Great memories on doing good cause and medical missions during the second week in Vietnam

On the remaining second week of our trip, we joined a group of people who have been coming back to VN from US every year in the past years to fulfill more than one missions including eye operations for poor people suffering from blindness due to cataract, mental and financial support for disabled and elderly people and handing gifts to patients/care givers at cancer or children hospitals and much more...

We met Bac L., an amazing leader of that cataract surgery effort whom you will never believe at first sight can carry that mission for years due to his age and health.  He usually takes one month to complete the mission before going back home in US. He is someone who have been relentlessly working with a group of people in VN from Su Co Phuc Duc to a group of professionals and volunteers in VN to organize such a big medical event in continuous days while we were there. Basically Su Co broadcasted the event to different locations in the provinces not too far from Saigon. The people who can't afford the surgery costs but in serious cataract condition can sign up for the exam and proceed to the operation scheduled the next day. Chi MH who introduced us to Bac is also his right hand to help fulfill the missions. She will join the group the Monday after, also the day we fly back home. 

After resting for 1 day after 'mien Tay' trip, we are recharged to get on the road on Tues, Dec 2nd to join Bac and his son to 'Nha Tinh Thuong for disabled people and elderly who have no family around and not being capable of taking care of themselves. Arrived that facility near Fatima Church in Thu Duc, we were pleasantly surprised by a group of disabled people who came out to greet us and lend us a hand to unload, unpack and distribute the food donations. These young men are to us considered disabled but still can work at their speed with such a positive attitude, huge hearts, and big smiles on their faces. 

There are 3 separated buildings for elderly and disabled people for us to visit in that order, together more than 300 people. Together with volunteers and workers, we came to each room which averagely holds 10 to 12 beds to hand out the the donation portion at each bed.

We all cheered them up with sincere greetings and regards while handing out the gifts of migoi, coffee bags, milk and only 10000 VND which is really little to us but meaningful to those unfortunate people. Quite many people who are deaf and mute, others with missing hands or legs or enduring malformed parts; all attempted to express their thanks by using their own body languages or smiles... It made our hearts melt...

They showed their togetherness and integrity with caring spirit by asking us to leave the gifts on empty beds for some who were not present a their beds. Asking few different people how they live together as community of people in the same circumstances, we got the impressions they all feel grateful that they have a place to live by even not knowing if their health conditions in the future will get better or worse. The healthier ones helps the weaker ones by many means in daily activities; all looks after one another in the same house full of compassion, by its true meaning called  'Nha Tinh Thuong'..

Everyone still looks more cheerful and happier the end of the visit..

The next day, with Bac L we took it easy by visiting to the library where to produce books recorded for the blind people. We met quite a character in life who almost ended her life due to losing 2 legs but has continued to get up and walk up in her life by doing many good cause for the blind people. She is the one who invented the book recordings for blind people to improve listening and learning skills. She is quite a good example for disabled people who can live their dreams!

The next 2 days,  Thursday and Friday Dec 4th and 5th, are meaningfully spent for the hospital visits to observe and help out anything possible for the cataract surgery event taken place at GTVT hospital on Tran Quoc Toan street. Day 1 is the pre-op day when all people with bad eye conditions were examined to make sure they are good candidates to proceed to the operation next day. Many of them sat on the ground waiting for their turns. It extremely impressed us how Dr and his crew can perform that many cases in a day. We were told they did straight 10 hrs a day in order to finish up for all, especially who can not afford to come back next time. 

The surgeon, a young Dr.  Bac L chose, successfully works with him for years to perform thousands of cases without any incidents. He put his heart and mind into it to get 100% success with a 'charity' cost so that it might help cure more people...The more, the merrier...Su So Phuc Duc who has tirelessly worked as the anchor to connect all patients in need with the Dr. to go through the entire surgery process.

We spent half a day of Friday in the operating room. Putting on the gowns and masks, we were allowed to enter the operating room where we watched the cataract operation live in our own eyes from preparing to operating stages. 

We can see the gap between the poor and the rich in Vietnam is very wide. Asking few people while waiting for their turn, we learned that most of patients are just living by selling lottery tickets daily or too poor to to afford the surgery costs....

The equipment are not up to date but pretty clean and sufficient. A case only costs $35 for operation cost and $5 for food and medications in recovery stage. This year with the high spirit and support from contributors back home, thousands of cases can be funded and performed within a month.  

We left feeling warm-hearted knowing that our contributions from our family and friends are worth to spend for the right people at the right place...

Tan Duc temple in Con Phung, Ben Tre - Giving is receiving ...

Leaving Soc Trang, we all headed to Can Tho for overnight stay so that we can ride the boat to the the Floating market at 5pm the next day Nov 30th.  As planned, we left Can Tho for the next destination in Ben Tre. We made a quick visit in Vinh Long, then headed to Ben Tre quay where we took a motorized  boat ride to a village near Tan Duc temple because there is no paved road to it.  It was the first time we experienced something like this. We felt more peaceful being away from hustle and bustle of the other cities in mien Tay and got little cool off by being near the water.  The boat woman driver parked the boat along the quay where we got off and easily walked up to a small village in Con Phung, Ben Tre.

As we arrived, we saw a lot of families already inside the temple waiting for the event to start. We did have the food products delivered ahead so that the gift handling could be faster. We decided to hand those out before having lunch. We planned to hand out 70 portions for families in hardship, each with 10kg bag of rice, 1 box of instant noodles, 1 clothing set and an envelope of 100.000VND.

