Thailand is often called “The Land of Smiles” for its famous hospitality and friendly people. Yet to truly know the depth of Thai kindness, one must venture beyond the vibrant markets, glamorous malls, and glittering temples, and visit the Mercy Centre, nestled in the slums of Khlong Toey.
The Mercy Centre building, a humble three-story facility built around a garden, is home to a kindergarten for disadvantaged children, a shelter for orphans, and offices for Mercy’s dedicated staff. Should you drop by, you may have the privilege of bumping into Khun (Mr.) Mongkol Phowee, known as Moe. A man of sharp intellect, good humor, and a heart of gold, he has been at Mercy for over twenty years–long enough to remember when his current office space had been full of beds for children infected with HIV.
Khun Moe grew up in rural Northern Thailand, where employment options for young people were limited. He earned funding from the government to study basic nursing care, eventually getting his B.A. and M.A. in Public Health.
He first learned about Mercy from a television broadcast. Founded in 1972 by Father Joseph Maier, Mercy began with a single school in Khlong Toey and quickly grew to serve Bangkok’s poorest communities through preschools, orphan shelters, health clinics, housing programs, and outreach to street children. By the 1990s, it had become a pioneering force in AIDS awareness and care, launching Bangkok’s first free hospice.
“I thought…this foreigner is helping Thai people,” recalls Khun Moe. “I am Thai. Why don’t I come and help Thai people?”
C- Mongkol Phowee measuring out prescriptions
His decision to join Mercy was not encouraged by his family, who feared for his safety in Khlong Toey, a neighborhood associated with drugs and crime. But Khun Moe has never shied away from confronting stigma.
In addition to caring directly for patients, Khun Moe has devoted much of his life to combating misinformation and promoting sexual health education. “People thought they could get AIDS from the rain.”
Khun Moe has developed comprehensive curricula to teach communities about STI prevention, home-base care standards, holistic healthcare for those living with HIV, COVID prevention and more.
His approach is to decode complex information, make it memorable through engaging activities, and empower ordinary people to protect themselves through knowledge. Throughout his lessons, he confronts stigmas, reminding everyone, “We should put ourselves in each other’s shoes.”
Despite political barriers, he has shared his curricula widely, from schools and prisons to NGOs and volunteer groups who have brought the lessons back to their communities.
With the arrival of antiretroviral therapy, Mercy hospice transformed into the Bridge of Hope, and Khun Moe continued to teach HIV-positive people about the importance of medication and self-protection.
Today, education and compassion remains at the heart of Mercy’s mission, with seventeen kindergartens serving children who would otherwise have limited access to learning, sponsorship programs supporting students continuing their studies, four shelters providing safe refuge, and a special school for children excluded from the traditional education system due to special needs or lack of documentation. And Khun Moe continues to serve wherever needed, from writing proposals to looking after kids and running the nurse station. He is such an essential figure, he lives on site, laughing at his failed attempt at independence: “I went to my apartment to do some cleaning, but after just one hour, I got called to help [with a situation] at Mercy.”
The Mercy Courtyard
When asked about the hardships he has experienced, Khun Moe shared a story about an AIDs patient he was caring for at Mercy. After resuscitating the man, Khun Moe sent him to the hospital, but they were reluctant to care for such a serious case.
“I was so frustrated and upset,” Khun Moe shares.
After that incident, Khun Moe found himself leaning against the railing of the third floor. Looking down at the ground, he wondered if peace might come only after leaving this world.
Then he heard a young boy nearby, singing a rock song about empowerment from a popular energy drink commercial while flashing the “horns” hand sign. The absurdity of the moment shook Khun Moe from his despair.
The boy, once immobile due to HIV-related complications, had been coaxed into physical therapy by daily bribes of chocolate from Khun Moe and other volunteers. Thanks to their persistence, he eventually walked again. Today, he is a thriving husband and a father. And thanks to the boy, Khun Moe is still at Mercy.
“It was so funny…it shocked me and made me laugh,” Khun Moe recalls with a smile. His smile, like many at Mercy, is more than a happy expression. It is a testament to resilience. Khun Moe finds inspiration in the many successes he has witnessed at Mercy, from patients beating impossible odds to the children who have grown up to graduate from university. His adopted son, once a Mercy child, is now a lawyer.
Mercy Centre welcomes volunteers and donations, sustaining its mission of hope and dignity–and ensuring countless more smiles. “If you are going through hard times, have hope and faith,” Khun Moe advises. To those who can help, he says, “Listen to others and help in whatever way you can. If you don’t have money, give your kindness.”
You can learn more through Mercy’s website: www.mercycentre.org.
Macherie Bosch
Macherie Bosch is the daughter of a Thai antique dealer and an American farmer, the mother of a spunky little human and two unruly cats, and the author of software user manuals and tales of enchantment. She currently lives in Bangkok and volunteers at Mercy Centre.