Lepers, service, and pictures

Week Nine

Community Service

     There is a way I like to do this service work that creates as little fuss as possible.  At the Loving House I like to come in and begin the process of helping, whatever that may be.  It is much more difficult to be honored for my small contribution.  I would rather just get to work.  My experience at Loving house this week was an exercise in gracefully accepting being honored.  We were invited into the reception room and Bernie and I were given flowers from their garden.  Then the nuns lead the residents in several songs, it was beautiful.  I did not understand what was happening or why because I go there to be of service.  After the reception we got to do the nails of our favorite women and enjoy their wonderful sense of humor.  As we were leaving one of the nuns thanked me and pointed out toward the garden and said something about our next visit.  My hearing is so bad that I have no idea what she said.  Something will happen in the garden on Monday.

     Our visit to the leper village outside of Da Nang was filled with paradox.  Our director Ken Herrman and his wife Susan joined us for this trip.  We were also accompanied by our resident director My Hoa and some of the staff to help facilitate loading and unloading.  The program serves about one hundred and seventy people by delivering rice, noodles, cooking oil, other food, and medical supplies.  In order to do this we load all the supplies onto a truck first.  The next step is we drive across the city to meet the boat.   All of the supplies are unloaded from the truck down a steep embankment and loaded onto a fishing boat.  Then we take the boat across the bay for about half an hour so the supplies can be unloaded on the beach and distributed to the people.  We visited the village school while the staff unloaded the boat.  The kids are amazing; they all sang songs for us.  The fourth and fifth grade classes were practicing the liberation dance and song which they preformed for us.  It was very well done.   The pre-school class was extremely energetic.  As soon as our director Ken walked into the room one of the kids grabbed him and stuffed him into the little playhouse they have there.  The same little guy had his picture taken with me and decided he would climb on for a horsey ride.  I think he is a leader in training.

     After the visit to the school we went back to the beach and began the process of distributing the food and supplies.  The village Chief and his aid have a log book with all the resident’s names.  As each person was called forward either Victor or I would hand them a large box with noodles cooking oil and rice.  Some of the people had family members bring them their supplies due to the effects of the leprosy.  After our distribution was complete we somehow managed to get back into the fishing boat and headed back to Da Nang.  The people were great and apparently this program is the only help they get.  They are also able to grow some food for the village in the beautiful secluded area where they live.  The government plans to move the people of the village into a government housing project so the land they live on can be turned into a resort.  I think it would show wisdom to leave them where they are but what do I know.

     Our first Agent Orange home visit was the family of a young man eighteen years of age.  He had a birth defect that made him short and made his arms much shorter than normal.  He is in eleventh grade in school and wants to study to be a computer programmer.  He has friends and is doing okay even with his physical limitations.  The family does not have much but with the help of the program they are doing okay.  Our second visit was to the family of a seventeen year old girl.  She is okay physically however she has mental problems and cannot take care of herself at all.  Once again with the help of the program the family seems to be getting by okay. 

     We had a special home visit this trip.  We visited the family of a little boy named Phat.  This little guy was in the 2008 video Making Peace With Viet Nam.    http://vimeo.com/channels/makingpeace    When the video was made Phat almost died and was taken to the hospital by the program staff.  Today Phat is about four years old and is not in danger of dying.  However Phat is severely disabled and has many problems affecting his growth and health.  The family is doing okay with help from the program.   Seeing families that are working hard and getting the most out of the small contribution from this program I realize a little help here in Viet Nam goes a very long way.  The people of Viet Nam can take just a small amount of help and get the most out of it.

     Tuesday’s English class was the last one for Bernie.  Our topic of discussion was; “if you were showing someone around your city (Da Nang) what would you want them to see?”  It was a great discussion with a lot of input from everyone.  The object of the class is for them to do the talking.  Asking them to talk about their city really got them going.  During Bernie’s time here the class came to really enjoy having her with us and gave her little gifts when we stopped for coffee after class.  On Thursday the class asked how she was and where she was.  She was of course flying over the Midwest US at that time.  A former student of the program, John joined us for Thursday’s class.  Our topic was; “ten things I am thankful for.”  While I started with the important stuff I also added in some goofy stuff (thankful that hearing aids do not stick out like water buffalo horns) so they could be light with it if they wanted to.  Well this is Viet Nam.  Everyone is thankful for their ancestors, their parents, and their village.  The young people of Viet Nam may be influenced by western gadgets but they have a strong sense of pride in where they come from.  While I help them with English pronunciation they teach me about connections, family, and the ancestors.  Priceless.

     If you feel called to send a little help to the people here be aware that it will go right into the hands of the people who need it most, the ones no one else is helping.

http://danangquangnamfund.org/home

     After seeing what I have seen here I have no idea how I will ever be the same again.  I probably won't.

It is paradox in paradise after all.  Next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam.

