Sponsors wanted / Visiting people

We received information about some needy people just outside the city limits of Sai Gon. We hopped in a taxi and and off we went. Three quarters of an hour later ... the meter was about half a million Vietnamese Dong when we arrived (roughly $30). We could not let the taxi go. It's too difficult to get a taxi in the sticks so we asked the driver to wait.He had a rest and got some ice tea ...

 Double click on photos to enlarge and view as slide show.
© CVSG, all rights reserved.
 

Poor family. We decided to include the kids in our EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT program.

We met the kids and pastor Binh and his wife Lan at the Baptist church. There were about 8 children already waiting for us, others were still at school.

When most of the kids had arrived Uli grabbed the bag with the soft toys and started handing them to the kids. Those kids never owned any soft toys. Some kids were very shy as they obviously have not had any contact with westerners.

His first soft toy ... and he loves it and talks to it ... see more photos below

Having fun with other kids toys too

Quiet time with his new friend.

Happy as Larry ... hand made soft toy by our friend Rose Pyle.

We forgot her name, but we will receive her profile information soon. She is very bright, she is from the highlands but lives with the pastor and his wife. She is now also part of our Educational Support program ($80 per year). 

Anyone interested in supporting this bright 14 year old girl ???

While the kids had lunch; a whole chicken with rice noodles ... we drove back to Sai Gon, which took us nearly an hour; cost: 1.2 mill VND or $71. 

Show and tell at the Hope School

After a morning at the local shopping centre we went back to school. In the board room we met the kids again for a cession of SHOW and TELL. It was interesting who bought what ...

A little play with COLOUR !!!

Boys will be boys ... last year his hat read:

"Do you LOVE me" ... This hat is a nice improvement !!! We also interviewed the kids to see how the are going and how the family situation is.

A pair of shoes and shampoo ...

Twins buy identical tings ...  

Lots of Milo and yogurt drinks 

A dress and a top ... Nice !!!

Lots of food ... seemed to be the trend this year.

Once we were finished some of the kids got up and thanked us the shopping and for coming every year and supporting them. The trend was "Thank you so much and looking forward seeing you next year."

The first to thank as was Thu, one of the twins.

Then the "BOY" with the hat thanked us and wished us HAPPINESS a Good Health !!!

Duc jumped up, did not say much but we clearly understood: I LOVE YOU he said !!!

Uli got up and gave a short speech, I could not as I had to take the photos !!!

In the end they were all happy and wished us a save trip home ... and see you again next year !!!

Taking 21 hearing impaired kids shopping

We did it again ... taking 21 Hope school students shopping. But not just us, three teachers came as well, all fitting in three taxis !!! 

Everyone received an envelop with VND 250.000 ~ $ 15

Last instruction before entering the shopping centre

Let the fun begin ... some kids went food shopping first, others went upstairs for clothes and shoe shopping.

Happy times for Nam, the little boy just six years old

New shoes ... is it your size ???

Trying on the new shoes ...

 

Nam got some nice new shoes ...

Nhat checking out shampoos. He had a brain operation, scars clearly visible.

Thu loves the big teddy ... but they decided to get the little blue soft toy.

As twins do, they got two identical soft toys !!!

Finance meeting at HOPE school

We grabbed another "Grab taxi" -( the Uber competition in Viet Nam ) to go to Hope school. 
Bye the way, in Viet Nam Grab and Uber drivers have to have a taxi license, which is displayed in the front window. I think it is a very good idea. 

Anyway, we came to discuss and negotiate the school fees for the new school year 2016 - 17. All students we support receive meals at school. Over the years the daily meal costs has increased. 

Click on photos to enlarge and see in slide show, thanks.

It was not easy, but we do understand ...

 We had to find a compromise and we did. We have to increase the school fee for the Hope school to $ 450 annually. 
Anyway, it was good to talk about the whole school situation and also about some students, at home and at school. The school is like a big family ... they care and do whatever they can for individual students. It was a long afternoon ... and then we went to the VN version of ...

.... you guessed it: Red Rooster !!!

 It was getting dark by the time we arrived. 
Very nice outdoor restaurant and they had all sorts of dishes ... so we all found something we liked.

Colourful lights set up for Independence Day, 2nd of September.

"The Light Of The World" = Mekong delta support

"The Light Of The World" is the project name of our Mekong Delta scholarship program. It includes five different areas. We support about 45 children with school fees, books, uniforms and insurance for $150  year. We also support about 9 uni students at various universities and colleges in Sai Gon and Can Tho, Mekong delta.

Click on photos to enlarge and see in slide show, thanks.

We met at the Catholic church at Hoa Dinh

We visit the children every year to see them again, to encourage them and to check their school records.This is a short snippet about 14 kids from Hoa Dinh. Sadly 2 children left school, one move away the other did not like to go to school and had failed exams. 

Ly received a pre-loved lap top from us. This is to encourage her and others to do their best. This is all we can do !!!

We had some presents for the kids, some got the dolls that our friend Rose and her daughter made, others got little Koalas and bookmarks.

She also got a hand made bag for her school things

We were happy with most of the school results, most of the kids have improved from last year, which is good. Before we took a group photo Ly thanked us for coming and for our support and withed us good health and happiness.

Ly thanking us and praying for us

Group photos ... and ... See you again next year !!!

The brothers and their mum wave "Good Bye". Mum is limping, she has got some injury on her foot.

Mother and daughter getting ready ... and guess who is paddling ???

Meeting OUR uni students

We met up with Ngo Nhi and Ngoc Hien, both from the Mekong delta. Over the years we were supporting them by paying their school fees, books uniforms and insurance.

Ngoc Hien started uni two years ago, subject: industrial food processing. She is now in her third year and is doing well. She is living with her sister and has got a part time job in the afternoons selling "Australian wine". She, like everybody else has got her own motorbike to get around.

Ngo Nhi only just finished school and was excepted at college to study to become a Kindergarten teacher. Nhi only just arrived in Sai Gon, but she already sorted out her accommodation, close to her college, just a short bicycle ride away.

We pay Hex / Hoc fee for both girls plus 6 other uni students. The average Hoc fee is about $ 300 - 450 per semester.

We met both of them near our hotel in district one to have a chat and see how they are going. We try to meet the other students too ... see how we go. 
 

Eating FROG ... Nhi was not so keen !!!

Look at that smile. Hien is supported by us personally !!!

Nhi ... now in the big smoke ...

Uli and the girls !!!

Bye for now ... see you both before we leave.