won’t know for months whether this tyke has AIDS. And our last baby will come this week; two months old and unwanted by the mother.
Ice cold winds are coming out of the north, and the rice is harvested and in the granary. This year, we have enough rice to feed the kids the whole year. We have enough for people in the Outreach Program as well.
Once more, thank you all for your kindness and interest in the children! We pray for you and yours every evening. May the Good Lord grant you all good health, happiness and peace throughout 2014!
Fr. Mike
