MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We only had one guy here to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Me. The only American, so no Thanksgiving. So we will all celebrate Christmas, together with the kids and staff. The kids are all busy crafting the Nativity scenes at each house (7 of them), since the rice harvest is over. We want to thank all our donors for your help during the year, and will use donations to give Christmas gifts for the staff and kids. We have a set of little twin girls who want to know who donates, and do they know what the twins want. I give each child 1,000 baht to buy what they want for Christmas; 1,000 baht comes to about $35. We also are very lucky to have a Thai lady, Mary Bunraksa and her daughters and their families, who buy and wrap practical gifts for our 120 kids and 70 kids in our Outreach program. I knew Mary, her brothers and sister, her parents, John and Alice, 57 years ago, when I first came to Thailand. Mary and her family have done this for years, right after we started Sarnelli House.
Other news is that one of the Thai King’s sons, is going to visit Sarnelli House on December11. Two months ago, I resigned as President of the Sarnelli House Foundation, so Fr. Joe Ole will be president, and Gung vice president. They will prepare the reception, together with all the children. The Royal visitor will be bringing gifts for the kids. Several of our little boys are a tad unpredictable, and are capable of throwing stuff. I think they will maybe miss the proceedings.
As for me, my appetite has returned, and I work out in the gym three days a week, and am walking with my walker for 500 meters, and 120 meters without any aid whatsoever. I want to thank those who have prayed for me, because to go from totally bedridden to where I am now, is due to the power of prayer.
We have begun renovating our old bakery, to furnish a home for some of our wee ones who have brain damage from parents who were drinking and on drugs during pregnancy. Some of these kids were physically harmed by their parents. There is no other place like ours for brain damaged babies, so hospitals are impatiently waiting for us to finish the home for these damaged wee ones. It will take us several months to finish that project. It is going to cost more than I anticipated.
Thank you all for your support throughout the year. We are all very grateful for your generosity. May you all have a special Christmas and join us in celebrating the Nativity. May the Infant Jesus bless you all!
Fr. Mike, Kate, Brian and all the kids and staff at Sarnelli House
