Scholars from Hoa Van Leprosy Village

Lan Phuong, Ai Quynh, Kim An, and My Le pictured with Bruce and Elaine

Today we traveled to Da Nang to see the students from Hoa Van leprosy village who are fortunate to still be going to highschool, because our pal Linda at Children's Education Foundation has worked tirelessly to get all the levels of approval necessary, find these kids homes to board in Da Nang, monitoring their progress and communicating that to each of their sponsors.

Some of our Journeys of the Heart team who have sponsored specific children, will have received thank you letters from Linda, but we wanted to show you that we were able to sponsor all four kids pictured above by accumulating the donations of many on our team.

We met in the People's Commitee Hall, where the Women's Friendship Union also have offices. The village headman, his assistant, the Director of the Women's Union and several parents were in attendance. We received a bouquet of flowers and certificates of appreciation. We wanted to pass that appreciation on to all of our donors, who like us, see that education, particularly that of girls and women is critical to the future of this country. We also presented the headman, his assistant and the director of the women's union with small pins of crossed flags ( Canadian and Vietnamese) as a token of our friendship and partnership in working together to keep these deserving young people in school.

We once again asked the students their career or continuing educational goals and many were the same as last year. However our aspiring fashion designer has now decided to be a teacher and one young man, who last year had professed to want to be a doctor, now wants to drive a train! Apparently grade 10 biology was a difficult subject for him. We know that this serious young man will be a very responsible locomotive engineer.

The Road Less Traveled

We traveled to the district of Hiep Duc yesterday with a Global Village Foundation team. Beyond the city of Hiep Duc and into the foothills, our destination was a tiny, isolated and very poor minority village. There are 54 different minority tribes in Vietnam, many still marginalized. The people often speak in their own dialect, can not read nor write and schooling for the children is spotty.

The journey itself was an adventure. As you can see the government is making efforts to improve road access, but for us it was a harrowing journey, with our bus often scraping its undercarriage on the deeply rutted road. At one point our progress was impeded by a stuck truck ahead, so we unloaded so that our men could help push the truck and so that our bus could get through with a lighter load.

 Our first stop was in the center of the village where we toured the village meeting house, wandered the roads and met the villagers. Although a GVF of volunteer youth from Singapore had spent time in the village our group, there to follow up on their project and offer health care advice and aid,was still a curiousity.

The guys added a few light standards and poles for basketball hoops in the square. A Vietnamese female doctor and Le Ly, our leader, delivered information about cleanliness and basic health. We then handed out goodie bags with the requisite shampoo and soap, and a new set of clothes.

Also pictured above are the old house and the new, which GVF built for a rural family, who are very poor.

Our last stop was at a small school building, where the local children are taught three days a week. The structure had been home for the Singapore students, then converted to a small classroom. We played with the kids, drew pictures, painted, exchanged a few words about our pictures of flowers, houses and birthday cakes. Of course the main attraction was the box of books, donated by Journeys of the Heart, through the Global Village foundation.

My Lai Massacre Memorial Site

We journeyed to the My Lai Massacre site yesterday and although we have been to this now tranquil memorial park on several occassions it was, as always a poignant day.

The day was slightly overcast and cool enough that we were able to stroll the now quiet gardens, slowly. Birds sang and the rice fields and vegetable gardens, within and along side the park, were green and healthy. New life has replaced the charred ruins and devastation of so many lives. The 504 souls, still are present to those who pause to contemplate the events of that fateful day in 1968.

Ha Thi Quy, a survivor, lives a short walk down a neighbouring lane in the village. She and her son and granddaughter remembered us from previous visits and welcomed us into their home. She greeted us with huge hugs and smiles.

The memories of the horror of that day for the families of this tiny hamlet in Central Vietnam are searlingly fresh, yet they cherish life, the land and the family that remains. We are humbled by their forgiveness and acceptance of us. We are moved by their "love, which passeth all understanding".

