Helping the Orphans

On March 21, 2005, in an official correspondence number 0417/433, the district head of Takuapa district welcomed Mercy Foundation's work with Tsunami orphans since the district perceived that the Mercy Foundation's project to help Tsunami orphans would give a brighter future to children whose parent(s) had died in the Tsunami disaster on December 26, 2005. Currently, Mercy Foundation is providing financial assistance for over 400 Tsunami orphans in Phang-nga province, South Thailand.  The assistance goes toward their schooling and living expenses. Mercy Foundation additionally is conducting variety of activities to help the children to cope their losses.

Below are two of the orphans and ther stories. Mercy Foundation is blessed to be able to serve and help these children whose parent or parents were dead in the tsunami giant waves that struck Thailand on December 26, 2005.

Poncheetha Dedglah, age two, living at Bangsak (Moo 8) village, Kukkak sub-district, Takuapa district, Phang-nga province, South Thailand. She lost her mother in the tsunami giant waves. She was home with her grandparents when the tsunami hit. Their house is located on high ground so they were safe and away from the waters. As for her mother, she was working at the Khoalak Princess Resort in the accounting office. Her mother's friend who survived the tsunami reported that the resort had received a phone call warning them of the tsunami that had just destroyed hotels and bungalows along the ocean front nearby. No one had paid attention. Many of the resort employees and guests were actually waiting to see such an event. Her friend took off and got into a vehicle that took her to safety, but Poncheetha’s mother, despite her effort to run, was not fast enough. She was waiting and hoping to get a glance of the wave and when she saw it coming she took off. The water threw itself up against the walls of the hotel resort and that was the last that the friend saw of her. Her body is yet to be found. As for Poncheetha’s father, he worked for one of the five stars hotel as a driver. He recalled that he was waiting on hotel guests at the frontdesk when the waters came up. He did not waste any time. He said that he jumped up onto the wall but the waters knocked it down. He then jumped into the water and swam for the nearby coconut tree. While he was hanging on the tree for dear life, he recalled, "I saw cars and motorbikes and people got sucked out into the ocean.”

Somboon Yongpraderm is six years old. He is now living with his grandmother. He was was at home watching a television when a tsunami hit his home. While watching television, he heard a loud noise of water. He immediately made an escape into the mountain and stayed there for 7-8 days. But his mother was sucked into the ocean. He is looking for his mom but he has not found her yet. His mother was selling groceries for a living when she disappeared into the waters.