Thailand: Father Mike's plea for his 'house of miracles'

Father Mike came into childcare late in life. He had been pastoring in the hill villages in Thailand near the Laos border for some 39 years when, in 1999, he recalls "I began working with mothers and children infected by the HIV/AIDS - and the going was rough. I didn't have any money and no ideas as to how to go about finding it."

In truth this kind-hearted Redemptorist priest made a promise to a Thai woman who was dying of AIDS. He swore to her that he would care for her babies when she died. Out of that simple act of love and compassion has grown the most remarkable vocation of care and devotion.

With more and more children arriving at Sarnelli House Orphanage, near Nong Khai, Thai Children's Trust stepped in to help, and a bond has been forged over the years.

Today Father Mike's family has grown to 145 girls and boys of all ages. Any first-time visitors would see children playing, and plenty of laughter and joy in a loving and secure home at Sarnelli House. But many of the children are AIDS orphans and nearly half are living with the HIV virus or AIDS themselves. They, in particular, need a nutritious diet to stay healthy.

And this is where Father Mike's money troubles are particularly worrying. Father Mike knows he is not getting any younger - and his worries have multiplied of late as Thailand experiences its' worst drought in decades. Critical water shortages are delaying the planting of crops and self-sufficiency has been severely affected. He simply does not know how he can keep food on the table for his needy and ever-growing family.

Thai Children's Trust Ireland is asking for your help to continue his work. A treasured gift of €15 could feed a child for a month. A gift of €25 could provide a baby with nourishing formula milk for a month. A gift of €50 could provide a child living with HIV with calcium-enriched milk for a whole month. Anything you can afford to give will mean the world to Father Mike and the children at Sarnelli House.

For more information and to make a donation see: www.thaichildrenstrust.ie/