There are quite many elders who came to receive the donations. One of them who is over 75 years old expressed his thanks on people behalf (in the picture above). He pleasantly surprised us by his very touching speech. He genuinely said he regretted that he could have done the charity works when he was young like we do but could not now at his age. So he decided to give to the temple what he got today as one way to give back to what temple has supported him ever since back then till now. It's a simple but beautiful thing to see in your own eyes: giving is receiving. It reminded us the very true 'cause and effect' that could happen right at the time being in this life...

Hoping on the return boat ride, we silently said good-bye to the Mekong canals and kept in the back of our mind what we have learned a lot from people with integrity and kindness even though they are still struggling with life difficulties everyday. It's a wonderful memories to keep! 

Nang Nhon Orphanage, Soc Trang - The only GrandMa..

Leaving Dong Thap for the next stop at Nang Nhon temple in Soc Trang, we came to the visit the orphanage house nearby cared by Mr & Mrs Tri Hien, where it shelters and cares more than dozen of children under age of 3 and another dozen of older kids ranging from grade 1 to 6. 

When we arrived the house, all kids came out the door to handgreet us with bows. We bowed back...We can tell the kids are well raised since they are very behaved. The olders helpfully look after the youngers especially when they are so actively running around or making a mess because there are not many helpers in the house who in no way can keep up with taking care of all active toddlers.

Since our friends here did come to explore the site beforehand to learn more about the situations, we plan ahead by getting them some kiddy stuffs such as new sandals, candies and cookies that all kids are so tempting to have at the moment. We can tell by looking at their open eyes. This is the place we use the donations from the kids back home who are much more fortunate and would like to share  $5 to $20 out of their piggy banks for little things like that. Any dollar counts and means....

Some of them just wore the new sandals for few minutes then wrapped it back to save it. 

We even got 500kg of rice so that it can help feed them for little while. We got the kids fabrics in brown and grey instead of clothings so Mrs Tri Hien will sew for them including some millk packages for the younger ones.

Only the infants and toddlers are cared in that small house. The older ones' beds are in the the temple nearby. We came to visit the site as well to see their study and sleep room. It's quite neat and organized than the house. I brought with me dozen packs of pencils and crayons including coloring books for fun from home by using my youngest nephews donations. I show them the kids pictures from my iPad. These kids are genuinely grateful for small things that they are rarely given. It makes me happily cry for no reason....

We also contributed some money to help pay for the debts that build the shared dorm for these kids. 

As walking out toghether w Mrs Tri Hien, we sincerely wish her all the inner Buddha strength and blessings and resource helps that can get her continue the journey to live a selfless and sacrificing life as long as she can because these kids need her. Some kids express their feelings to her in some dark nights that they do not want look for their parents and only wish to stay by and help her, called Ba Noi, the only GrandMa...

'Bep an Khuyen hoc' at Chua Buu Nghiem in Dong Thap - keep kids going to school

Back to Saigon from Hue on Friday evening Nov 28th, we were scheduled to join a group of close friends of GDPT back then for a charity trip around many cities in the Mekong Delta region called mien Tay, the next day Sat Nov 29th.

Left SG at 5am, we arrived Dong Thap before noon. The driver tried to locate the Buu Nghiem temple under the bridge Nha Man. Walking toward the entrance, we first paid attention to the huge 'cottage' kitchen (bep nha tranh) with no walls. We were touched by the sign, simple but full of compassion, coming from the hearts of two young sister nuns and volunteer helpers kindly encourage students coming from poor families to overcome their difficulties and poverty by going to school.

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Everyday, about 170 to 200 students were given a free lunch.These students are children from poor families from many different levels in the area of ​​Tan Nhuan Dong, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap province. Temple also houses 10 orphans who need a home at their birth or young age. Having a short conversation with Ni Su Phuoc Hieu, we learn more what goes beyond just providing poor students a lunch ...

We heard and observed all the vegetable barrels coming from the local resident donations. They need bags of rice the most. On top of money and milk donated for the orphans, we gave 1000kg of rice for 'the kitchen'.

We gave the kitchen helpers one hand in preparing the special Sat lunch 'Bun Rieu chay'. 

At noon time, students all arrived the temple in different group of ages. Seeing the students with happy smiles in their bright faces having a hot lunch, everyone felt warm...

We were told this temporary kitchen will be terribly flooded during the flood seasons, usually few months long in Dong Thap area. The nuns heartedly wish to build a cemented roof so that it can shelter all young students at lunch during the heavy storms. Our minds think alike right after leaving the temple. We both feel this is something we can spontaneously plan out when we get back home. We know all our circles of friends will think the same to help make the temple wish become true...

Duc Son Orphanage in Hue, Central of Viet Nam - Hope that someday...

Arrived Hue on Thurs Nov 27. A friend of our niece who is local helped take us to Duc Son Orphanage near Hue. It is home to around 200 orphaned children. We are told by Ni Su Minh Tu and volunteer helpers that most of young children were abandoned at birth or from families too poor to support them. 

Quite many of children are twins. We have no doubts that they are cared by good-hearted and dedicated people but we feel that they are always hungry for food, but so innocent ...

The most practical givings are money with the hope to get some extra millk for the young infants and rice for the older kids. It's also right to split a little to give to the helpers who care for the kids every minute of their life... We left feeling heavy-hearted and hope these kids will find their own parents some day...