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September 2022 Update

I hope this letter finds all of you safe and healthy. None of our kids or staff has come down with Covid, for nearly a month. But you still have to wear a mask to get into stores, hospitals, etc. The Thai don’t fight the mask and distancing. But 9 of our wee ones have again come down with “Mouth, Hand and Foot” disease, which is a spin off from bovine Hoof and Mouth. This is the second time. But we are getting in some donations, which will allow us to pull the urchins out of the Government Kindergarten, and enroll them at Rosario Catholic School. I will arrange this for the second semester, starting November 1.

Last year, we had a horde of girls graduate from high school, who, instead of going on to college or vocational schools, immediately went out and got low paying jobs waitressing or working in clothing stores, etc. One of the girls met a boy, and soon afterwards she discovered that she was pregnant. The boy refused to accept responsibility if she wouldn’t get an abortion. The girl is an orphan, and when her condition became apparent, the restaurant she worked in fired her. I sent a truck up to Nongkhai to track her down and bring her back to Sarnelli. I put her to work in the House of Hope, and she has decided to work here, and raise her baby with help of the ladies at the House of Hope. Kate will take her shopping for baby clothes. Today, the girl announced she has an eight month old boy, and she and the boy will want baptism.

In the meantime, I have been told I have long Covid, which I guess means I test negative for Covid, but have lingering symptoms. I am also 84 years old, and can’t figure out what comes from old age, and what comes from Covid.

This month I was checking out where the kids were in relation to their houses, and noticed Nazareth House had only 5 girls, while the Our Lady of Refuge had about 14 girls. So, I told the staff to close Nazareth and send the 5 damsels to the other house, which has room in the dormitory for 30 girls. The 5 girls, who took great umbrage at my decision, used to be sweet, lovable girls, who overnight turned into raging Godzillas. Saturday morning, when I showed up for the children’s Mass, I met them at the entrance to the sala where we have been offering Mass during the pandemic. I was startled by the ice-cold glares. None would greet or wai me. It took me awhile to figure it all out. Ever since then, if I meet them, they stomp past looking the other way. I don’t know how long this will last!

Other than that, I wish you all God’s blessings, especially good health and happiness!

Father Mike

 

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