“Nobody cares about me,” one lady sobbed outside a government building before swallowing pills of poison, falling to the ground and needing to be taken to hospital. This is just one of the many tragic stories circulating through news channels in Thailand – telling of individuals who feel the only answer to their hopelessness and desperation is to take their life. 

The growing number of people who have been desperately crying out for relief, has contributed to the number of suicide attempts drastically increasing in what is being reported as “a worrying trend.” The ongoing suffering, caused by this year’s job losses and inability to work, has led to millions of people living in a critical state of anguish and despair. 

With 54.3 percent of Thailand’s workforce being classed as “informal workers,” meaning they have irregular income, low wages, and are unprotected by the social security system, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the accompanying economic devastation, have felt like the final blow for this group, who were already facing hardships.

Aside from the fact that each of these stories – each life alone – represents a heart-breaking scenario; what is it that makes all of us at ZOE feel so compelled to step in and help these people – the most desperate and needy?

For 17 years now, knowing that traffickers exploit the vulnerable, ZOE has worked to provide necessary food, education, resources, and training to families who are the most likely targets for traffickers, in both city and rural communities. These most “at risk” groups are often where children are taken from through the process of using violence, deception, or coercion, and exploiting them for financial or personal gain.

So it’s what ZOE has always done! It’s what ZOE will continue to do…

But now, throughout these especially desperate times, we’re increasing our support. Because of generous donations from ZOE staff, volunteers, and supporters, we are currently able to make over 1,000 food packages. Hundreds of these have already been handed out, and hundreds more are on their way! Being delivered right now! 

Please be praying that we can continue to reach these precious families who are feeling left alone, helpless, and desperate. If you feel able to help us supply more food packs to these vulnerable people, please contribute. *In the box that says how did you hear about ZOE? Type “Thailand Hunger Relief Assistance.” Donations are tax deductible. 

Author – Andrea Cross

Feeding the Hungry During Covid-19 Crisis

You don’t have to go far in Thailand to come face-to-face with the devastating reality that the Covid-19 virus has inflicted on people. And I’m not even referring to the disease itself.

The aftermath of the pandemic – the loss of jobs, zero income and dwindling resources, have left countless families and communities hungry, hopeless and desperate.

Stories of people having only the remainder of the fruit left on their tree to eat, families sharing one egg, many without anything left to eat, and no idea how they will provide for themselves and their children. Food lines stretching for kilometers down city streets.

While making sure our former ZOE young adults are being taken care of, we’ve also been scrambling to raise more funds, buy supplies and make food packs fast enough to reach those who are hurting the most.

Our network of pastors is directing us to the most needy. The ones tucked away in small villages, and tiny huts. The ones who can’t access the government handouts or food lines. The elderly, the disabled, the poorest of the poor.

One family that our ZOE team came into contact with, as they went door-to-door reaching the families who needed food packages the most, moved them to tears.

A fourteen-year-old girl caring for her father who had been left paralyzed after an accident, and her mother who struggles with mental health issues. No money for school, let alone food. This young girl, with the weight of responsibility on her small shoulders, was overwhelmed, welcoming the supply of rice, oil, noodles and canned fish with deep gratitude.

Our staff feels so happy to be a part of this project and serve others and God. To be able to see others who need help, those having to fight for food and struggle to make ends meet, has been very eye opening.

So far ZOE has prepared 560 relief bags and we are about to purchase the supplies to double that!

Please be praying that we can continue to reach these precious families who are feeling left alone, helpless and desperate. If you feel able to help us supply more food packs to these vulnerable people, please contribute. *In the box that says how did you hear about ZOE? Type “Thailand Hunger Relief Assistance†Donations are tax deductible.

Author – Andrea Cross

Payton Foundation, which is already committed to supporting ZOE’s Vocational Training Program and Learning Centre, reached out to us recently to see if we had ‘more immediate’ needs, given the Covid-19 pandemic. ​

Our City Centre coordinators were so relieved to get word that extra funding would be sent. They had already started to help our former ZOE kids (now adults) during this time by buying rice, oil, noodles, milk, etc. with some provisions from a local church but knew that they had stretched that money as far as it could go. With approximately 30 young adults contacting ZOE desperate for assistance, our City Centre team wasn’t sure what it was going to do.

Here’s just a few of the wonderful testimonies that are emerging as ZOE has been able to reach out and help.

One former ZOE youth who is currently attending college in Bangkok lost her part-time job because of the COVID lockdown and was trying to make ends meet by selling her clothes. Because of Payton’s generous donation, we were able to make sure her rent for the month was covered and that she has funds for food. When she found out about the help she would be receiving, she broke down in tears and is so very thankful.

Another adult (former ZOE youth), who is just starting his adult independent journey also lost his job because of the lockdown. He has no parents and therefore no one to help him. ZOE is his family. We were able to make sure he has food and is safe and doing well.

Two of our former ZOE children are now married and have 2 young children of their own, one just a newborn. They too have been affected and not able to work as many businesses have closed during quarantine. Through this funding we have been able to help this family care for and feed their two young children. They are extremely grateful for the food and supplies.

We were also able to purchase lots of food to help many other former ZOE children. They come to our City Center to pick up supplies as they have no other source of help. Some of them have driven 2 hours to come and get essentials (rice, canned fished, oil for cooking). They are also caring for those around them as their neighbors and friends are in need. What they receive they share with others.

We will continue to help, following up with all our former youth and checking what they need assistance with. We will make sure they have the food and supplies they need to make it through this difficult time.

Author – Andrea Cross