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Backfire? You ask? Before I tell you about that, I want to take a minute to let you know its time to make plans for our annual summer trip to Vietnam. Our focus is seeing our programs but really spending more time with our kids. Beach days, pizza parties and sometime (much to my chagrin Karaoke).
We usually call this our "youth" trip but young at heart works great. We also have a way for young people to raise funds for their cost. Approx. cost of trip including meals is about $2800 with double occupancy. Our goal is that youth that come are "marked" to learn and hopefully better appreciate. Dates are not yet set in stone but leaving USA on July 7th or 8th returning July 18th or 19th.. Email me if you'd like to learn more.
So backfire? Let me back up a bit (no pun intended). This trip has several board members on it. John Scudder, Steve Tsubota and director of development Paul Buchanan. Board member Bruce Binkley arrived today. And Linda Shaul just left.
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| Moms came looking for help for their kids |
As GIBTK has continued to grow and mature there is more and more talk about the future, where are we headed and how best to get there. Good stuff for sure, but I felt I wanted to get those who help guide to come and see. There is so many different facets of our work and have changed so much in recent times.
My plan was to have past heart recipients (ones which board members had funded in the past), join the families who came seeking support for their children. I wanted them to not only see what their service to GIBTK meant but also their donations. To "soften" them up so to speak. Some might say "set them up". Well one more time in my planning (lol conniving to bring a tear from them) It was me who was "blown" away.
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| Thinh, heart surgery 10 years ago |
First up was Thinh, 27 years old. His heart surgery was funded in 2008. Today... He works at at an insurance agency, is engaged to be married to a partner of the company!
Seeing him on the street you'd never be able to guess he came from poverty and has overcome a life threatening heart disease!
Next up was a beautiful young lady, cute as button and she had a daughter with her. My first though it must be the daughter who had received the heart surgery. Nope it was Phuong the mother. In 2007! Now 22, happily married, with 3 year daughter. Both her and her husband have good stable jobs.
Before the meeting officially began a mom with her son under her arm grabbed my arm. I wasn't sure what was going on, then she pulled flowers out as a gift to me saying do you remember you said you'd come to my sons wedding when he's old enough? And she began to WEEP. Huge sobs. What I saw was she now could see a future for her son. He's only 9 years old now but had his surgery when he was 1!
The last past recipient was Binh, now 8 years old. Had her surgery at 3 years of age. Today we see a happy, health girl and a mom beaming with joy!
I so often say this surgery will give a child a chance for a full life. Seeing these kids hit me hard. Really not sure if I could say it hit more then my board members, since they too had tears of joy in their eyes. But something I have so often said rang so true today. But it is so much more. It gives hope, a precious commodity and what I saw today was it gives vision to transformed lives. And new generations which may have not been.
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| Binh, healthy and happy and a future to build!!! |
One long time board member reminded me, that early on we had discussions if heart surgeries were the most efficient use of funds.... How dare we! To date we have funded 723 heart surgeries! We have lost less then 5%. The average doctors tell me is to expect about 10% loss of life due to secondary conditions. Were at 5%. The difference you may ask? Id have to place my bet on the God who called GIBTK into existence.
Yes there are lots more parents looking for help for their kids. Yes I'm being asked for 5 and 10 year plans. As far as I'm concerned we will continue 1 child at time till nations are transformed and cultures changed. Thank you for being GIBTK!!!!
><((((º> BBlessed
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