An update from the team at Mercy Pattaya:

Times of adversity brings out the best in people, and the current crisis is proving this. All around the city residents and organizations have rallied around raising funds and sharing what they have with those in need.

We want to thank all of you, far too many to list, in Thailand and overseas, individuals and organizations, whose generous giving enables us to bring hope to those who are suffering in some way due to COVID-19 here in Pattaya. In the twenty-plus years, we have been serving the city, there has never been a greater need and it is only because of you that we have been able to achieve all that we have been able to do.

The beneficiaries of your generosity may never know who you are, but they feel your love. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of experiencing the grateful hearts and smiles you bring through your life-gifts.

Mercy has been helping those in need for a while.  In the past, we packed 100 food parcels which we distributed once a month.  With the huge rise in unemployment, we have now been packing food parcels every two weeks.

These are cheerfully packed by volunteers, including ladies from PILC, and contain an assortment of rice, noodles, oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, eggs, tinned sardines, soap, and laundry powder.  We also distribute bottles of water, milk to children, diapers and formula for babies.

A need for ready prepared meals for the elderly and disabled was noted but the need to expand this to others in need was soon apparent. Initially, 100 meals were prepared every two weeks, but this rapidly increased to 250 plus.

A team from Mercy Pattaya and the Baan Ruam Jai church family saw to it that the distribution went in an orderly fashion by insuring recipients had face masks and kept to social distancing.

Sun-tanned, tired, but very satisfied with their efforts for the victims of COVID-19, these incredible volunteers and the very generous owner of a mango farm, picked 500 kilos of mangoes to add a nutritious dessert to the hot meals being given out. It was an amazing effort.