Mercy Orphanages and Shelters

Mandate
Protection, Caring, Education, a Future full of Opportunities

Number of Children
Currently 140 children. Over 40 Mercy children were born with HIV.

The Care We Provide
We operate five Mercy homes for children. Every child who lives with us comes from somewhere: a home, a village, a place full of relatives, people they call Aunty and Uncle, Grandma and Grandpa. Our goal with all our children is to help them return home whenever possible, in those cases where the home environment is loving and nurturing. We raise the children in the religious faith of their parents and teach them to respect all religions. Our children attend Catholic Mass and Buddhist ceremonies. We have programs that teach our children art, computers, and physical education. The children gather as a single family every weekend to learn traditional Thai music and dance from university professors. Each Mercy Home also includes social workers, cooks, tutors, and coaches. We send them all to school and nurture and love these children as part of our family. We teach them all we can to prepare them for life once they leave our Mercy family.

Our Homes

Five permanant homes, divided by sex and age.
A home for children in transition, joining or leaving our Mercy Centre.
Previously - before anti-viral medications were accessible - we operated separate homes for our boys and girls living with HIV/AIDS. Today these children receive daily anti-viral medications and are able to lead more normal lives. In 2012, we integrated these children into our other Mercy homes.

Origins/History
In 1976 we opened a home for nine street children who depended on Father Joe and Sister Maria for survival. Our capacity to care for such children grew with each child we took in and our reach expanded every year.

The Challenges
Our greatest challenge never changes. That is, to ensure that our children, who often come to us after experiencing enormous infancy and childhood deficits and traumas, are able to be children once again on their way to leading a fulfilling family life in adulthood.

Related Articles:

Bangkok's 'Slaughterhouse' children find a haven

Related articles by Fr Joe Maier:

A Ride on the Wild Side of Mercy

Every Picture Tells a Story

The Pride of Klong Toey

Heaven's door opened at Soi Cowboy

Running Drugs for Mom, and Then Starting Over

It's all in the game

No parents, no food, no home.

Easter Letter 2009: Five Ugly Ducklings from the Swamps of Klong Toey

A Rainy Night in Bangkok