Merry Christmas. Deep in the heart of each of us, is a ‘broken alleluia.’  So often, almost always in the slums of Klong Toey, and here at Mercy Centre;  the whispers, tears, the silent gestures of the children  say so much about sadness and being dumped off  left alone in an abandoned building or a bus stop.  That’s the broken part and the alleluia is the joy of Christmas of being loved. Being found. 

Why didn’t you love me from the start.    What could I have possibly done wrong as a small innocent child: or maybe you loved me too much that to save me, you had to ‘dump me  off’ -  left me  alone, on a street corner or a bus stop.  But Christmas ‘puts a stop to all of that’ Christmas tells us… and for sure…  We are Loved.  
 
Or even as one of our beloved kids, literally born next to a three wheel instant noodle cart, on the side of the road here in the slum.  Pregnant  mum was ‘on her way to Mercy’ for help.  She was all alone.  She had no one.  She didn’t quite make it to our front door on time. – but all turned out well.  A healthy baby girl.  

She’s the one.  This delightful seven year old young lady sternly informed me yesterday:  “Fr Joe, Me and Granny, we’re not orphans. Impossible.  And Granny, oh she loves me so very much. And ‘scrawny  Dog.” 

When the bad people took mommy away. He, Scrawny Dog was there, protecting her as much as he could, and Granny says, also protecting me, newly born.  Mommy was lying there on the street, just after I was born, next to the three wheel noodle cart. 

The bad people picked mommy up and laid her down in the back of that pick- up truck just minutes  after she gave birth.   Scrawny Dog came and laid down there by the granny who had grabbed me, so I not fall on the street, was holding me  and Scrawny  Dog  crying, whimpering at her feet.  Protecting her – not letting anyone come close. And someone went to the  7/11 convenience store five minutes away, and the man  there gave a baby bottle and  some milk to feed me, so Granny tells me.  And that I started to drink the milk right away.  And they wanted to take me to the hospital, but Granny said, No, I can take care of her.  She’s healthy.  And the bad people kidnapped my mommy away.  You see my pregnant mom was on her way to Mercy Centre for help, but didn’t make it to our front door in time.  But all turned out well.  Me.  A healthy girl.

Granny says she knows for sure … as Grannies do …Holy Mary, Mommy of Jesus came to Klong Toey that day, Stopped by on her way to Bethlehem with St Joseph where she was going to give birth to Baby Jesus, our Savior, stopped on their way.  And Holy Mary was there protecting me and my mommy when I was born on the street, beside the noodle stand.

Pregnant  Holy Mary, the Mother  of  Baby Jesus and me and Granny. Holy Mary knew also.  I don’t know how, but she also sent ‘ Scrawny Dog’.   He limps now, like Granny does.  They’re both old. ‘Dog, ’ He got beat up by some other dogs who were snarling at us and Holy Mary a few days after I was born, and  Pregnant Holy Mary wanted to help granny  pick up some junk  plastic bottles by the railroad tracks. The day before She and St Joseph went on to Bethlehem where our Holy Books say Jesus was to be born into this world as our Savior.
 
But that was a long time ago, like when I was a tiny baby and don’t remember, but Granny tells me everything about those days . Now, I’m seven.  The Holy family traveled on to Bethlehem where the angels came and sang joyfully  in the heavens.  And the shepherds came to visit Holy Mary and the Baby Jesus and St Joseph.   And the Magi – the 3 Holy men came and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Granny say they were the same angels who came when I was born, in Klong Toey but did didn’t sing,  as Holy Mary didn’t ‘want to make a fuss.  ’ She just asked them to  protected us quietly, and that was enough.  

And Mary & Jesus had to run away from Bethlehem not long after Jesus was born there,  and go to Egypt to get away from some other bad guys. But St Joseph protected them, and the angels guided them and looked after them.

But they will be passing through Klong Toey again.  Not sure when. But Holy Mary promised, and as Granny says, Holy Mary, the Momma of Jesus always keeps her Promises.

And now, today.  Me & Granny, & Scrawny Dog we get up each morning at dawn when that chicken rooster starts crowing – waking everybody up  we collect plastic bottles, tin cans and  paper together to sell for money to buy  breakfast.  And it’s the best breakfast in the world, and the noodle shop lady always she still remembers when I was born on the street, next to her cart. And Granny held me and didn’t let me fall to the ground, and they picked up mommy and laid her in the back of that pick-up trust and kidnapped her away. The noodle lady, she  always gives us…. … well, not an extra portion, that would be too much, but she does add in ‘a little bit extra, because she says I am a growing up girl.”  And some nice ‘left overs’’ they didn’t throw in the garbage  for ‘Scrawny Dog.’ 

And my mommy, that night when they loaded her into the back of that pick- up truck and ‘stole her away.’  Granny says mommy just wanted to touch me, just once, but they would not let her, but granny took mommy hand to touch my baby hand – just for a minute – and the driver got angry. Worried as he heard the sirens: the police were ‘on their way.’  So he drove away quickly.    

But it’s been a long time now. Remember I told you, now, I’m nearly 8 years old…. And I just heard that mommy she got real sick, with the Covid 19 Virus.  But maybe she will get well, but they are not sure. 

But when they took mommy away in the back of that pick-up truck, Scrawny Dog’ was there, and he started whining, howling, like sad dogs do, and came over and laid down at Granny’s feet; has never left us. He was strong then, and yes he still chases away any nasty dogs.  But he likes stray kitty cats.  Lets them share our food. 

And Granny tells me that when Holy Mary was there with Baby Jesus, with us for that little short while, when I was just born, ‘Scrawny Dog’ would protect us all when Joseph had to leave us and go off to work to make money for food.  

And as we pick up thrown-away plastic bottles - left over -  each early  morning, my grannie pulls the lice out of my hair (not very many) and whispers to me.   
 
You are my sweetest beloved daughter, and I will always love  you, and you are my queen of the our beloved slums. Granny calls me:  her lovely Rose of Klong Toey by the Railroad track next to that old original three wheel noodle cart where I was born.  And she makes me cry because she hugs me so tight and  I love her so much … and sometimes Granny sez I can pretend she is my mommy, like Jesus loved his mommy when He was almost 8 years old  

And to use the words from those songs:  That we sing the song that we can still sing:  And that upon a broken drum we can still make beautiful music and we ring the bell that still can be rung

We do not dwell on what has passed away nor what will be. Yes, wars: they will be fought again.  The Holy Dove, she will be caught again, bought & sold again, and the Sacred Dove is never free and we ask for signs and signs were sent.   

But they can never take Christmas away from us.  Jesus and His Mommy Mary who loves us so very much  is always with us.  Will always love us. Merry Christmas to you all in our Mercy Family from Fr. Joe & all our children. Thank you for being who you are.  Maybe we can meet next to that old cart for Christmas noodles.  

The lady will surely add a special portion.