Last Friday our Mercy family children, house moms, house dads, kindergarten students, street kid students, teachers, social workers and many friends, strolled, danced and sang our way to Wat Saphan, our local slum temple, where we made merit in observance of Budhhist Lent.

The 4th "Music 4 Kids" Bangkok blues festival is happening this coming weekend, May 31-June 1. This year the festival will be hosted by Apoteke Bar and Restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 11. Organized by Jeff Thomsen of the Soi Dog Blues Band, he is bringing together ten bands over two nights. Proceeds and t-shirt sales go to help our Mercy kids. It's fantastic music! Please join us!

Today was a special day at Mercy. Hundreds of the elderly poor in Klong Toey joined us for a Thai New Year luncheon feast and Songkran party. Monks from our local temple, Wat Saphan, chanted and gave blessings. Grandmas and grandpas danced to the old songs. And to make the day perfect, they taught their grandchildren the words, plus a few of the old dances and all the most important traditions. It was a beautiful day, and a wonderful reminder how blessed we are at Mercy to have thousands of caring friends and kind neighbors.

Yesterday was a glorious day at our Mercy Centre. On the occasion of her birthday, HRH Princess Srirasmi visited our Mercy Centre to celebrate with our Mercy children, our kindergarten students, and all our house moms, house dads, teachers, and social workers. Our children renewed their vows to the Princess, promising to study hard and to be kind and generous. After receiving a luncheon feast from the Princess, our children also performed a classical Thai dance to the accompaniment of our Mercy kid orchestra. A spirit of joy filled the air.

Last week our social workers took 45 street children to a place they could barely imagine, far away from their everyday cares.

Last week our Mercy children, along with our kindergarten students, our staff, and neighbors, invited the monks from our local temple Wat Saphan to celebrate Mother's Day together as a community. Our children gave alms; the monks gave blessings, and we stood together in praise of all the goodness our moms bring to our beloved Klong Toey.