Thao one of our top gibtk team members for over 5 years is leaving Vietnam to study in the US. It really is a tough thing for me to think about much less then write about. She has grown into a model young lady. Willing and teachable.
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| Thao is the one with pink hair clip behind the box. |
But alas she is leaving gibtk to study in Minnesota. Sad for us, but a great opportunity for her and her son. We hosted a thank you / going away party. The gibtk team passed around a plaque, all of us holding it as we spoke words of appreciation to her. I spoke last, closing the time,
Tommy, my son said, "Dad everyones DNA is all over that thing". I looked at the glass recognition and saw all of our fingerprints on it, indeed our DNA was all over it.
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| Thao helped Huong as she grew out of Hai Chau home, during her time at Lighthouse and mentored her as she became gibtk staff!!! |
I closed by telling Thao "we are going with her. Not to wash our fingerprints off. If and when she gets homesick or miss her team mates too take a look at the fingerprints and know we are there with her.
Thuy a newer team member has been spending a lot of time being trained by Thao. As I mentioned Thao is leaving us this with class and in the right way. She worked very hard to prepare Thuy for her new position. I have asked Thuy to write some thoughts and they are below.
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| Thuy is ready to fill the big shoes of Mrs. Thao |
A Big Shoe To Fill
It is a wonderful thing when your boss says: Yes, do it! To me it absolutely is! It means he is listening and is trusting.
This morning when Mr. Robert came to the office asked all of the staff, "How are you doing?", my answer was, "I am, Ready." Everybody knew what we were ready for. A fire? My boss is someone with the Fire personality, and he is well aware of that! "Lucky for you, you did not see me yesterday when I was burning out", he said. Good news huh?
Every time he speaks in front of the staff, the fire of inspiration is instilled in our hearts. Thank you GIBTK for accepting mistakes and teaching us what lessons to learn and how to be aligned with the bigger vision! This morning's lesson about work skills, was gentle enough for the staff not to feel guilty, but tough enough to urge us to make a difference as Robert had prayed. He got it.
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| Q (aka Nguyen ) loving words to Thao? "I hate you!" then she broke into tears. Thao welcomed her first and began daily prayers with Nguyen loving named Q (By me ) |
Coming to lunch, we were all together to celebrate and honor at a good-bye party for Thao who is among the most experienced leadesr at GIBTK. She is leaving for the US to study for two years. We passed along the tribute award, showing our gratitude and love with tears in our eyes. Many couldn't even help crying out like a child.
I definately see a team here, a tight and close network. We will miss her but are all happy for her as she is reaching her dream of gaining further knowledge. She will leave her seeds - the courage, the aspiration, the loyalty, the successful stories of heart patients and the emotional health lessons - will be left with the ones who stay. We will keep passing the ball without her, but have her presence.
"You will fill some big shoes"' Robert told me, "the person who will take charge of the Heart Program." These are big shoes, a big chance as well as a challenge to me to deal with lifesaving work, especially now when heart defects are identified in kids everywhere with advanced types and complications and surgery costs beyond the capability of these disadvantaged patients' family. More poor patients are coming to us and more profiles are sent to us by local authorities. These present a challenge to GIBTK and how to help as many as possible.
I would say I'm lucky to have opportunities to give some hope and encouragement on behalf GIBTK and the donors, to those who are ill and weak, not confident and hopeless; some even don't have enough to eat. What matters most is seeing them making a difference with their heart condition, in their smile and eyes. Yet the pressure I will face I guess, is the work to pick a case among the long waiting list, to decide which is more urgent to deal with as the source is limited. It is very difficult is to refuse someone who is desperate and miserable.
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| Mrs. Thao you already are missed and Miss Thuy yes big shoes but you have what it takes to fill them! |
And you have to have a good strategy, also meaning in-time communication with senior leaders to not see a baby giving up their life before someone can help. Heart patients with their purple lips and nails sometimes haunt my sleep at night. In my attempts to fill these shoes, I have been thinking of ways to fulfill the needs and deal with urgency at the same time. I know by myself alone I cannot do this, for the lack of experience, energy, patience and financial source. The shoes will be too big for me or anyone else without others' support. When Robert says, "Do it!", I know he has sent us his trust and hope. This will turn inspirations to meet the patients in need.
The lesson I learned today is Connection, finally. It is the first thing needed to work on the mission of transforming lives. It is not just between staff, but staff with partners, staff with patients, patients with donors. I will be glad to see a letter come from a foreign donor to the patient they helped and send a reply back. Any words can explain that pleasure and fulfillment of the connection!
Thuy
| If any want to write a note of appreciation you can email to me and we will forward to the lovely Mrs. Thao! Look for a note from Thuy about her first day in the "big shoes" |
Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids
