In the merry month of May!
I am writing a late letter to thank everybody for the pre-school donations you sent for the children of Sarnelli House. Your donations came at the right time. We are seeking funds for five young 12-13 year old girls, who have AIDS. They were given us by the Welfare department and we are hurrying to buy their school gear, and also make sure they have their proper medicines and checkups. Some schools opened their new school terms already!
The Amphurs (like counties or parishes, in the U.S.) have names and locations on their computers now, and we have been relatively successful in locating lost relatives of many of the children. Because of this, some kids have gone home to relatives. Some went home and came back within days. They have AIDS and do not show it, but were not received well at all by their relatives. The sad part of it is that they have been hurt and humiliated so often, that they are just glad to be back at Sarnelli House. I really feel sorry for these kids. I also feel sorry for those who have no relatives to speak of, or who have no idea where they are. One boy found out where his mother was, and the staff drove him home, and he found out his mother had died late in December last year. We also found out where Bek’s mom is now located. She stopped to see him when she got out of prison, and never asked for him, nor returned to see him (As a wee boy, Bek had been imprisoned with his mother when she did time for drug trafficking. We got him released and raised him). She re-married and ignored the boy. He claims to have no interest in seeing her. He is a tall, good looking, polite and well behaved lad. He has to be hurting inside.
As I mentioned above, the Welfare and hospital people delivered 5 girls who have AIDS. Four of them will be in junior high (M.1) and number five is a three year old little girl with AIDS and TB. This wee one will be quarantined with us until the TB medicine takes hold, and since she had been taking medicine off and on, not regularly, is a very bad sign. The medicine can counteract, and indeed spread the TB virus rapidly throughout the body. I don’t know much about the other five girls, except that two are from the Kalasin province east of us, and three are from the Loei province west of us.
Thank you so much for your generosity, kindness, interest and concern for the children of Sarnelli House. May God bless you!
Gratefully,
Father Mike
