Once the dust settled from several days of joyful visits to GIBTK homes, an eventful beach day, and endless hugs, things got a bit more serious.
Meeting heart patients and distributing bikes, wheelchairs and water filters was now on the agenda. Each person we encountered faced their own life altering challenge, yet they all had one thing in common — survival. Whether it be clean water or a beating heart, we were face to face with people who didn’t have the means to survival — something I realized that I take for granted every day.
At the GIBTK office, parents with serious faces held smiling babies at one end of the table. At the other end sat parents with older children waiting patiently. A GIBTK staff member, Tú, handed us informational packets for two boys who’s heart surgeries were sponsored by my family.
Years ago, and over 7,000 miles away we chose to save a life and now those lives stood before us. We nervously approached the two families — a father and son, and a mother and son. We greeted them, hugged them, and with tears in her eyes the mother thanked us for saving her son's life. She took a 9 hour bus ride to show us her gratitude.
We listened to the parents of each of heart surgery candidates tell their stories. Over many years of supporting GIBTK my heart has broken for the children, but today my heart broke for the parents. Five parents holding their beautiful babies not knowing if they can keep them alive — I finally broke down, the weight of it all was overwhelming. After they each spoke, Robert informed them all that every one of their surgeries would be covered by GIBTK. The room was filled with tears — both happy and sad, because the hardship was certainly not over, but now there is hope.
Distributing water filters, wheelchairs and bikes showed a different side of Vietnam to us. Outside of the city, life in the countryside is impossible for us to comprehend. Children walk over an hour each way to school, rain or shine, clean water is inaccessible, and wheelchair-less disabled people can’t venture out of their front doors to see the sun or their neighbors.
I saw firsthand how GIBTK seeks out people in need and does something about it, providing hope just as people are likely feeling hopeless. Robert reminded me that neither him nor I will ever understand their situations, survival is inherent for us but it’s not for everyone.
I feel so honored to have had the experience of coming here and witnessing the impact. Transforming lives is no small feat and it is so awesome that GIBTK is doing it every single day, even when we’re too wrapped up in our own worlds to remember that.
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