Day with Orphans

Home for Orphans and the disabled

Last Saturday my social worker friend, Loan, invited me to go with her to visit a young 14 yr old boy that she had placed in an orphan home the previous month. He has no parents and was just roaming the streets. The home is run by an NGO here in the city and is managed by a French woman. She is the only place that is known to care for paraplegic's. She actually has three different centers that provide training for jobs for the residents and also one that has a pool for the disabled. There are around 60 residents of the faciity the youngest being the cutest 8 yr old who loves attention and to talk and the oldest being a 50 year old gentlemen who was injured in a fall at a construction site over 14 years ago. He takes many of the boys under his wing and helps them adjust. We got to the home around 3 pm on a Saturday but the kids were in school. Yes the schools are open on Saturdays. We decided to walk to a cafe nearby and the youngest little guy, who had not gone to school that day accompanied us. He was regaling us with stories about himself and he loved my friend's camera that had a touch screen. Finally 5 pm arrived the time they return from school and Tu' arrived at the cafe. We bought the boys drinks and had a great time talking. We then went back to the home and I got to meet the manager and get a tour. These kids have a bed with a blanket, three changes of clothing and their school supplies. They are proved with one meal at the home, which is dinner, money for breakfast or whatever they desire to spend it on and then the wchool provides lunch. I could see that these kids loved the manager and were like family to each other. It was good to know that such places exist for those who need and want them. There are still many who don't want to live in homes so they stay on the streets until caught by the authorities and then sent to other not so great facilities. It was a great day that we ended with a Thai dinner.

Women's Day Photo's

Women's Day

Tuesday March 8th was Women's day.  Vietnam celebrates by giving flowers or other special gifts to  women.  I was asked to share at a special celebration with a group of ladies.  I was picked up around 9:30 by one of our friends who translates for us.  There were just under 20 ladies there and I was able to share with them about the gifts we have been given and that no matter our place in life we are all gifted to do something.  I shared about Aimee Semple McPherson and also a favorite of mine, Heidi Baker who works in Africa feeding thousands of children daily through their ministry.  She wrote a book entitled More Than Enough, after God had given her a dream and told her that if she feed them and took them in there would always be more than enough of everything she needed.  Her faith really challenges me.  After sharing we had a skit and games and then some of the ladies dressed up in the traditional Ao Dai's and sang some songs.  It was beautiful.  We then shared a great lunch and I was given a basket of flowers.  I almost lost them several times on the motor bike ride home but we both arrived safely.  Blessings to all of you women who have influenced my life.

Singapore

Singapore

Blessings, Blessings, Blessings

On Feb 26th we flew to Singapore and caught the end of a conference at our friends church.  We had heard Beth Barone speak before but we always gain new insight from her.  This woman has a incredible testimony and now she has written a program for children.  We were able to get it and will be excited to share it with our grandchildren.

Our friends who we normally stay with when in Singapore had guests and they had moved to the other side of the island so we were invited to stay with some new friends we had made from the church there.  This couple are originally from Sri Lanka via Australia.  They have three great kids and they live in the coolest apt complex. The complex has four large swimming pools, a fitness room and large play area for kids plus a shuttle bus that will take you around.  As is usual in most of Singapore the landscapping is beautiful.  We took many walks around the area.

 Our friends youngest daughter is 5 and she reminded me so much of my grandson Gavin.  She spent a lot of time in my lap.  Very smart also.  One of their friends had delievered a baby girl on Sat night and on Sunday they had a party down by the pools to celebrate.  She was so cute.  I really hope Jen has a girl but another boy would be welcome also,  I just like the clothes.  While at the party we met a couple from Texas.  He works for the company that makes my contact lens solution.  I had two eye infections last month because I ran out of my solution from home and the only one they sell here I am allergic to.  Anyway when he found out what had happened he gave me five bottles of the solution to bring home.  One of many blessings that weekend.  He also just happens to live in the same small town where our friends Reece and Claudia live.  Such a God thing. 

On Monday, the wife of our friend, Aruni took me towndown to the shopping section of town.  We managed to make it to five of the malls. They are all on the same street.  I have been by there but never inside.  It was such a great girls day out and then she blessed me with a beautiful new blouse.  It has been a long, long time since I have shopped for myself.  Another blessing.

I had my doctor appt on Tuesday.  I had to go for bloodwork early then back for my appt at 2.  The doctor gave me the perscriptios and I took them to the hospital pharmacy.  30 minutes later the pharmacist came out and asked how long we would be in Singapore.  I told him that we were due to leave the next morning very early.  He said they did not have all of the arthritis medication that I needed.  He went to recheck and 15 minutes later I was out the door with everything I needed.  Don't know what happened or where it came from but God did and that is all that matters. 

The couple we stayed with have a huge faith.  He is going to be finishing his bible courses in two years and they want to go back to Sri Lanka to work.  He literally lights up when he talks about it.  They have been trying to help some of the flooded areas in Sri Lanka and are raising funds to buy some new motorbikes for the pastors, that were destroyed during the rains.  While we were there he got a call from a friend in Austraila  that he had not seen or talked to for a long while and out of the blue this man offered to send him money for the motorbike project.   I have no doubt that he will accomplish all that he sets out to do.

