We have a very special lady visiting Danang and I asked her to write a little of her time there. Karla DeSimone has been part of GIBTK from the beginning. She and her husband David have always helped at every corner they could. David has done all our layouts for mailing for years!!!
Karla has a special heart for the kids in Vietnam and probably knows more of their personal history then I! Here's Karla's her first note.
"Over the years I have heard many of the GIBTK kids and staff say they are "lucky" or "unlucky". I never much thought about luck during my life so I guess that is why it would grab my attention when I would hear this phrase. However, I realized that I must indeed be very lucky, and most surely am blessed to be in the spot I am at this moment.
This is my fifth trip back to Viet Nam, but the first where I am traveling alone. Why? Well, I'll tell you why... to be a part of Huong and Nam's wedding day this Saturday! I met Huong on my very first trip to Viet Nam, nearly 10 years ago. I remember her grabbing a hold of my hand as she watched over me with love and concern. Now ten years later, I have traveled from Pennsylvania to Da Nang to attend Huong's wedding. Huong and Nam have asked me to participate in the wedding as Huong's second Mom. In fact, tonight I will go to dinner with Huong's Mom and Nam's Mom so us "three Mom's" can get to know one other better.
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| Sharing snacks at Hai Chau |
I arrived Tuesday, Tam, Van, Huong and Nam all greeted me at the airport with a bouquet of beautiful red roses. Each day I have breakfast with all of the GIBTK Staff and today we celebrated Tam's birthday! I am gabbing the ears off of tenured GIBTK staff members and getting to know the new staff members. Each evening, Huong and Nam treat me to dinner at places they have picked out specifically for me.
Huong knows how much I love all of the kids at all of the GIBTK homes. So, she took it upon herself to prepare for me a 3 page agenda of what homes I will visit each day and who will look over me if she is not able to be there personally with me. First stop on the list was Hai Chau, the home where I met Huong all those years ago. Huong is the house manager for Hai Chau and now also Camela's House. I warmly recall the Huong's reply when I asked her where she wanted to work after she finished studying at the university. Her answer... "Mom, I want to work for GIBTK". When Robert graciously gave her the opportunity to work at GIBTK, Huong said to me, "Mom, I was born to do this work". There is a feeling that you get as a Mom when you hear your child tell you they have found themselves and know where they can make their mark. Thank you God for letting me personally experience this joy first hand. Thank you so much.
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| Tam at her birthday party |
While visiting with the Hai Chau kids, I got to participate in Lop and Hien's birthday party... and guess how I got to that birthday party? By motorbike! My first motorbike ride ever in Viet Nam. I could never do justice to describe the orchestrated chaos of driving in Viet Nam. All I can tell you is imagine cars, trucks, motorbikes, bikes, pedestrians, and an occasional cow moving through the streets, with honking horns completing the score. Something to behold for sure and oddly enough, I wasn't scared as Huong, Nam and Sang have safely gotten me to my destinations.
After visiting with my Hai Chau kids, we were off to Hal's Home. Hal's Home is the combined vision and heart of Camela and Bruce Binkley and GIBTK, providing a home for university age men. The very first time I ever went to Hal's Home was last year and let me tell you, being the Mom of two amazing sons, I can tell you that these fine young men immediately were close to my heart. I could not wait to see them again and catch up with them. Best part of the day though was when we finished talking, I told them thanks for all their time and pulled two brand new soccer balls from my backpack. In seconds those two balls were pumped up and immediately put into use in the courtyard!
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| Karla sharing with Kha who grew up in Hai Chau and now attending college and living at Hal's Home |
Today, were my visits to the ladies at The Father's House and the children at Mary's Home. What never ceases to amaze me how shy and tentative the ladies or children are when I arrive, but then after time spent together, we effortless shift from strangers to family. One little girl at Mary's house gave me her necklace of Mary. This overwhelming feeling comes over me time after time of how tender the hearts are of these children towards you and how they would freely give you the very best of what they have.
I will end today's journal with one funny story. I'm kind of large by Vietnamese standards... just too tall and just too broad. in Viet Nam. In preparation for the wedding, Huong took me to this dress shop to rent an Ao Dai for her wedding day. I walked into the shop and there were all these beautiful dresses, including one in the exact shade of green I wanted to rent! My excitement was short lived though when I learned that the shopkeeper knew I was coming by and had set aside the only 3 Ao Dai's that might possibly fit my size. Let's put it this way... I am wearing the one Ao Dai that when I wear it, I won't bust it at the seams if I sneezed!
Please tune back in a few days when I attend Huong and Nam's wedding for 700 guests!"
Sincerely; Karla
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