Today’s note was written by Tam Tong from Viet Nam
It is crucial to have clean water to be able to have a healthy body. It is not a problem when you live in the city or somewhere near the city. But it is a huge problem to the people who live in the mountainous areas. I can’t say enough how important it is to gain access to clean water but many people in Viet Nam still don’t have this privilege. The main water sources they have to use is from the river or streams or wells. They use it for cooking and drinking every day.
Thank you to One ATTA time, GIBTK has distributed about 10,000 water filters to 10,000 families in Viet Nam over the past years. In a distribution in Mar 2023, our team had an opportunity to visit a family in Tien An commune, Tien Phuoc district, Quang Nam province. While other team members were installing the filter and doing the user training, my eyes got caught on the little boy and the little girl from this family. The little girl was so courageous to speak very good English with foreigners while the little boy seemed shy. We encouraged her to study to change her future because we have scholarship available for university students.
But I spent a bit more time on the little boy then I found out that he has congenital heart disease and has to have follow-up examination every three months. He also has a defect on his arm. He is a potential candidate for our heart and orthopedic program. GIBTK doesn’t just stop at triage step. Water filters are entry points to get to know people better and to find out about other needs and help take care of those needs.
Or another day when we distributed wheelchairs to people with mobility disability in Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province, we met Luu Phan who seems very smart but hasn’t gone to school at all. He could fix the phone for his mother when it has a problem. Again, a wheelchair is an entry point to someone’s life to help further. Luu Phan maybe a potential candidate for our Laurie’s Scholar program.
I am so grateful to our donors, our friends for walking alongside GIBTK over the past 21 years to make change in people’s lives. Every little support and encouragement have gone along the way.
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