The Gospel of Father Joe
Revolutions & Revelations in the Slums of Bangkok
by Greg Barrett
foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
BOOK Talks & Lectures 2008-2009
Royal Thai embassy
Thursday, April 16, 2008 at 5 pm
1024 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Reception for Father Joe Maier
Speak/Sign
202.944.3611
See map HERE
Olsson's BOOKS
Saturday, April 26th at 7 p.m.
Old Town Alexandria
106 S. Union St.,
Alexandria, VA 22314
Discuss/Read/Sign
703.684.0077
Park Road Books
Friday, May 16th at 7 p.m.
4139 Park Road
Park Road Shopping Center
Charlotte, NC 28209
Discuss/Read/Sign
704.525.9239
Quail Ridge Books
Sunday, May 18th at 3 p.m.
3522 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607
Discuss/Read/Sign
919.828.1588 / 800.672.6789
ZAZZY'Z COFFEE HOUSE & BOOKS
Saturday, May 24 at 2 p.m.
380 East Main Street
Abingdon, VA 24210
Discuss/Read/Sign
276.698.3333
Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe
Saturday, June 28th at 7 p.m.
55 Haywood Street
Asheville, NC 28801
Discuss/Read/Sign
828.254.6734
Kepler's Books
Tuesday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m.
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA, 94025
Discuss/Read/Sign
650.324.4321
Capitola Book Cafe
Wednesday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.
1474 41st Avenue
Capitola, CA 95010
Discuss/Read/Sign
831.462.4415
BARBARA'S BOOKSTORE
Thursday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.
1100 Lake Street
Oak Park, IL (aka Chicago)
Discuss/Read/Sign
708.848.9140
Olsson's Books Dupont Circle
Tuesday, July 29, 7 p.m.
1307 19th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Discuss/Read/Sign
202.785.1133
Northshire Bookstore
Thursday, July 31 at 7 p.m.
4869 Main Street
Manchester Center, VT 05255
Discuss/Read/Sign
802.362.2200
The Toadstool Bookshop
Saturday, Aug. 2 at 2 p.m.
Colony Mill Marketplace
222 West Street
Keene, N.H. 03431
Discuss/Read/Sign
603.352.8815
Symphony Space
Sunday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.
Irish music & book signing
Doors open at 7 p.m.
2537 Broadway & W. 95th St.
New York, New York 10025
Duke University
Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m.
Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
3001 Cameron Boulevard
Durham, NC 27705
Discussion
The Weatherly Inn
Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m.
6016 N. Highlands Pkwy
Tacoma, WA 98406
Discuss/Read/Sign
Lutheran Church of Christ
Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
1710 85th Street East
Tacoma, WA 98445
Discuss/Read/Sign
Saint Rose Catholic Church
Sunday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.
701 26th Avenue
Longview, WA 98632
Read/Discuss/Sign
2009
Unitarian Universalists of Madison County, Kentucky
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 at 7 pm
1081 Willis Branch Road
Eastern kentucky university
College of Justice & Safety Distinguished Lecture Series
Tues., Feb. 10, 2009 12 pm - 2 pm
Stratton Hall # 455
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY
Jubilee Community Church
Wed., Feb. 11, 2009 at 7 pm
Creation Room
46 Wall Street
Asheville, NC
828.252.5335
Duke University
Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Rubenstein Hall
Thursday Feb. 12, 2009 at 10 am
240 Science Drive
Durham, NC
First Baptist Church of Bristol
Sunday, March 8 at 11 am
1 Virginia Street
Bristol, Va.
276.669.8191
New Hope Church
Sun., June 28 at 9 am and 11 am
8905 Ox Road
Lorton, Va.
703.971.4673
HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sun., August 30 at 9:45 am
465 Hartness Road
Statesville, N.C.
Commonwealth Baptist Church
Sun., Sept. 20 at 11 am
700 Commonwealth Ave
Alexandria, VA 22301
St. Anne Catholic church
Wed., Oct. 7 at 7 pm
350 Euclid Ave
Bristol, VA 24201
2010
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, NC 28204-2888
First Baptist Church Raleigh
Check back for updates
Father Joe's preschool Graduation speech
“If you don’t have anything to eat in the morning,” Father Joe began, speaking Thai and scanning his attentive audience of children, “then go to school!”
Most of the students sat erect or leaned slightly forward on the edge of their benches or chairs.
“If you don’t have any shoes to wear. . .,” he continued, pausing for effect, “go to school!”
“If Mommy or Daddy says you can stay home . . . go to school!
“If your friends want you to sell drugs . . . go to school!
“If Mommy gambles and Daddy’s a drunk . . . go to school!
“If all the money is gone and you can’t buy lunch . . . go to school!
“If your house burns down and you don’t have anything or anywhere to sleep . . . go to school!
“Go to school! Go to school! Go to school!”
Children joined in, louder and louder, chanting what sounded to me like “Tong by wrong rain high die!”
Go to school! Dhong bai rong rien hai dai! Dhong bai rong rien hai dai! Dhong bai rong rien hai dai!
Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, the neighbor next door joined in. Khun Phaw Joe directed the burgeoning chorus, his Thammasat gown waving until the bell sleeves billowed.
Dhong bai rong rien hai dai! Dhong bai rong rien hai dai! Dhong bai rong rien hai dai!
~
Archbishop Tutu
"The story of Father Joe and the Bangkok squatter land he calls holy is a critical chapter in the modern-day memoirs of humankind.
His Mercy Centre is more than a refuge and grassroots education system for children caught in the bramble of our new prosperity; it’s the vivid expression of God’s will for how we are to treat family."
In effect, it’s the Bible for how best to lift families from the poverty that kills millions of children every year: you plow the ground with textbooks and local muscle."
- Archbishop Tutu
Sen. james webb
"For more than thirty-five years Father Joe has been an inspiration for the poor, the downtrodden, and the forgotten among the worst slums of Bangkok.
There is no greater compliment in the earthly life than to say that one dedicated human being became a voice for those who have no voice, and created a haven for those who had no home."
- Sen. Webb
