from mercy center klong toey

[planestanley]

Dear everyone,

Thank you for your so many prayers and emails. As I write this, Bangkok is burning,
filled with smoke of burning buildings and burning petrol doused auto tires. That
terrible acrid smoke - one hospital had to evacuate all their patients as the smoke
was literally killing them. Even in ICU - coming thru the air con.

Several buildings - department stores, banques are scorched and some on fire. The
apparent leaders of the protesters (6) surrendered this early afternoon as the army
tanks tore down their bamboo - tire barricades. It unleased the whirlwind. Marauders
in small bands on motorcycles carrying beer bottle fire bombs (filled with petrol)
torching the city - anywhere they can. Tonight is not going to be pleasant.
Marshall law in in place. Curfew begins at 8:00 p.m. Plus Rumor has it that there
will be a military coup d etat tonight.

We here at Mercy Centre worry about our aids patients & 200 children's safety.
However the winds have blown away from us, thus we are smoke free. Our older boys
are keeping watch on the street level, and the girls keeping night watch from the
3rd floor where they have a clear view, plus our normal night watchmen. You never
know. Any danger would be fire bombs thrown by outsiders on racing motorcycles. To
them any building will do. Anything that will burn. Also, our community leaders
from 31 different section of Klong Toey & walk up five story flats have organized
their own young men both on foot & motorcycle to guard our beloved slum
neighborhood during the night. The total slum is on alert. We protect our own.
There will be no violence. No fire. If the night alert lasts, tomorrow night we
will cook huge pots of rice gruel for the watchmen through out the slums.

On caring for children living in the "war" camp for the Protesters for the past two
months with their relatives... We have put out the word far and near, to any and
all, that we here at Mercy will accept all children, moms, elderly folks who need
shelter. We will give bus fare to help them get home to the Provinces, or what they
need here in Bangkok, especially medical. Plus, naturally, anyone else in trouble.
We will refuse no one. Never have. Never will. Because of the terrible economic
toll, we expect lots of children and destitute cases, and sick people. Somehow we
will find a place for them, get some sort of medical care and always have food on
the table.

As I send this off to you, I just received a telephone call of a slum fire, set
deliberately, but that the people caught the arsonist and put out the fire. I do
not know what they did to the arsonist. Some things, it's better not to know.

On a Cheerful note. Tomorrow is another day and the Lord and Our Blessed Mother
will protect us. But Please Please do pray for us all.

In the name of all our children and Klong Toey & our staff, & Exec. Director Ms
Usanee .... fr joe

[kingwilly]

Thanks for sharing, they do good stuff.