Greetings from Sarnelli House!

The monsoons have arrived with a vengeance! I have been in Thailand for forty years, but never witnessed a great start like this, although it was tragic for the poor people up north that drowned in a sea of mud. The denuded the mountains of trees, and the mountainsides just slid down and covered them.

School opened May 15, and we had all the uniforms, clothes, shoes and bags ready for the children. Opening day the kids were up early, and the newest kindergarten kids were either beside themselves with anticipation, or crying and bawling. One of those off to school, thank God, is 3 year old Miss "E.T." I told the sisters at school that I would send her to the convent when she grows older. E.T. is a holy terror, into everything. Her latest escapade before going to school was that she stuffed toilet paper in the vents of the babies' room air conditioner, burning up the compressor. Sweating housemothers were threatening to wring her neck until the machine was repaired.

13-year-old Miss Lyn returned home from nearly a month at Srinakarin hospital. She was passed from family to family, and had taken ARV medicine and TB medicine for a while. But the last family ignored her pleas for TB medicine and she became gravely ill, and her liver was malfunctioning and she had an abscess in her abdomen. She spent days in Nongkhai's ICU, before the doctors finally agreed to have her transferred to the University hospital of Srinakarin, in Khon Kaen. Her condition was quickly diagnosed and she was given pure protein by I.V., and is taking experimental TB medicine. She is a miracle. We ask for prayers for her, because it is not yet evident the new TB medicine is helping her. Her sister Biew is in school. Biew is 9, and does not have AIDS, which makes us think that Lyn was raped.

Little Mr. Top joined us a few short weeks ago. He is a 10-year-old Catholic boy, very polite and quiet. He also has TB, plus his AIDS. He has since opened up and is a cheerful, pleasant lad. He is no longer lonesome.

Amanda Foundation in Hawaii sent me 60,000 baht, so I drilled wells for families that have AIDS, or are taking care of children with AIDS. With this money, I was able to drill 7 wells, and put in hand pumps. In most villages, people won't allow AIDS infected people to use the common village well. Up here, near the Mekong River, water runs clean and close to the surface, so we can get water within 20 meters.

One thing we learned this monsoon season is that there is not enough play room at the House of Hope. Ewe have a small pavilion behind the house, but when it rains, the kids only have their sleeping room to play in. We have 16 kids, and they need a nice big room to play in. So, despite a tight budget, I am going to build an 8 x 6 one room building, just for kids to play and enjoy themselves. The oldest is 6 years old, and the youngest is now 6 months old. We will begin construction Monday. We don't have so much money, so will keep it simple.

As for me, I tore up some back muscles lifting weights, and am finally lifting slowly and lightly, and I hope to have a full recovery. People now tell me to act my age (67) and stop lifting weights, but the exercise relieves tension and also helps to keep me strong. I hope to have several more years of health and strength, until death or dementia gets me!

God bless you all, and thank you so much for your kindness, interest and concern!

Father Mike

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