Since we opened our first preschool forty-one years ago, we’ve built and operated dozens more. We build them in the poorest neighborhoods, where children have no access to a preschool education and no place to learn their Thai ABC’s or play with other children. Today, counting our Mokan “sea gypsy” school in Ranong, we operate 23 kindergartens for poor children, with a total enrollment over 2,500 students and an alumni population approaching 45,000.

Unbelievable excitement!

This morning over 300 slum kids, ages three to seven, battled for victory in their first ever team competition during our Mercy Kindergarten Sports Day. The kids were divided into two teams – The Pink and The Blue – in contests that ranged from relay races and musical-chairs to tug-of-war face-offs. The cheers and chants were deafening!

Most people don’t go out of their way to visit our patch in the slums, known as “70 Rai,” between the port and a spaghetti bowl of highway on-and-off ramps.

It’s a beautiful day for street kids when they can have as much fun as possible without any fears.

Last week over sixty kids of all ages joined in our end-of-year Street Kid Party at Mercy Centre.

All of us at Mercy Centre - especially our House Moms, House Dads, Teachers, Social Workers, and all our Mercy Children - wish our friends from around the world a very Merry Christmas and all good things in 2013! Photos of our Mercy Children by Taryn Wilson.

We are very pleased to announce that Carabao and Sek Loso will participate in a special “Light of Hope Sek Bao” charity concert in support of our HDF Mercy Centre. The concert will be held on Monday January 14th from 8.00pm onwards at the PAT stadium, Klong Toey.