Who need to be the heroes

Tet is the Lunar New Year celebration time. It is a very important time in Vietnamese culture. It is time most return to home towns to visit and spend time with family. It is National Holiday, and most get a week off from work. Some types of business’s do open because they are places such as restaurants, hotels etc. it is busy time due to travel by so many.

One of the “beliefs” is how you finish the year will “determine” you next year. Many families will go into debt buying new things, for family and friends. In early years of GIBTK we bought baskets of goodies for kids of the poor families. It was the custom! 

I would “proudly” stand on stage a big smile handing baskets to the children. Stopping for a photo of me with the child. I so often would look out and their moms would be lined up on the back wall. It hit me one day who needs to be the hero? Certainly not me! I did not need another photo op. 

  We thought about it and decided that lets do a TET store. Where we invite the same kids that we would give the baskets too. Only now they would purchase the goods. But only pay 10 cents on the dollar. Families would be limited to how much they could spend. This year it was $4.00 per family.

When checking in the family would let us know how much they had. If short they would ask if they’d be willing do a little work to earn the balance. Our office only a few doors away. They can sweep floor or dust for a bit. Returning having earned their full amount allowed.

 Funny thing is all of a sudden, the fathers were coming, often holding up toys, dresses etc. asking each other, “Do you think my daughter or child would like this?”

  Many saying “never have I been able to buy this much for my family!” Again, as many you already guess I’m fighting back a flood of emotion just remembering the many happy faces of the families! 

Today I met with the head of security police of Danang, we talked on this. He shared all fathers have pride, and very difficult for them to receive “free” gifts. So, they sent their wives but now that they can buy it they come happily to purchase for their families! 

So, who needs to be the Hero? Thank God it is the mothers and fathers!!!

"We highly appreciate you and thank you for transforming lives"

Sincerely,

Robert Kalatschan

Giving it Back to Kids

www.gibtk.org

robert@gibtk.org