The Funeral

At 4:30 am we were wakened by what sounded like two old aluminium garbage can lids being banged together. Up and down the lanes, the tinny, rhythmic beating, ebbed and flowed. Unable to sleep we showered and dressed and were about to sit down for breakfast when, military like music echoed down the lane and into our garden.

"It is for dead people", said our hostess Le. We rushed for the camera and strode to the corner, where a crowd of neighbours was gathering for the funeral procession. Apparently, the drumming at 4:30 was to awaken the neighbours and invite them to the funeral.

We had front row seats to this moving rite. We had seen the banners flying at the gate of a nearby house over the last couple of days where the deceased had been lying in his coffin. On this day three, the coffin would be paraded ceremonially through the neighbourhood so that everyone could "say good bye". The family and mourners would then continue to the graveyard.

We have learned that the military music was not symbolic of a military career, it was simply that the family could affrod a band and "Vietnamese like this kind of music".

Pictured above are the son of the deceased carrying his picture, followed by the mother and wife.

The brilliantly clad and menacingly made up character was described to us as the ":sargeant" of the cortege and his job was not only to direct traffic, give orders for the pall bearers to take a break etc. but symbolically he also was an ominous precense to scare away the restless spirits and ensure a safe and peaceful journey to heaven for the deceased's soul.

The Buddhist shrine on a bicycle cart, a Monk and burning incence are added  for good measure.

When I saw these two men in the procession, each with a single fragrant tuberose on their motor bikes I was struck once again by the contrasts in this culture which clings to ancient tradition, while riding the crest of rapid development.

Tet is Family Time

This mornning on the first day of the Year of the Cat, we joined Binh, Quyen and Sesame for a family breakfast, before going to the pagoda to honor the ancestors.

We went to the two oldest pagodas in Hoi An. At one we venerated Quyen's Grandmother. Sesame wore traditional garments for this day and was a very good little fellow while we followed the rituals. He and Ba Elaine did sneak off to count the fish in the fish pond in front of the Lady Buddha though...I don't think Buddha or Grandma would mind!

End of Year Celebration at Reaching Out

This year has been one of unparalled success at Reaching Out. Everyone has worked so hard to meet their targets and Binh and Quyen recognized all the staff with healthy bonuses, baskets of goodies for their families and words of encouragement and thanks. Lan An, wrote Binh's words as he spoke so that they could be signed for the speech and hearing impaired staff.

They celebrated not only the financial success of their Fair Trade, social business but marriages, babies, new houses and motor bikes. It was a good year also for health, there were no serious illnesses amongst the staff, which speaks well of their nutritious lunches every day, daily rest time and good working conditions.

Bruce and I are so touched to see the growing independence of all 50 workers and their new found confidence and pride in becoming integrated into their communities. What a gift it is for us to be associated with this exemplary young company.

Making Banh Tet

Banh Tet is a traditional, staple food prepared specifically for Tet. The process is painstaking, but artful, with the wrapping technique skillful, so that in the cooking process, no water and only the moisture and flavour of the banana leaves permeates the rice and bean filling.

This food is favoured because it lasts for many days after being boiled for 20 hours in a large cauldron.

At Vuon Trau, this is a fun family event, with "specialists" brought in to make the banh Tet and sweet rice flour and bean cookies. Check the slide show (upper right corner of the blog) for more pictures of Bruce and Elaine pounding the sweet honey and orange into the rice flour and best of all the smiles on the faces of our Vietnamese friends. Our fumbling attempts are the entertainment!

Touching Moments

This morning we went on another Journey of the Heart. With Mrs. Hoa and Phuong from VAVA ( Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange) and our daughter Quyen, we visited five of the families who will benefit from the generous donations from Bruce's buds, the veterans of 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry and friends in Vancouver and on Salt Spring Island. The 38,000,000 Dong will help a total of 38 families in the Hoi An area. It was a day of reaching out across the generations, two cultures and two countries to heal the wounds of war and the aftermath of dioxin related disabilities.

