|
When Dorothea and I made the decision to try to make a difference in Vietnam, we thought of the busiest people we knew. Joan Hawley Verstraete was one of the first who came to mind.
We met her buying our first home in Huntington Beach. Since then she has sold us our present and has sold several for our families and friends. A tough lady but with VERY leaky eyes.
It took over 13 years to get her to come. She is here and please read her story.
|
|
| JoAn, Katie and their new friend from Marys Home |
JoAn Hawley Verstraete (Realtor extraordinaire)
"Having been a part of GIBTK from day one, the one question that I can now answer with great pride and true knowledge is "yes, I have been to Vietnam. I have now seen with my own eyes not only the great accomplishments and strides we have made, but I have seen the enormous need that still exists.
No amount of emails of pictures can prepare you for the true poverty that many of Vietnamese people face. Arriving at a pieced together hut with a partially used IV bag hanging from the previous visit to the hospital for calcium deficiency I can barely hold back the tears. I know this woman, with her disabled husband and two children will have a better home soon, but there are so many more in need.
The children at our homes are just loving us for being there. Unconditional love at its extreme. How much joy they have sitting on the hard floors making crafts out of simple materials. There is no AC to relieve the sweltering heat. No mattress to soften the steel frame beams they sleep upon and they are so grateful for everything. Perhaps I am just humbled or maybe ashamed at how much we take for granted.
Let's not forget the heart patients interview. I remember telling Robert I wasn't coming in the room unless every child got a heart operation and he laughs at me-(he knew he couldn't either) can you imagine taking an 11 hour bus trip to plea for your child to save their life. One young girl who is 12 years old was diagnosed when she was just a few months old, no money no hope. She, like everyone else, sat very quiet and still as every breath was needed to survive.
I truly don't remember crying to much and for so many reasons. I think the kids and staff have nicknames me "leaky eyes." If this trip has done nothing else it was assured me that Giving It Back to Kids is making a difference one person at a time, and now if you ask me what you can do or what have I seen, watch out."
|
