While this is about Vietnam, I am writing from China. (Hello from my first cold country!) Because of this I cannot say certain words because they will get ‘flagged’. So I will sometimes wrote things with a b/ackslash, just know I didn’t do it to mess with your brains and see who can figure it out.
Month 3:
Da Nang, Viet Nam
I spent the 3rd month of my race in the beautiful city of Da Nang Vietnam. Its a beach town located in the middle of Vietnam’s coast line. We were lucky enough to arrive at night. The city was alive and bright! Buildings and bridges lit up all over the place. Light reflected off the water as we drove over the bridge on our way to our new home for the month.
During March we were working with an organization named Orphan Voice. A man named Tony Brewer began orphan voice about 15 years ago; and in that short amount of time it has grown quite large. Orphan Voice has partnered with many local orphanages and a few other organizations in the area and would frequently send people from the office to help out.
Orphan Voice has about 10 people on staff. Tony Brewer is in charge, but the two I got closest to were Sherman and Kalbin.
Sherman was our scheduler and guide, he helped us get anywhere in the city and invited us over for dinner weekly. He’s a wonderful cook and we were always happy when we got to bring home some leftovers (that didn’t happen often!) He also taught us Killer UNO, a spin on a classic that will come in handy throughout the race. Sherman showed us his heart for Da Nang and the kids he worked with. He has taught English in different schools and has an English club outside of Orphan Voice. Some of the local kids are even going to be involved in working at the same elder home we worked at.
Kalbin was our wonderful translator. He helped us with anything we needed to get done. From helping us leard about a laundry delivery service, to getting the bikes fixed, and translating for us and the kids at Promise House. He’s an amazing guy and I loved just riding on the back of a moto and having him tell me about the city or about his wonderful fiancé.
I’ll never forget when we were all trying to fit on 3 motos to go to lunch. Elissa, Kelbin’s fiancé, was gonna have 3 people on her moto. Well Kelbin was a bit concerned and worried, so he offered to have the 3rd person but was denied because Elissa had the larger moto. So Kelbin brought up the rear in case anything happened. Right after Elissa took off, and before we puller away from the sidewalk, he looks back at me and says “THATS my fiancé.” Like he’s the proudest man in the world.
I love you guys and am so glad I got to meet you and spend time with you last month! I wish you all the happiness in the world. I know you’ll have a wonderful wedding and a b/lessed life together.
So aside from riding around town on motos, we spent most of our time at Promise House, an Elderly Loving Home, an infant home, and an orphanage outside Da Nang in a city named Dan Lock. Heather and I also got to attend a conference at an orphanage. Ducky, a member of orphan voice was giving a talk and we got to video it. But there we all turned over so I can’t share them with you. (It was in Vietnamese so only a few of you would understand anyway)
Infant Home
Initially I was suppose to come here a lot sooner than I did. With people getting sick and the schedule moving around I was only able to visit twice. Our job was just to hold babies. They need human contact and there’s only so many workers at the home. These woman do a wonderful job. They get everyone fed, washed, and ready for nap time in just a short while. Our job was to be with the little ones and be an extra pair of arms. We helped feed some and considered taking naps with some of the kids that fell asleep. Lucky the kids don’t stay here for long. Many of them are adopted quickly. Those that arent are moved to another orphanage when they are too old for the infant home.
Dai Lock
Dai Lock is an orphanage in the countryside. Its filled with some great, if quiet, kids. There, we mostly did classes and a few games. THIS is the reason we learned the hand washing dance (more on that later). We couldn’t stay long when we went because it was So far away. We alsp got to celebrate a birthday. These kids DEVOVERD the fruit and couldn’t care less about the cake. (We could learn a thing or two)
Elderly Loving Home
Aside from Promise House, I probably spent most of my time at the Elder home. It was a C/atholic elder home run by locals, for locals. The women there are so sweet. We gave massages, did chair exercises, and sang a lot of songs. My favorite thing was talking to the women there. They told us alot about there lives. These women went through a lot in there time.
I met one woman named Nam. She couldn’t walk and was always at the door to greet us. Watching who’s coming and going. She told me about her life; growing up and losing her parents at a young age and going to live at an orphanage. Also, getting hurt during the war and losing the ability to walk. During all this she began to cry. After all she had gone through this woman had more reason to cry that any one I’d ever met. But then she said she just missed her friends. Out of all the things to cry about in the world, she’s crying over friendship. While there are many wonderful women at the Elder Home, it’s just not the same as the friends you grew up with and met throughout your life. So I was entrusted with writing a letter. Some of her friends had moved to the US, and she didn’t want to trouble the nuns with writing one for her. So I did. And I would love for you to p/ray with me that it makes it safely to the right home.
Promise House
Promise House is where we were most of the month. Its similar to an orphanage but the kids aren’t adoptable. All of these children have a family, they just can’t or don’t live with them for one reason or another. Orphan Voice tries to requite these kids with their families, when they can. For example ensuring an alcoholic and abusive father gets the help he needs so that he is no longer a danger to his family and the kids can go back and live with him. Or that a family can financially support themselves. Before we arrived, 3 kids were reunited with their families, leaving the number of kids at Promise House at 19.
Initially our job was painting. It was a blast and we recruited some of the kids to help. The kitchen and dinning room were done in a few days. We were even invited for lunch and if you ever eat with kids from Vietnam, just know they are gonna keep putting food on your plate!
The later weeks were spent playing with the kids and teaching (a Bit). Sherman had taught these kids Killer UNO, so that was a frequent occurance. the kids are great at it! We played some other games with them, helped with some English homework, and taught them about being healthy and how to wash your hands. Yes that means we did the hand washing dance here as well. I’ve kept you on the edge of your seat long enough about this dance, so I’ll let you know now that the link is at the bottom (or it will be soon, I don’t have gmail so I can’t look up the link now).
The last day there I thought would be easy. We mostly played games and it was a very chill atmosphere. Then the house dad had everyone circle up to say goodbye. He started by saying Vietnamese don’t always wear their emotions, and asked if the kids were happy or sad. You can guess the answer. A few of the kids stood up and talked; having their goodbyes translated for everyone.
When we spoke a few of us cried. It actually is kinda common on my team. I was doing OK until this little boy grabbed my hand, led me over to a bench and just sat there, not letting go. He’d kinda been dragging me around the past hour. I’d beat him in an arm wrestling competition (they use their wrists not their hands) and I guess impressed him. He’d never hung around me this much before then. He’s the boy in the grey in front of me (I’ll ask Kalbin how to spell his name and get back to you)
Anyway I had to have Kalbin translate that I would come back.
So surprise! I’m going back to Da Nang, in the next 2-5 years. I don’t really feel like G/ods calling me to be there long term (hence the wide time range in case he calls me elsewhere) but I did fall in love with the city and the people in it.
There is one more aspect of life in Da Nang that I didn’t talk about. I met some amazing girls there. 5 beautiful sisters: Joy, F/aith, Elizabeth, Anna Mei, and Jillian Brewer. We first met them when we came over to the Brewer house because Tony invited us all for dinner. They were a bit shy (except you Anna Mei) But we all got to know each other really well that night and over the next few weeks. Jillian would just pop in sometimes and see what’s up. Anna Mae and Elizabeth sometimes joined us for beach days. And we had an awesome movie night with F/aith and Joy.
So another big part of the reason I’m going back it because I made a promise to Anna Mei that I would come back soon. (Maybe next December). Girls I love you and miss you all already. Asia’s just not the same without 5 different personalities running around a dining room. I can’t wait to see you all again!
I’ll add the hand washing video later and send out an update.
Hope you are all doing well! Talk to you soon!
