Thursday, our last day working with Giving it Back to Kids, was another very exciting day. We headed out in the morning to visit Compassion Houses that had been completed recently and check in on how the families are doing. It is very satisfying to see how these families have been affected. For many, it has been an opportunity to get on their feet in other ways. One family started a small store in front of their home (actually it was the plan as they were building the home, so it was properly laid out), and it has worked out beautifully for them. The wife has been manning the store while the husband shuttles people on his motorbike as needed during the day and sews by night. Honestly, these people have an amazing work ethic if they have the opportunity to work.
The most exciting thing of the day was visiting the home of the family that we and some of you contributed funds to build a home for. This family has had a tough set of circumstances and the wife/mom has had to really shoulder a lot. Her husband suffers from mental illness and seizures. He is unable to work and often unable to even get out of bed. He was having a better day when we were there, and he proudly stood in his home and graciously hugged and bowed his head in thanks to us. They have three children. The oldest is away at University. The mom had to beg and plead to borrow from relatives to scrape up enough to send her child. Then when funds ran dry, she tried to borrow from the bank, but knowing that it would be impossible for her to repay them, they turned her down. GIBTK stepped in when she explained her situation in her application for a Compassion House, and her daughter's education has been fully funded!! They have a middle child who was at school while we were there. Their youngest is eleven and has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She didn't look like she had that to me, but clearly there is something going on. The mom explained that she has the mind of a three year old. She certainly had the joy of a three-year-old, and she and I had a blast blowing bubbles and jumping around together like goofy kids.
We were also able to visit Ko again. This is the woman whom we have decided to build a home for. Steve wanted to scope out her neighborhood for his "business plan." It turns out that it's good that we went back. She was very happy to see us (and we were able to see her kids with the bikes that we got for them... SUPER fun!!), but Steve discovered another "store" very close to her home that puts the idea of a c-store out the window. So, more brainstorming for her...
We said our good-byes to our new friends, the wonderful staffers at GIBTK and headed to the airport to fly back to Saigon. A big part of what made Vietnam such a great experience was getting to make real connections with real people and partner with them for change in their nation. They really made their mark on our hearts.
When we arrived back in Ho Chi Minh, we were able to visit District 7 briefly on our way to take Marie home. Marie and her husband are missionaries that have spent 26 years (or something like that) in Africa. They're now in Saigon with their 14-year-old (youngest) son starting an international church. District 7 is a lovely suburb of HCM, much cleaner, more family friendly with nice parks, etc. It was nice to see.
We caught a late dinner at Broken Rice, a Vietnamese fast food chain, with Yoona (I've been spelling her name wrong it turns out... along with everyone else probably), and packed up for our flight to Phuket in the morning.
Tam biet, Vietnam!!! I did learn a little Vietnamese :)
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| Heading out to the countryside on a rainy day |
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| Beautiful landscape |
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| It is seriously amazing what they load onto their motorbikes |
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| More sweet kids |
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| Beverly showing how fuel is purchased at the stores |
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| Happy Girl in her new home |
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| This is the Compassion House that our "Party with a Purpose" funds built. Thanks, friends, for making a difference in this family's life!! |
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| Steve works some bubble magic |
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| Pet monkey along the roadside |
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| Ko's children with their new bikes!!! |
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| Steve scoping out the neighborhood so that he can brainstorm business ideas for Ko. |
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| Me and Ko |
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| Cow grazing in a cemetary. Can you see the trash? Sadly, littering is totally acceptable here, even in a cemetary! |
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| Steph with the GIBTK staffers What a great crew!! This is considered a GREAT job. They each make around $200 per month, which seems still so low to us, but is more than double what a teacher there makes at $90 per month. One of the girls is the sole source of income while her husband is a stay at home dad to their 2-year-old. They have what would be considered a nice lifestyle. |
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| One last pic before we're off to the airport Steve, Yao (which turns out to be Giao), Steph, Tam, and Robert |
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