I mentioned, in my last blog, that we had the privilege of teaching English to children of a small community inside of Ho Chi Minh City. This community is very poor and most children live with grandparents or other relatives because their parents can’t afford to have them. Many of these children have never been to school because it would cost too much for their families. To top it all off, children are seen as unneeded in the Vietnamese culture and are frequently mistreated. They really are the ‘least of these.’
Jesus pointed out, on various occasions, the importance of children… unless we become like them, we cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. Our Lord has a special place in His heart for children. I would like to introduce you to a couple that God has extended this special compassion for children to. Their names are Lam and Kun (pronounced Koon).
Lam and Kun had been married for only 3 months during our time in Vietnam. The amazing thing about this young couple is their desire to reach children and to love them. They have gladly moved into a ghetto community to serve the children there. They devote their whole lives to about 30-40 children who find refuge at their house, which also serves as a school. Lam doesn’t have a job, except small odd ones, because he believes he needs to be serving the children, along with his wife. They survive solely on supporters.
These are 2 of the most loving people I have ever met! Seriously. They put their own needs/desires aside to care for and love other people’s children. For many of these kids, Lam and Kun’s house is the only place they receive affection. One morning, I found Kun in the kitchen cleaning the hair of 4 or 5 girls and putting lice medication in it. I was later told that they all had lice for a while and their families wouldn’t help them. She took it as her responsibility to care for them.
The exciting thing about this couple is their passion. It is contagious. It is hard to listen to their story of sacrifice and not be moved to tears. Their vision from the Lord is so clear… love these kids, get this school going, find volunteers to take over, and move to another poor community to start one. You can see the clarity and passion in Lam’s eyes as he explains their plan. You can see the love and compassion in Kun’s soft smile and loving hands. You can see the demeanor of these kids change when one of them walks into the room. They love Lam and Kun as if they were their own parents. And you know it is going to break their hearts when Lam and Kun have to say goodbye when God sends them somewhere else. But they will go because they know their mission. Love as many children as possible. Give them a hope. Give them a future through education. Share God’s love in the middle of Buddhist communities.
If you would like to give a financial donation to this amazing couple, please contact us through the “Contact Us” link to the left. Thank you!
