The middle of August is always a busy time at the Father Ray Foundation. This year the children and students celebrated the birthday of HM the Queen, as they do each year, but there were also many ceremonies to celebrate Mothers Day at the different projects.
It all started at the Father Ray Day Care Center when the children got a lovely surprise when many of their mothers turned up. Other Mother’s Day ceremonies took place at all the Foundation projects, including the Drop-In Center, Children’s Home and Children’s Village.
An early start to present food to the monks.
At the Redemptorist Vocational School for People with Disabilities it was Sister Pavinee who opened the ceremony, which was followed by one of the students reading his prize winning essay. This young man, who lives with severe cerebral palsy, slowly came forward, holding tightly on to his walking frame, and he read the words he had written about his own mother. Within a few seconds his words had brought tears to many of the students and teachers listening as they remembered their own mother. He stood in the morning heat, with sweat dripping from him, and at times he paused to calm himself, but his words came from his heart and no one could blame him for being emotional.
Alms to the monks.
On the morning of the 12th, the residents from the Children’s Home traveled to their local temple to present alms to the monks. Back at home the children paid their respects to the ‘mothers’, those female workers who care for them, and again it was a very emotional couple of hours.
A few days later it was Father Ray Day, taking place on the 16th August each year, the anniversary of the passing of Father Ray Brennan.
The previous day, the 15th, the students with disabilities donated blood to the Thai Red Cross; one hundred and twenty people donated more than fifty liters of blood. Free health checks were performed by the medical professionals from the Police General Hospital in Bangkok, students from the Jutamat Beauty School arrived to cut and style the hair of anyone who fancied a new style, and the Ray Bakery School opened its doors for the very first time.
The following day nine monks arrived as the sun was rising to receive alms from the children and students. That evening St. Nikolaus Church was the location for a memorial mass which ended with the children and students of the Foundation laying red roses on Father Ray’s final resting place.
50 liters were donated, not all by this one man.
A blind students pays his respect at Father Ray’s grave.
A young boy at the Father Ray Day Care Center presents his mother with a hand made card.
Free haircuts.
Free health checks for all.
Mothers Day is always an emotional time at the Children’s home.
One of the youngsters from the Drop-In Center with one of the workers.
Several mothers visited their own children at the Children’s home.
Sister Pavinee and the award winning essayist.
The face of the Ray Bakery School.
The Ray Bakery School students.
