SM Flashback

By Kim-Tuyen Tran

As I come back to the reality of the grinding life, I kept thinking about those days in Viet Nam. It must be one of my happiest and memorable vacation/work camp. It is much more than a vacation since no vacation can give you such feelings of satisfaction and gratitude. Before going to Viet Nam, I was dreading the heat, humility and the scorching sun. But once we arrived and dove into the wall painting activities, I was humming along like a happy bee and did not let anything bother me. The sweat streaming down my face as I painted the wall were coming down so fast, I did not bother to wipe them at all. We joked about being in a sauna as we climbed up the table to paint the top of the wall. Strangely, we felt very happy and full of life as we sweated and worked together painting, cleaning, moping, and dusting...Anh Tuan walked by and said: "Working hard?", we replied: "No, hardly working, just playing and having a good time here". And that was exactly how we felt, we were very grateful that we had this opportunity to contribute our very small part in this mission. I have made many new friends with the volunteers from America and the group from Viet Nam. It was a privilege working together with Tho, anh Chanh, anh Quynh and felt their dedications. The youngsters in our team (Kody, Uy Viet, Gabby, Nikki, Co-Jet, Nhan, Frenchie, Van) were extremely hard working kids. Watching them played with the kids brought warmth to our hearts, we wished we could go and played like them. Chi Dao and anh Ty took very good care of their team and were meticulous with their works. We kept teasing each other as we worked side by side correcting each other mistakes. And this correction could go on for days if chi Dao had her ways . Anh Ty with his constant "this is weird !!!" had become part of our vocabularies.

At the end of the first day, I took a break and went in the medical room to take a look at the medical team. Dr. Joe and anh Khiem were attending to a room full of patients with sweat running down their faces. Vy, Dan and Nanhi were taking temperatures, blood pressures and occasionally urine sample tests and screened the patients as they come in. We thought our rooms were hot but they were nothing compared to the medical room. This room was stuffy and humid since it was full of patients, they had helped more than 60 patients that day. Seeing Dan struggled to translate symptoms into English was priceless, it really touched my heart to see how hard they have worked while their friends were playing with the kids outside.

I got a chance to talk with Hy and Ai, the 2 U.S. volunteers from Hue's group, who have been volunteered in Viet Nam in the past few years. At 25, they seemed very mature and wise beyond their ages. Seeing them interact with the kids from Hue, you could tell they were dedicated to their causes and have very generous loving hearts. I have much to learn from them and Huy, another Vietnamese volunteer. Everyone loves Huy and we were sad to see him leave us at Sao Viet resort. Huy later came back to see us at the completion dinner and gave each one of us a hand made key chain with our names on it that he made himself. All in all, everyone I met on this trip are very special people and I am so glad I have a chance to share this experience with them. It was a one in a lifetime life changing experiences and hopefully with God's blessings, we will one day come together again to contribute whatever we can for the children of Viet Nam.

Adventures in Vietnam

By Khiem Vu


Yesterday was the opening ceremony for the school we helped build in Phu Yen. From cleaning windows to painting walls, all the hard work and sweat had paid off. After several speeches and performances by the local children, we had the unique opportunity to personally hand the packages of books, clothes, and snacks we prepared the previous night to all the young students. Since it was the last day working at that site, I will certainly miss all the young kids I got to interact with. Among my favorite memories are the piggyback rides and their wide smiles as they call me "Anh Khiem". They are so full of energy, curiosity, and willing to play every time we arrive in the mornings. One of the observations I will always remember is seeing how the children can make any random situation or object into a game or toy, respectively. So far, my favorite toy is the string looped through two holes in a flattened-out bottle cap, which can be used as a pretty scary weapon if used improperly. They seem to be naturally intelligent and I have never seen them get bored at all! Although I am usually serious and reserved, playing in the sand with the children somehow brought out my goofy side as I entertained them with silly faces. Despite their occasional mischief and my being slapped and teased, I have also grown to admire the creativity of the local children and their ability to be grateful for the minor things in life I tend to take for granted, such as a plastic water bottle or a pair of old plastic sandals. I have never played with children like these before and they inspire me to further cherish the possessions I already have in America. With the completion of the new Sunflower Mission school, I certainly hope for a bright future for them.

So far, this trip has been amazing in terms of the handyman skills and cultural insights I have gained. The food is great and the mountainous landscape in Phu Yen is breathtaking. I have met a diverse group of people, made new friends, and worked with skilled and motivated volunteers. I have also grown to admire the dignity of the locals we worked with at the school site. They are very industrious and do not complain about the amount of construction they have to do. Despite a few barriers in communication, one of the young workers always smiled would always offer to help me with painting or dusting. Tomorrow we will work on another site, Phuoc Hau elementary school, and I look forward to similar, positive experiences.