Hen gap lai

Jim

Community Service Week Eight

     This week at Loving House, Bernie joined us as we trimmed and painted nails for the women elders there.  A woman whose nails I had done before requested my services once again.  I felt both humbled and honored.  At one point during the process she had Victor come and work on her fingernails while I did her toenails.  I looked up and I saw her watching Victor.  The look on her face was priceless, it said “Oh dear boy you are so young and pretty.  I just want to touch you.”  Then she touched his face.  He was focused on his task and a bit surprised when she touched him.  Then the moment was passed, but I will never forget the look on her face.  It is moments and connections like this that there is no other way to find then by being here and allowing myself to be swept up in the moment and our activities.  As I said… priceless.

     ‘Swept up’ certainly describes Tuesday morning at the Agent Orange group home.  We had coloring pages and the 10 packages of stickers Bernie brought with her planned for them.  With about an hour left on our two hour visit there, it was clear to me we would need something more.  I began handing out pieces of paper about seven inches square.  I just wanted to see what they would do with them.  We began to see origami and then a paper airplane whizzed by my head.  After that we could not make paper airplanes fast enough.  They were flying all over the room with the sound of weeeeee or a whistle during the toss.  The other sound we heard was the uncontrollable giggles of the kids.  We could not have planned it this way.  I admit they had me; I was just as much a kid as any one of them in the room.  Bernie thought it was ironic for me to be making paper airplanes in Da Nang where forty-four years ago I worked on military airplanes.

I have to agree, and this was much more fun.

     The first of our Agent Orange home visits on Thursday was a wonderful success story.  There is a program here which sponsors poor families whose children need heart surgery.  The little four year old girl we visited today had surgery four months ago and is doing very well.  Her weight is now almost within the normal range.  I sensed an aura of gratitude from her mother, as if a great weight had been lifted from her life.  When mom pulled up the girl’s shirt to show her scar I pulled up mine so she could see we share something.  Of course like most four year olds this little girl was very shy around the strange people in her house. 

     Our second Agent Orange home visit was with the family of a fifteen year old boy with cerebral palsy.  Even though his right side is paralyzed he is able to walk and maneuver himself around.  He attends the Agent Orange group home in his area and enjoys his time and his friends there.  Before he went to the group home some of the other kids in the neighborhood picked on him because he is different.  I remember being picked on because other kids thought I was different.   It seems like kids are kids no matter where I go.

     At Tuesday’s English class our topic of discussion was computers and the internet.  The question for the class was; “How have computers and the internet changed your life?”  There were many answers.  For working people it makes their jobs easier.  For example Thom is a Hydro-electric engineer and when he works on projects the computer makes his job much quicker.  The students all said it is easier to do research with the computer.  They also acknowledged the negative aspect of spending too much time on “facebook.”  Of course they assured me that was only their friends, not them.

     For Thursday we combined classes due to International Women’s day.  When we asked the class to tell us what they knew about International Women’s Day we did not get a big response.  Someone said it was about flowers, someone else said it was about respect.  It was good that we combined the class because when the men said it is good if women stay home and not work, Victor and I came down on two sides of the old debate; women in the home don’t work.  We listed everything a woman who stays at home dose such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, childcare, and food shopping.  Then I said, “So what I am hearing is that the men believe none of these things are work.  Is that right?”   So Victor defended the men while I criticized the Confucian ideology.  I think it came out balanced and I hope I did not make any enemies.  

     I want to include the website for a video series that may interest you    http://vimeo.com/channels/makingpeace     These experiences of being of service to others have become some of the richest of this trip to Viet Nam.

There are also some Non Government Organizations (NGO) doing good things here  http://www.vvmf.org/RENEW is the website for the group working to clear Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) from Quang Tri province.  The fund that is helping victims of Agent Orange is  www.danangquangnamfund.org/ 

A gift to one or both or these NGOs is a direct gift to the people who need the help the most.  If you feel called to help you may trust that your donation will go a very long way.  Who knows, your gift could be responsible for a success story like the one I saw this week.  That would be awesome!  Remember it is paradox in paradise so next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam

Hen gap lai

Jim 

This weeks AO group home visit

   As I have explained previously the Agent Orange group home is like day care for kids who have developmental challenges due to the effects of dioxon.  We spend 2 hours one morning a week there to give the kids something different to do.  It also gives the staff there a break.  This particular day we had coloring and stickers planned.  The kids had the most fun with the part we did not plan......paper airplanes.   Do you believe it, I am in Da Nang again working on airplanes.......paper airplanes!   I have never been in a classroom setting where it was okay or encouraged to make and throw around paper airplanes.  Those kids had me being a kid again!

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                                 Doing their exercises as we arrived.

        They took to Bernie right away, leading her into the classroom.  Ba is the Vietnamese word for grandmother,  Bernie loves it.  We began with coloring, then Bernie broke out the 10 packages of stickers she brought along.  They put stickers everywhere, but mostly on themselves.....imagine; complete innocence with a smiley sticker between her eyes....priceless.

