A Light in the Slaughterhouse

This is not just a story about Americans, Asians or Australians. This is a story about all children wherever they are and wherever they live. It’s about the basic human right of having a childhood and of being a young and innocent spirit.
This film has to be made to create a global awareness about these humanitarian crimes so that individuals, families, men, women, and governments can reach out and help to stamp out the degradation and destruction of our young children whether they are black, white, yellow or brown.
The film will help to generate much needed funding to fight these abominations which have fast become a worldwide epidemic. During the past two decades it is estimated that one third of the worlds human trafficking takes place in Asia. 30% of the victims are children. One of the largest forms of trafficking is sex trafficking where the majority of victims are young females between the ages of 12 – 18. Between 50 – 90% of the children rescued from brothels have HIV.

By bringing Father Joe’s story to the world, we hope that the film will generate a greater awareness of other people’s cultures and those who are less fortunate than we are. We hope that the film will inspire and encourage people from all around the world to think about their fellow human beings and the fragile world in which they live. Greater awareness generates active volunteer work and generous donations which means more schools, more medical supplies and better living conditions.

I think that the measure of the impact and success of the film is dependent upon it being seen by the greatest number of people. Certainly, for the measure of impact, awareness, and attitudinal shift there can be no better device than a website or webcast where Father Joe personally answers questions and discusses various topics raised by interested parties. The Mercy Centre, with centres now in the US, UK, Ireland and Australia, has a website which can measure the amount of traffic as well as the increase in donations which can be transferred online.
Another important aspect of the film is that it is a recording and a legacy of what Father Joe has achieved. He won’t be around forever and this film will serve as a reminder and an inspiration for others to continue the good fight. Hopefully the film will continue to inspire people to continue to donate and volunteer their time to help others less fortunate.

Father Joe, the Mercy Centre and the Human Development Foundation in Bangkok, have been fundamental to the making of this documentary. The HDF-Mercy Centre operates thirty preschools for over 3,000 children in the poorest Bangkok neighbourhoods. The foundation also operates preschools for the children of construction workers at large construction sites as well as the Janusz Korczak School for Street Children on premises at their Mercy Centre.
The HDF-Mercy Centre, founded in 1973 by Father Joe Maier and Sister Maria Chantavarodom, is a non-denominational community based organization, recognized locally and internationally for its development work with the poorest of the poor and its long-standing programs in the areas Child Protection, Education, HIV/AIDS, Anti-trafficking and Community Outreach. Mercy Centre is a shelter for street kids, five orphanages, a hospice, a home for mothers and children with HIV/AIDS, a 400-pupil kindergarten, a community meeting place, and serene haven.

To engage and support NGO’S and gthose less fortunate
To discuss the issues generated by the film
To donate time and money to those less fortunate
To report and stamp out child abuse and pedophilia
To address and contain domestic violence
To control drug and alcohol addiction
To recognize suicidal tendencies and those with mental depression
To be generous of spirit and compassion