International Efforts - Asia
Vietnam
Global Care Packages Arrive in Vietnam
In January 2004, Rudy Schaser and Doan Thanh Truc, Director of Lutheran Hour Ministries-Vietnam, visited the Tra On district, one of the poorest in the Vinh Long province of Vietnam. Their goal was to lay the necessary ground work for several shipments of LHM’s Global Care Packages, including “By Kids For Kids,” “Teacher to Teacher,” and “The Mother’s Touch.”
As it turned out, the local government was very cooperative and wanted to make things happen. The Vinh Long Union of Friendship Organizations had the right and responsibility to receive all humanitarian aid for the Vinh Long province, and agreed to receiving Orphan Grain Train shipments. Schaser and Truc learned of the necessary regulations, the process, and documents needed for customs and a goal was set to have the first shipment in by November, 2005.
On August 22, 2005, two 40-ft. Global Care containers arrived at the Saigon port in Ho Chi Minh City, a full two months ahead of schedule. After successfully passing through customs on August 30, their contents were trucked to Tra On district.
A distribution ceremony was held September 1, 2005, in the hall of the People Committee of Tra On district. Representatives of the district’s administration, the local television news crew, 65 teachers and principals from 65 schools, and 13 representatives of women from 13 villages in Tra On district were present. Each group had a representative give a speech of thanks, as did the vice chairman of the People Committee of Tra On and the chief of Tra On’s Educational Department. Truc was allowed to speak and he asked God to bless everyone present.
For each box of supplies, LHM-Vietnam also provided five notebooks and a raincoat as well.
Distribution for “By Kids For Kids” and “Teacher to Teacher” took place September 5, 2005, the opening day of the school year in Vietnam. Truc and Pastor Soi, president of the Tra On church, went to two schools, Vinh Xuan and Huu Thanh, to attend opening ceremonies. These were the two largest elementary schools in the district. After the principal’s speech of thanks, a student representative presented a speech for Lutheran Hour Ministries and Orphan Grain Train.
Dear Pastor TRUC, representative of the ORPHAN GRAIN TRAIN.
Dear Mr. CAO VAN BAY, representative of the local government.
Dear all teachers, parents and my loved friends.
Today, in the jubilant atmosphere of the opening day of the new school year, the students with new books and colorful school supplies in hand joyfully go to the school but there are many friends like me, who are embarrassed to go to the school just because we don’t have enough books and school supplies. Since our families are so poor, our parents have to work hard to feed us day by day so that they cannot buy all of the so-called school supplies at once like the prosperous students’ parents did. Our sadness is suddenly changed into the joy and emotion when we know Pastor Truc who brought the gifts of our friends in North America and Canada to us.
When holding the school supplies which Pastor Truc brought to us, we would like to thank Pastor Truc so much. We think that Pastor Truc understood the mood of the poor children and he had a so great sympathy that he passed hundreds kilometers from Hochiminh city to such a remote village to hand the presents to us. We don’t know how to say than we wish pastor always healthy and achieve what is most greatness in the life. We would like to ask pastor sending our best wishes, the friendship of the children in Vinh Xuan village to the friendly students in North America and Canada and thank you so much our dear friends.
Distribution for “The Mother’s Touch” took place on September 20, 2005. Truc and Soi traveled to the villages Tra Con and Tan My, two of the poorest in Tra On district, to distribute to poor mothers.
