I had a wonderful 2 week trip to Vietnam. (And it has taken me two weeks to catch up!) It was vacation, actually, but I spent two days with Pearl Buck staff at our office in Vietnam. Currently staff in Vietnam consists of a Country Director, bookkeeper and sponsorship manager. In Vietnam, we primarily serve children living in 6 orphanages through our sponsorship program. The office moved to new quarters since my last visit, and I was happy to see the space was larger than I expected and in good condition. I also enjoyed lunch with two of our advisory board members who were talking about a fundraising dinner the board is organizing. It was great to see the board so engaged and committed to expanding our programs. I must confess, however, the highlight of the trip was meeting with my sponsored daughter, Loan, who I've been matched with since she was in ninth grade. (She is now married and pregnant.) After she graduated from the orphanage, she didn't have many options for the future. Her mother placed Loan and her four siblings in the orphanage when she was very young after her father passed away, because she worked on a silkworm farm earning very little money and couldn't afford to raise her children. Loan would have had a similar future if our program did not fund her tuition, room and board for two years so she could attend vocational school to become a seamstress. Loan and her husband took the day off from work for my visit. They met our car on a highway, and we followed her husband's motorbike down many small dirt roads to her modest home. I was the first "foreigner" in her "hamlet", so neighbors and family gathered around to see me. I entered Loan's house and sat on a small plastic chair. While we shared stories, everyone stood around and others poked their head in the door. It was funny to be the main attraction and a wonderful feeling to see Loan grown and employed as a seamstress. We drove back to the city and had lunch in an Italian restaurant, which was the second time Loan ever ate in a restaurant (the first time was my trip there 2 years ago), and first time she ever ate western food. When we hugged goodbye, it was with joy. Tears of happiness streamed down my face as I walked into my hotel. My husband gave me a big hug, understanding the emotion I was feeling. What an exhilarating experience to sponsor a child so many years and see her as a productive member of society, with a husband and a baby on the way. What a wonderful vacation!
Janet L. Mintzer, President & CEO
Pearl S. Buck International
http://www.pearlsbuck.org/
jmintzer@pearlsbuck.org
