The rains came late this year, but when they arrived they came with a vengeance that many of the poorest in the city, those least able to deal with the subsequent horrendous flooding, couldn’t deal with. Many lost virtually all they had, and what was not washed away became so waterlogged as to be unusable, even after drying out. The cleaning up process was a mammoth task and could have been the last straw for some, but these people, in true Thai fashion, just rolled up their sleeves, smiled a wry smile, and got on with the job.
Volunteers from various organizations in the city turned out to see what they could do to help, and Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya donated a generous 20,000 baht to be used in the repair and rebuilding work. They bought materials to strengthen supports and replace roofs and walls where gale force winds had blown them away or where they had become so old and rusty as to have become totally inadequate to the task they were made for. They bought furniture, bedding and essential household items – rice pots, saucepans, water containers, tables, stools, etc.
The Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya donated 20,000 baht to help flood victims and united with Mercy Pattaya to help with flood relief in the community.
Then the hearts, minds and muscles of the caring people of Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya and Mercy Pattaya united to work alongside those of the community, showing them that “compassion” is not just a word in a dictionary, and “value” does not depend on the salary you earn, but comes from the respect and esteem in which one holds one’s neighbours – especially in times of need.