We returned to see the new small business, established by Man and Hong, both blind and who have a daughter disabled with cerebral palsy. The neighbourhood kids are out of school for Tet and so the games tables, ping pong and foosball were very busy. By the time we arrived at 10 am, they had made 20,000 Dong ( one US dollar), but at this rate per day they will make enough to support themsleves for a month and to save for a refrigerator.

This family have been able, with the help of Journeys of the Heart, to repair a small fish boat engine, and will augment their income by fishing once the sea is calmer in the spring.

When we show up, the whole neighbourhood wanders by to see what all the excitement is. This morning this old gent really wanted to be in on the action. He is a former Viet Cong soldier and wanted very much to say "hello" to Bruce and shake his hand. In fact, he would not let go of Bruce until we loaded into the car.

Each story of the suffering of these families, tears at one's heart. Aging parents are struggling to care for their disabled children.

We found this severely disabled ( mentally and physically) forty year old woman, at home alone in a single dark,moldy room. Her seventy three year old mother leaves her each day to work in the rice paddy. Her father died last year. The neighbours watch out for her and help her with food and toilet until her mother is home.

Can you imagine the excitement as we drove up (or often walked down a muddy lane) with these baskets of treats. Quyen had the baskets made up so that these sweet people could celebrate Tet. How we love Quyen's huge heart.

A visit to Hien and Ly's house

Yesterday,we travelled by car into Da Nang to visit Hien and Ly, to wish them Happy Lunar New Year , "Chuc Mung Nam Moi". They are leaving their little one room house and flying home on Sunday to Kon Tum, north of Pleiku in the mountains, not only for Tet, but to settle in for four months for the birth of their baby. It is traditional for young couples to return home to their parents for the birth of their children (if they are not living with the parents, which is also traditional). It is especially important for Hien and Ly to be with family to care for the baby. The one room is all they have in Da Nang and with Hien's limited mobility the helping hands of family will be necessary with the baby. Right now their one room serves as living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, studio and gallery....heaven knows where they will put a baby when they return after the four months so that Ly can go back to her job as a therapist at the rehabilitation center.

Hien's paintings are selling well at Reaching Out and we were really happy to hear that the computer which Journeys of the Heart (along with Binh and Quyen) gave Hien as a wedding present is proving very useful. Because Hien can not get out to seek inspiration for his paintings, he uses his computer to find and manipulate images of his beloved Vietnam.

We wish Hien and Ly much luck and a happy baby!

Our Work Has Begun

It's about time we got to work. We have been in Vietnam for three days!

This morning we attended the annual meeting for the Hoi An Chapter of VAVA, the Vietnamese Association for the Victims of Agent Orange. Bruce is pictured here presenting an envelope of donated funds from Jounreys of the Heart to the Director Mrs. Hoa. Warm thanks to all the veterans and friends who have made this $2000.00 gift to the victims possible.

The three hour meeting, with long reports and speeches was an interesting experience for us. Bruce was also asked to speak through an interpreter and present some of the gifts.

More pictures will appear on our webalbum. Just click on the slide show at the top right of the blog.

Christmas: A Time of Giving

"The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful"

Christmas has come early again this year, with so many gifts coming our way for Journeys of the Heart work in Vietnam. Thank you to all those Santa Clauses who have sent donations for this year's projects.

We leave for Vietnam on January 15th and are looking forward to all the smiles that your gifts will generate. ....more kids will have books to read, promising young scholars from the leprosy village of Hai Van will have a chance to go to school in Da Nang, more disabled persons will be trained at Reaching Out and victims of the effects of Agent Orange will be given an opportunity to become more independent through establishing a home based business, with the help of a small loan.

May your Festive Season be filled with joy and peace.

2011 Appeal Launched

We have launched our 2011 Journeys of the Heart appeal for funds with a letter to our supporters on our e-mail list. Friends, family and neighbours have also been asking "When do you leave again for Vietnam"? We are so heartened by the swift and generous response and already have funds for

• one portable library for school children in a remote village
• sponsorship of two new home based business projects for victims of Agent Orange
• trainee sponsorship for four new artisans at Reaching Out
• tuition, room and board for one student from the Hoa Van leprosy village to go to school in Da Nang

We want to send more kids to school, train more disabled crafts people, support more victims of Agent Orange and are hoping that you will join our home team and that we can deliver a gift from you.

