A visit to 'Film'.

 

This post refers to ‘Film’ a little nine-year old boy who was recently removed from his home on the notorious KoPai slum as he was considered to be at risk of drugs to a government boys’ home in Pattaya. He was originally taken in by married couple after being abandoned as a baby by his mother but the home has always been in a terrible condition as the ‘mother’ has a mental condition that results in her collecting rubbish and stacking it in the home.  Today Suky from MERCY visited ‘Film’ on behalf of his US based sponsor.

Suky had a wonderful visit with ‘Film’ who immediately he saw her, came running over to hug her and ask "When can I come home?”

You can see by the photographs, how happy he (and his friends) were, to see her. Film was thrilled with all the new clothes, and he and his friends were happy to have "jam butties" (as they used to say in my neck of the woods when I was growing up) immediately - and the promise of snacks later.

Sudjai will try to find a suitable placement for him far away from here, where he can be taken care of and go to school again, but that can't happen before the end of this term, of course.

We are sure that his sponsor will be pleased to see that he looks happy and has friends around him

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

Birthday treat for Tirapong

Suky had a wonderful time shopping for all these things, and Tirapong was thrilled, having (apparently) been longing for a football strip which he didn't imagine Mum could afford for him.

His eyes lit up when he realized he could have all the new T-shirts and shorts, and Ben 10 is still THE current hero as far as he is concerned.  It was heartening to see him respond to the money box so positively, too.

We were so impressed with the reaction he had to everything, we've decided we should take him for some football boots on his next holiday.  He really is a delightful child and life hasn't been easy, so we want to really surprise him.

Tirapong's sponsor  can only be happy that his gift has brought so much happiness to his sponsored child, and I do hope they will be able to meet on his next trip.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org 

Checking up on a rebuilt home

Suky took over the food for the family and had a good check round to see how they were faring.  The inside is actually very dark (windowless) and any light coming in seems to be coming through the holes in the rapidly rusting G I sheets.  Since we're now in the rainy season I think we'd better check out how much it would cost, per sheet, to replace the worst of them.  We have a little money left from that which was sent over.  

We also notice that the sheet of material hung up had a couple of large holes in it, so we think there might be some in the Auction House we can let them have.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org  

A visit to student's home

Today Suky  paid a visit to the home of one of our younger students whose family were until a week ago living in a tent and there was  good news - for which we are so grateful. Dad has found some regular work for a construction company and is now being paid 350 B (£7.50.0 per day .  Consequently, they have found a real home which keeps them safe and dry. It's just one room, but concrete built and with electricity and running water, a separate shower/toilet and an outside kitchen area where they cook on a charcoal burner 

They don't have a lot, but they are so happy.  The children sleep on the floor on a thin folding mattress, so if ever there are funds available a more sturdy mattress would be a blessing.   The fan is  broken, which might be as well considering it has no protective cover.

They are so grateful for our help, and the little girl the sister of our student was at home and she gave Suky  a great smile.                                                                                                                                             

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org 

A French sponsor's birthday treat

This young boys birthday was on Independence day so we tried to organise his birthday treat paid for with money sent by his French sponsor as near to his birthday as possible.

Suky and Boonying picked up Pongsakorn (and a teacher) at school  and they went to the Sukishi restaurant st Tesco Lotus store.  You can see the range of foods, and Suky says that his favourite was the shrimp, and he soon got the idea of the conveyor belt and cooking his own food - quite a novel idea for him.

 

When it came time to do some shopping, it soon became clear that green was his colour this season, as you can clearly see in the T-shirts he chose and the 'chest of drawers' to put them in.  

 

He loved his time upcountry with the family, and even though his sister is now back with them, because she goes to Banglamung, her hours are totally different.  He says he's finding it difficult to get back into the school routine, but he's getting there slowly! 

 

I think his sponsor will be happy to see how thrilled he was with his birthday treat, and the fact that he could choose exactly what he wanted was really special for him.

 

Because the first chest of drawers was cracked when they examined it closely, and there wasn't another of the same size,they had to take a slightly smaller one.  This means I still have the 300 B difference, and Suky will buy him a T-shirt and give it to him the next time she goes to the school .

This is one lucky young man, and he truly appreciates it.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org

A 'Hello' gift from a sponsor.

Nathawut was newly sponsored during the past few days and his sponsor from Europe send some money to by a gift for him as a ‘Hello’. This morning  Suky went to school to take the gifts for him.  

We got him a magic set and a big bag of snacks, which proved a very popular choice.  You can see from the huge beam on his face and the way he tore into the wrapping (very un-Thai, actually) how excited he was.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org

American sponsor's flying visit to Pattaya

You could be under no illusion as to whom this report refers to, could you?  As I said to Jean "Giving a camera to a photographer is like giving a pair of scissors to a hairdresser - they never know when to stop".  Which, fortunately, made him laugh.  Talk about candid camera, I hate to think just what he's shot (for his personal use only) during the course of the few hours we were with him.

 

It's always a joy to do something with Jean - he's just so pleasant, and when I asked his permission to bring along another little boy (found living on the beach and currently in the care of the Father Ray 1/2 way house on Thepprasit Road), for whom I would pay for lunch, he readily agreed - and subsequently also paid for his lunch - and for Dunkin' Donuts to take back and share with the other children in the facility.

 

Chinakret is usually not very chatty, but having Phuk along (they're quite close in age) put him more at ease, and then having mad cap Tom (zipping down the isles with the trolley and advising them on their fashion needs (in the manner of all young Thai teens), was a hoot. Chinakret even even sat on the front of Phuk's trolley and had him push them both.  It was a real fun outing.

 

The boys opted for Pizza (much to Phuk's delight, as I don't think he'd had it before but was determined to use a knife and fork, even when we told him he could eat with his fingers), and chose the biggest size with the most things on it - a meat lover de luxe with sausage in the crust, which Tom and Boonying were delighted with, also.  Jean and I shared a pepperoni and  a bacon and cheese - the first time I've seen a pizza served half and half - and delicious, I must say.

 

Having declined ice cream, we went downstairs where the boys chose T-shirts and shorts, and then groceries for Chinakret.

 

Having taken Phuk back to his temporary dwelling place, we asked Chinakret if he'd like to play crazy golf, pool or anything that he might fancy, but he preferred to go home and show off everything to his Dad - who was on duty and happily came over to be photographed and introduced to Jean for the first time. 

 

Jean was happy make the rest of us (particularly Chinakret, after having to disappoint him earlier) happy.  

A very successful encounter, I think.

Registered Charity No. 1104335

100 Years From Today

It will not matter how big your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove. But the world may be a little better because your help touched the life of one child.

www.slum-kids.org