"When It Rains It Pours"

    Supporting four persons on $300. a month, with one person having and appendectomy and another hospitalized with esophageal problems, is difficult even in Thailand.  Gai struggle to support her family after her husband abandoned the family taking the Tuk-Tuk taxi with him.  Thailand has no parental child support laws so it's all up to Gai.

   Seventeen year old Mai, for whom we've provided financial support to keep her in school, recently had an appendectomy.  If there were any silver lining in that experience it is that it happened during seasonal school recess. 

   Then there is Poy who is also seventeen.  Gai's family took her in as an unofficial foster child a few years ago when Poy;s family of origin disintegrated through methamphetamine addiction.  Poy is not related to Gai and it's very unusual in Thailand for non-relatives to provide foster care.  Poy lived with Gai's family for a couple of years.

   Poy's immaturity surfaced when she refused to productively assist Gai in any way.  She then decided to make it on her own and moved out but stayed in contact with Gai.  When I met Poy earlier this year she was camping with relatives and reported that she hadn't eaten for three days.  Obviously her attempt to live on her own was not going well.

    Gai later agreed to let her move in again as Poy promised to be a cooperative participant in the family's life.  True to her word Poy found a job and was working when she began having difficulties eating.  This was a flare up of esophageal problems stemming from a suicide attempt, while living with her family of origin, where she drank  drain cleaner.  She had a previous hospitalization and surgery in Bangkok for thisproblem, an hour by mini-bus from Gai's home in Ayuthhaya, while she was living with Gai the first time.

    So, about the time Mai was having an appendectomy Poy was again unable to eat and was again hospitalized in Bangkok.  Gai works seven days a week to earn her $300. a month.  Time taken from work to attend to Poy hospitalized in Bangkok.not only reduces her income but jeopardizes her job. Poy will now be released from the hospital but it's doubtful that her job will be waiting for her.

    Living the privileged life that I do it's hard to imagine the stress under which Gai lives as she tries to maintain life for the four of them. One bit of hope is that Mai will finish her studies next year and then can begin contributing to the family finances. Hopefully Poy will also recover and again find a job.   Let us all be grateful for the life we lead!

      

From left: Gai, Perwaa, Al and Mai.

Gai and  Poy.