Please e-mail us at elainehead43@gmail.com if you have questions or need some information about getting your donation to us.

Pictured above is Hien, a disabled painter, to whom we and our friends Binh and Quyen gave a computer last year, to enable him to sell his paintings on-line. We also went to his wedding ( see earlier post) and are happy to report that he and his bride Ly are expecting a baby who will be born while we are in Hoi An. Such a wonderful story.

A New Business Opens in Cua Dai Village

Man and Hong are seen here with Hoa of VAVA ( Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange) in Hoi An accepting the funds from Journeys of the Heart which have enabled them to purchase a ping pong table and two football games ( fooz ball?) for their at hone "recreation" business. For a small fee the neighbours can play a few games AND have a glass of clean bottled water.

After a week in operation, they are estimating that they will earn about 50,000 dong per day. Although this converts to only about $2.50 US, it is sufficient to augment their meager income and allow them to better care for their daughter who has cerebral palsy.

We hope that their example will inspire other victims of Agent Orange to establish small businesses with our help,and become more independent.

Kim Anh's Report Card

Trinh Thi Kim Anh sits at her desk in her tiny room in DaNang where she lives with a friend of her mother's so that she can go to school. Kim Anh's parents live in Hoa Van leprosy village. Her father's leprosy is under control and he is no longer contagious, but he still only manages to earn about $50 a month on his small farm. Kim's mother is partially deaf and her younger brother has many health problems. Their simple home has an electric fan, but no TV...they have neither a motor bike nor a bicycle.

Thanks to our Journey of the Heart supporters and CEF- Vietnam, run by our good friend Linda Hutchinson Burn, Kim has just finished grade six in the city of Da Nang. After a faltering start to the year, perhaps due to illness and an unsuitable home placement where she was reguired to all the chores, Kim flourished in the second term, having moved to her mother's friend's house where she has her own room and her fair share of the chores, sweeping, washing dishes and cooking rice. She can walk to school and best of all, her mother's friend has a daughter the same age! Thank goodness Linda and her people keep close tabs on all of the kids that we are sponsoring and if like Kim, a placement is not working out, an alternative is found. The primary objective is to keep the kids in school.

We met Kim and her Dad in Da Nang earlier this year. What sweet people. We hope that we will be able to sponsor her again for another year of school.

Our First Project for 2011

With the help and guidance of our dear friends at VAVA ( Vietnamese Association for Victims of Agent Orange) on our last trip to Hoi An, we were able, through the generosity of many donors, to help families and individuals who have suffered health and disability problems due to exposure to Agent Orange.

As we look forward to our next Journey of the Heart in January 2011, we have been corresponding with VAVA. We have suggested to them that a version of the successful "micro-financing" model used in many third world countries would benefit these victims, not only in terms of livelihood, but also greater independence and self-esteem.

VAVA has agreed and we are delighted that Tran Van Man and his wife Dang Thi Hong are the first to present a proposal. We visited them this year and found them to be a very sweet family. We met all of Hong's sisters and many neighbours in the tiny village of Cua Dai.

Hong and Man are both blind, Man has lost an arm and their daughter has cerebral palsy. Because they are very much confined to their home, they have proposed that they set up a pool table and a ping pong table on their lanai for the enjoyment of their community at a small fee per game. We think it is a brilliant idea and have agreed to sponsor the project. Imagine, for $400 US, this family will begin to augment their income AND enjoy the company of players in their home. They will have the satisfaction of beginning to support themselves, their home will be busy with gossip and laughter.

Typical projects are handicraft production, raising live stock etc. but given the disabilities in this family we think that they have been very creative in figuring out how they could have a small home based business.

We look forward to visiting in early 2011 and shooting a game of pool!