Welcome to GIBTK’s Dorothea’s Project Legacies! Home of the Super Star GIBTK teachers and enthusiastic students in the surrounding communities!
Dorothea’s Project Legacies were a vision Dorothea had about giving neighboring students, living at home, access to tutoring for physics, math, English, computers, emotional health. life skills, and so much more... all free of charge. Today, instructed by Hannah and Shane, the students were making rockets using empty soda bottles, cardboard, tape, sand, water, a bicycle pump… and creativity. Whose rocket would soar the highest? What designs worked best? How many fins should they tape on? What shape should they be? As each rocket exited the launch pad, squeals of happiness filled the air as the rockets leapt into the sky. What pure fun on a very hot day!
As if I wasn’t already having another magnificent day watching the GIBTK projects transforming the lives of children, who knew my day was about to get even better! It was on my last visit to Legacy 2, I greeted Hieu. I met over 50 extremely warm and generous students that day, many thoughtfully handing me intricate homemade cards that captured my heart, but when I met Hieu, I noticed a familiar smile. A smile that I remember having as a child… before braces.
It was like a flashback to my younger self and later that day I asked if it was possible to provide Hieu with braces? I’ve known Robert for nearly 30 years and what I appreciate so much about GIBTK is that we don’t just stop at one thing to give our kids the best opportunities in life. Robert likes to say we do what we would do for our own kids, and that is just what GIBTK does! That was 2019. Today is 2023 and Nhung arranged for a private visit for Hieu and me. Three years have passed and now Hieu is 21. She has a job she loves at a clothing manufacturer. She has friends, she lives with her adorable Grandfather and has a kind boyfriend. And she has a dazzling smile!
When Hieu first entered the classroom, I was in, I saw a beautiful woman. It was not until she smiled that I recognized it was Hieu! She looked radiant. She excitedly told me through Nhung's faithful interpreter skills that she could not wait to see me today and that receiving braces was something that she, nor her Grandpa thought would ever happen. She spoke so confidently and easily, and her joy poured out of her. I loved listening to her. I loved seeing her so happy and flourishing. Anyone that knows me knows I like to organize things and let me tell you… Hieu’s preparation for our visit leaves me much room for improvement! Through a recent update letter, I received on Hieu from GIBTK, I learned that she had taken a job at a clothing manufacturer. In my reply letter I had asked her some questions about what she sews at work… and don't you know that she videotaped herself at work so she could show me exactly what she did at her job! Wow, right! She also excitedly shared that she wanted to give me a gift, something very special. Hieu went on to tell me how she collected shells from the beach and then strung those shells onto string and created this magnificent wind chime for me... but then she had a compelling thought... how would I get that fragile mobile back to America?
So, the ever-inventive Hieu set out to come up with a plan to protect the shells during my return trip to America. Hieu purchased wide straws and cut each straw, carefully wrapping each string of shells within the straw to keep them from breaking on their journey to Pennsylvania! When I opened the gift-wrapped box, a beautiful note was enclosed, written to me in eloquent penmanship, asking me to send her a photo of me back in the USA with the mobile, so she knew it traveled safely. Her boyfriend even enclosed a thoughtful gift to me within the box of a sand sculpture that moves with gravity.
So, when people ask me about my trips with GIBTK, I always say that the children I meet bless me and my heart beyond words. The mission statement at my church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania is "to point people to real relationships and real significance". I can't help but see the correlation of my ValleyPoint’s mission and that of GIBTK, which is "to transform lives through medical care, education, nutrition, and love". We can't live a life of significance, or have deep rooted relationships, unless we see the needs of others and do what Jesus would do. It is my honor to volunteer with GIBTK. Each trip I take I form richer relationships with the children and now young adults, that I adore!
Gallery - Click Images