The final blessing of the week was on our arrival back to our apt.  Since returning last August everytime we come back from the airport from anywhere the taxi drivers try to charge us a new airport fee.  They think we are new to the country.  In asking around we found out that there is no new fee. So I prayed because when we pay them the meter rate they always argue and want more.  This time we got to our apt and I handed the driver the meter amount and guess what no arguing.  He took it and walked away.  I love the little ways God has of making our lives so much easier.  I know that because He provides for the little things how much more He will take care of the bigger issues. 

We look forward to returning next Oct to our home away from home, Singapore.

Memories we won't soon forget

Leper Colony

Yesterday, Mark and I went with our friend Loan to visit a leper colony about an hour outside of HCMC.  Loan visits this facility two to three times a year to bring scholarships for school children and also other gifts.  Since the Chinese New Year, Tet, is coming up in a week or so we brought the patients a gift of special cakes that are made for this holiday.  The colony is on a large piece of land that was originally owned and operated by the Catholic church.  It was built in 1959 and after the war in the seventies the government took over the land but allowed the nuns to continue to run the leper hospital.  There are currently 400 lepers living on the land, many are families.  Currently there are 122 patients in the hospital itself.  Mother Teresa visited this facility in 1993.  The sisters that run the hospital are from the same order of nuns as she was and to me they have the same heart.  Our escort around the facility also took the English name of Sister Teresa, her role model.  Leprosy is a disease that is curable but only if caught in the early stages.  We met one couple who has lived in the facility for over 40 years, they are in their sixties.  The husband is in worse shape than his wife but she also has lost most of her left hand, yet she is an avid sewer and has an ancient machine to sew for herself plus try to make some extra money by sewing for others.  In the final stages of leprosy the mind is effected.  We were shown an area, they looked like small jail cells that housed one person with a small bed and not much else. There were locks on these doors to prevent the patients from wandering off and getting hurt.  There we were shown a 98 yr old lady who had been in the facility for decades and was still holding on to life, minus many limbs.  The best part of the trip for me was when another lady who is also mentally unstable due to the disease sang an old Vietnamese song for us.  She still has a beautiful voice and loves to share it with others. 

The last part of our day was spent handing out some snacks to children and for 22 of the children of lepers, school scholarships were given.  Since going to school here is not free many of the children have no hope of getting an education without help.  Hope Chapel in California has been making these scholarships possible for the last 10 years.  The oldest scholar is finishing high school this year and would like to go on to the University to be able to support herself.  She is appreciative of all the help she has been given.  After the scholarships and snacks were given out we celebrated our friends birthday with a delicious cake that we brought.  A special treat for the children.  Several of the children were practicing their English with us.  It seems the first things they learn are, what is your name, how are you and how old are you?  I told them I was ancient of days.

Mark and I were remembering the lepers that came to Jesus for healing.  I am sure it broke his heart as it did ours to see them.  We will continue our prayers for those who spend time with and take care of these dear one who I am certain will someday be whole again. 

Waterpark 2010

Waterpark Fun

The day after Christmas a friend invited us to accompany her and 80 street children and parents to a nearby water park.  She had raised money to take these kids for a day of fun in the water and memories.  She has a gift for trying to add some fun to their hard street lives.  We joined her at the water park and were amazed at how large the place was.  They had several different size pools plus two slides and a current of water that takes you down it on rafts.  On the other side of the park is a water area that you can rent paddle boats.  We enjoyed watching the kids have fun and even getting a free lunch.  Thank you Loan for all you do for these people and how you pour your life and His love into them.  Thanks too for including us.  Awesome day. 

HCMC Christmas Day 2010

Christmas Day

On Christmas night, Mark and I skyped Jen and Sam and the boys and watched them open their gifts.  That took all of five minutes.  We enjoyed it and were able to watch Ethan pass his new football to dad.  Christmas and kids make my holidays complete.  We had to stay up until 11 PM our time but so worth the wait.  Before we did that however, we decided to go to town to see the lights we had been hearing about.  All of our previous trips had been during the day.  The atmosphere is so festive and so many tourists all over the place checking out all of the streets with light, Christmas scenes and we even saw the energizer bunny.  Wrong season but they were out there with Santa advertising there wares.  Santa was ringing his bell for the money exchange store, good fit !!  We were going to have dinner at a nice hotel or fancy restaurant but they hiked up the prices to $50.00 US, a person, since so many tourist were in town and I refused to spend that much on food.  I could feed a whole orphanage for that.  We decided to try one of the new Mexican places we had seen advertised.  It was pretty good but we still like our other Mexican place a little better and the price was right $12.00 for the meal including a huge bowl of tortilla chips, that is more like it.  Enjoy the pictures and we hope that each of you are blessed this season by what Christ has done for you.