Reflections

www.vietnam-kids.org.nz

Back home again after what felt like a very quick visit with so much packed in. Beautiful children with no mums or dads, people living in conditions  beyond anything here, how far our money can go there. Selfless people given their lives to help, the noise, the busyness of the city, the isolation of the villages. The church in action, God found in all sorts of places.

New relationships built, the blessing of giving, I can't wait to get back there.  Thanks so much to those who gave towards bringing joy to these kids and to those who decided to sponsor the school fees for a village child.  Really, not so much for us, so much for them.  :-)

This is a short you tube video of the effects of Agent Orange today ... some of it is very disturbing.

To the very poor

Saturday was the day we visited our sponsor children in the Mekong Delta.
So humbling, we had 5 children to visit and they initially came to the church that helps them, with their parents. We gave them gifts and felt like the rich westerners, it was a little uncomfortable. Not a scrap of English so my friend Thao came to translate. We then went to visit three of the families and talked to the parents and children. Walking through rice fields, coconut trees all around, very very hot, and quite shocked at how they live :( and their struggle to survive. Yet the kids had dreams, one wanted to be a teacher, another a policeman. And it only costs $160 per year to sponsor their school fees.
We were the first western people one of the kids had seen close up .. What a shock haha
We were moved ...

Bless the children

On Friday we arranged for a fun morning at a pool complex for 30 children from the shelters we give to. All of these children have been abandoned by their parents so this is their home, their love, their security.
'The children never get to do this as money does not stretch this far" the director told me. What a privilege to be able to do this and see the smiling faces , and fight them off in the water :). So happy, so loved, they are learning the love of God in their lives.

Tears in my eyes thinking about it. I feel I can not do enough to make their lives as blessed as mine.

Thank you to all who gave to this special day.

Why war??

Vietnam is a country that has constantly been desired by others and has spent years fighting off the invader.
Now finally at peace the effects of war is evident everywhere.

Today we visited the War Remnants Musuem, mainly dedicated to the American war. We also visited the children at the Peace village, a part of the hospital set up to care for the innocent children of Agent Orange.
3 generations have now been poisoned with very little done by the poisoners. No fault of theirs .. I get angry.

Sponsorship Trip 2013

This month I will be visiting Vietnam with my son.  We will be visiting the children we sponsor in the Mekong Villages and hopefully gaining some new sponsorship.

We will also be paying for a group of 30 'shelter kids' to have a day at the pools and to give them a treat. :-)  and visiting the Peace Village again where the Agent Orange Children are looked after.

Another purpose of our trip is to look for a project for Break Free expeditions to go up and sponsor.  This is a fantastic local organisation that works with young people to give them a 3rd world 'Serving' experience.    http://www.breakfreeexpeditions.com

More to come ........