                                 Some of their handiwork.

                                 Airplane collector.

                                 Airplane director.

                                 Airplane projector.
    Bernie could not resist making a video of me playing with the kids and the paper airplanes.  I was completely drawn if by the kids and their unabashed giggles as we spent at least half an hour tossing around paper airplanes.  Weeeeeee was heard all over the room, or a whistle during the launch cycle.

    If you enjoy this entry even half as much as I enjoyed my time with the kids this morning you will giggle too.  This has come to be a very cool part of each "normal" week here.  Well after all it is paradox in paradise, come join us.....next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam
Hen gap lai
Jim

Ha Long bay

   As promised below are the pictures of Ha Long bay.   You can go to the website and view pictures of the area as well.  There are thousands of islands here and with the pictures you are getting just a little peek.  The first shot is from our hotel room on the seventh floor.

                                As you can see it is going to be a gray  cloudy day.

    There is a whole fleet of these tourist boats on Ha Long bay.  We had one all to ourselves.  Ha Long bay is overrun with Chinese tourists, or as we have come to call them Chinese furniture movers.  Our experience with them in the hotel required earplugs.  They are pushy and loud and there was the never ending sound of furniture being slid across the floor.  We were very happy to have a boat to ourselves.   At least with this Chinese invasion the Vietnamese are reaping the tourist capital.  Viet Nam is learning how to blend capitalism with their brand of socialism.

    Here we are on the upper deck of old number 18, our "Ha Long bay cruise ship."  The previous night Bernie bought the silk jacket you see here.  She needed one more layer against the chilly weather on the water so she did it with style...and forty-five US dollars.  By the way that double layer of silk was very effective.

                       These two pictures show the floating village.  People actually live on the bay.

   Here is another view of Bernie's beautiful silk jacket.  These pictures do not capture the magnificent beauty of this place.  In order to really get it you have to do what you see Bernie doing here...sit on the upper deck and take it all in.  Next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam.
Hen gap lai
(see you again)
Jim

...but first, Some Pagoda's

   I said we would go to Ha Long bay next.  I got the inspiration to make a stop at a few Pagoda's we have seen first.  I do not know the names of these places.  I will include the pictures with some comments so you can see which is which.

   One of our first stops when arriving in Viet Nam was a Pagoda with the largest Buddha in Da Nang.  I wish I had understood better what I was looking at....I would have taken more pictures.

                                               This is the Pagoda at Marble Mountains.

                                        These were all taken at the Pagoda of the Lady Buddha.

    These were all taken at the Heavenly Lady Pagoda in Hue.  They include the car the monk drove to Sai Gon when he burned himself to death in protest of the American war.
    Next stop Ha Long bay, next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam
Chao tam biet
Jim

The birthpacle of Ho Chi Minh

   During our trip north some of the hotels were more memorable than others.  At Dong Hoi we had a great room with a comfortable bed and a bar in the lobby.  At Vinh Bernie and I had to talk about it for a while before we could remember it clearly.  The hotel there was very good at "eye wash" (make it look good)  the room was not worth writing home about and the bed took a half a pint of whiskey to make it bearable....other than that it was great.
   After our stay at Vinh we traveled to the village where Ho Chi Minh was born.  Everything is lovingly taken care of by the villagers there.  I got one of the green helmets men like to wear in the north and Bernie bought a wide brimmed hat.

   The loom that Ho's mother made hammocks on is there as well as the house and other buildings.  As a young boy Ho accompanied his father to Hue.  His father had to take the test to be a mandarin in the Nguyen administration.

   I left out the part about the Phong Nha cave and the 583 steps to get to the entrance.  The part they didn't tell us was if we choose to explore the cave we had to walk 583 steps down into it and repeat the up and down stuff to get back to the van.  Glad I have been keeping up with my walking.  Oh by the way there is a restaurant at the end of the paradox in paradise.  Not to be confused with the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

   This was just before our climb up and down and in and out of Phong Nha cave.  When I saw the sign I could not resist.

                                                                     Getting ready.

                                                                        Workin' it.

                                                                        Rest stop.

                                    We had to get a shot of us down in the cave to prove we did it.

                                                We thought this looked like a turkey vulture.

                                          We decided this must be the home of the cave gnomes.

      ...and now it's Miller time....well Export 333, which is not bad, and is available at Beers of the World in   Rochester NY.

                                                                    Back down the hill.

                                                                     Ahhhh our ride.

   On my next entry I will include pictures of our stop at Ha Long bay.  I did not see you there.  It is just as well, it was a cloudy rainy day.  Ha Long bay is beautiful regardless of the weather.  Well you know what they say......next vacation visit beautiful Viet Nam.
Chao tam biet
Jim