Mekong delta... My Trung educational support

Sunday, 21st of August

Today we will be picked up for a trip to My Tho and then to Bang Lang where we meet the My Trung children. Pick up at seven … got changed to eight, no problem.

Peter Duong and his driver arrived around eight -ish and we were off. Thanks to a new FREEWAY the trip took only an hour and a half. Then it took another half hour to Bang Lang. It was freezing in the car; the driver put the AC up all the time. We reached a truce when I just opened my window.

We got out of the car at a petrol station only to hop on a HONDA. For five minutes we were driven through a market and then along the Mekong … to the Bang Lang community centre. My driver went fast and it was a bit dangerous, Uli was shaking when she arrived.

It was all good; we had a short rest and a fresh OJ. The kids where waiting, most of them with one of the parents.

We asked the kids to come up in the same order as in our profiles. Matt got the video rolling, then took a photo or two with the presents Uli gave them. All went well, but some of the students were really shy, even uncomfortable. After we handed out the little presents we took a couple of group photos.

The Saigon Times Foundation (STF) will handle the financial side of it. This time it was suggested not to pay the school fees in a lump sum, but in monthly instalments direct to the school.

Back on the HONDA, but this time we made sure they did not go that fast. Back in My Tho we stopped at Peter Duong’s office to discuss additional sponsorship and bicycles for the kids. Then it was time to hit the road.

We picked a hot day, but getting back to HCMC it was stormy and raining. Admin time again …

Now I have to download the photos and put some on the blog. But it’s Sunday … No rest for the wicked!!!

Photos will follow soon!!!