What do our Mercy kids do for Halloween? No surprises here: they dress up as goblins, frighten the bejesus out of each other, dunk for apples, jump madly on trampolines, and gobble down plenty of candy. Friends of Mercy held their annual Halloween Party for our children this past Saturday. Our little ones were not allowed inside the haunted house (way too scary!) but our older Mercy boys and girls along with 100s of neighborhood children put on a brave face, entered wide-eyed and left screaming. A super fun day at Mercy!

Late in the afternoon this past Saturday a raging fire engulfed the Klong Toey neighborhood known as Rom Klao. Fire and rescue workers were able to save the community from total destruction, but not before 72 homes were leveled, leaving 428 residents, including 98 children, without shelter. Everything the victims owned was destroyed.

There's a quiet revolution stirring amid the ponds of Klong Toey, where students are taught to ask questions and dare to speak out

We are a poor community organization, and usually at a loss when it comes to raising funds. It’s no exaggeration: fundraising is not our strength. What we’re best at is in protecting, sheltering, and educating the poorest and most vulnerable children. At fundraising, we struggle and stumble on.

This past Saturday a fire broke out in Pai Sing To, a small slum community located across the street from the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but in its wake, 22 houses were destroyed, leaving 31 families, including 71 individuals, without a place to live. Most adult victims work as day laborers, food vendors, maids, and security guards, earning close to the legal minimum daily wage.

Please join us this September 21, 3:30pm, at Trinity Hall, St. Joseph Convent School, where world-acclaimed pianist Marina Baranova will perform music to move, soothe, and uplift the spirit, all in the name of Mercy.