Thank you letters received from Song Lo School

Just received those thank you letters via the Saigon Times Foundation. We have been supporting Tram and Dung since 2008. Tram has got cerebral palsy, she is bound to a wheel chair, but she is very clever. Dung finished his first year at school, the kids at Song Lo learn already English in year one !!!

Sai Gon June 21, 2012

To: Uli & Matt

How are you? My name is Phương Trâm, student of Song Lo School

I am in holiday now. I went to visit my grandmother in Long Khanh Dist., Dong Nai Province. I am in vacation course. Last year I got certificate of advancement of learning

I will be 5^th grade in the school year 2012-2013. Song Lo School will be repair at September 2012, so I will temporary study at new school. New school is far from old school, thus my father have to drive both of us in bicycle daily. My mother delivered a baby three months.

Do you go to Vietnam on this summer? I and Dang remember you very much

In the next school year, I will try to study better in order to please my parent and you. I wish both of you will be blooming with health. I sincerely thanks from the bottom of my heart.

Best regards

Trần Lê Phương Trâm

Sai Gon June 21, 2012

Dear Matt & Uli

I am Trần Hải Đăng, student of Song Lo School. Do you miss me?

How are you? How is about your works. Is it good?

I got good student certificate at the end of the school year 2012-2013. At the closing ceremony, when I got the certificate in my hand, I remember too much both of you. You are the fair godmother of us.

This summer I was back to my grandmother country in Dong Nai Province. My mother delivered a baby around three months. I and baby are very similar.

We wish you healthy and happiness.

Yours sincerely,

Trần Hải Đăng

News about "Little Nhu's" heart sugary

Last night we received an e-mail from the vice principal at the Hope school for hearing impaired children in Sai Gon. We hope that we are in Sai Gon when the operation is taking place. Here is what Diep wrote:

Dear Matt and Uli,

Yesterday Than (principal) has just taken Nhu to the hospital to pay money for the operation and check her health before having the operation as their rule. It is very sorry Nhu is having a heavy sore throat so she needs to take medicine 10 days then they will check again and give the day for the heart operation.  Than paid 70.560.000VND for the hospital already for the first paying and the rest they will calculate after the operation.  I am sorry to take a long time, I don’t know how to explain for you, that is the system work of the hospital and we are in the passive situation we have to wait until when they call us. As I know there are a lot of patients and not enough the doctors to do the heart operation so we have to take a long time for waiting and maybe because we haven’t pay the whole money at the first time as they suggested (> 90.000.000). But anyway at the end they had called us. Thank God!!

Our school has just work again at the beginning of this July and we have got the call from the hospital before Matt called for me 1 day, so I still haven’t  inform to you.  Now I am happy to see you soon and I hope that Nhu will have the operation in the period time you are staying in Viet Nam.

Hope you have a good trip and I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Best regards,

Diep

$upport needed to break the poverty cycle for these 12 children

School project for 12 children in district 8, Sai Gon

Our friend Tran Thi Hoan started a small home schooling group for 12 children. For the last two years Hoan and her friend Lienh taught these children on a regular basis.

Last year we were invited to visit a small home schooling group in district 8 in Sai Gon. Hoan and her friend Lienh took us to one of the parent’s house, which is used as a classroom. The parents simply cannot afford to pay the school fees and other cost related. Instead of going to school some kids are already working!!!

Later we discussed the possibility to extend our educational support for these 12 children with Hoan. Initially everything looked fine, until Hoan took the time to talk to the parents in order for them to agree. Problem: The kids do not have birth certificates. No birth certificate - no school registration!!!

  Hoan made various appointments and talked to several school principals and the chairmen / leader of the district. The result remained unchanged. No birth certificate, no school registration. “Same, same, but different” as they say in Viet Nam. Catch 22 - no solution in sight.

We were talking about this project a lot, sending e-mails back and fourth, skyping ... discussing all sorts of scenarios / solutions.

Here is Hoan's e-mail received today:

Today I come to primary school after long time try to contact with leader of special class for children. He saw me, believe and understand what I want to do ( before he met me, he had some worry about what I want, he and me just talk on phone ). He talk that children don't need pay fee, but can we pay money to buy health insurance for children, buy clothes, books, if children finish primary, they can study in special class in secondary school like other children, on first day in September, I go back that school to subscribe for children. I'm so happy about it, I will meet children at the weekend.  

                                             Hoan and Lienh teaching ....

The children can start school on the 1^st of September. We would love to witness their first day at school. CVSG needs your support so we can pay for health insurance, books, uniforms, school bags, shoes and meals at school. It is a small price to pay!!!

Please consider. This is a once in a life time chance for these children to get educated, be able to study and have a proper job – in other words:

“It is their ticket out of poverty”.

Fund-raiser Luncheon at Lake Macdonald

On Saturday, 7th of July we had a fund-raiser luncheon for Viet Nam. The sun was shining, we fed 50 adults and 20 kids ... it was all good, everyone loved our cooking, we needed to do an extra batch of sausages ... they all disappeared.


Two hours later the black forrest cake, freshly baked by the Swiss Bakery in Pacific Paradise was presented and everybody was queing again. Check out the photos ... 
It was another fingerlicking experience!!!


Click on photo to enlarge and see slide show!!!

It's Good News Week !!!!

      It started already on Monday when we received news from My Tho. Ngoc Hong, the girl who has bile cancer is now a lot better, she is putting on weight, her hair is growing really well. From now on she has to go to Sai Gon only once every two months for a check up and blood test. VERY GOOD NEWS!!!

                          Ngoc Hong in January ...

      Just when you think there is no solution ... our dear friend Hoan sends us an e-mail.
Last year in August we visited 12 children in district 8, Sai Gon. Hoan and her friend Lienh took us there. It's a poor area, parents can not afford to sent the children to school. We met the kids and they were sort of shy and did what their teachers told them to do. Hoan and Lien started this little home schooling group over a year ago.
 
      Later we discussed the possibility to extend out educational support those children with Hoan. Initially everything looked fine, until Hoan took the time to talk to the parents in order for them to agree. Problem: The kids do not have birth certificates. No birth certificate - no school registration!!!

      Hoan made various appointments with school principals and the chairmen / leader of the district. Same, same, but different. Catch 22 - no solution in sight. We were e-mailing back and fourth, skyping ... discussing all sorts of scenarios / solutions.

Hoan and Lienh teaching ....

Here is Hoan's e-mail received today:
Today I come to primary school after long time try to contact with leader of special class for children. He saw me, believe and understand what I want to do ( before he met me, he had some worry about what I want, he and me just talk on phone ). He talk that children don't need pay fee, but can we pay money to buy health insurance for children, buy clothes, books, if children finish primary, they can study in special class in secondary school like other children, on first day in September, I go back that school to subscribe for children. I'm so happy about it, I will meet children at the weekend.


Now it's full steam ahead ... and we have an appointment we do not want to miss on the 1. of September !!!  .... It's Good News Week  !!!!

Here is a comment we just received on Facebook:
Jeanette Acland ‎"And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me"(Matthew 18:5) whenever I think of the work Coolum/Vietnam support group does, I think of this scripture. Love how it is out of the gospel of Matt!! seems appropriate ♥