Hi All,
You might have heard this before, but there is much going on in Ha Noi. First, the weather changed. Again, hotter than hell. I brought many warm clothes. Some might say "that is just another stupid man thing" but I'm sure not, you, my friends.
First, the GFH is going great. Four very nice girls and young women living there. It truly amazes me how well they all get along. (But the house is set to house 12. That might be a whole lot more interesting.)
Last Friday we had a visit from seven girls from a charitable organization, Project Happy Feet, based in Singapore. This organization has been significant supporters of HSCV for the last several years.We visited two orphanages which care for mentally challenged children. The children were sweet and it was much fun. The girls from PHF bestowed much love on them all and it was a memorable experience. However, with HSCV not being a medical NGO I wonder how much help we can provide to children with these issues. We will try to come up with something, but it might be hard.
Today, Thu and I met with Prosthetic Outreach Foundation. They are based in Seattle but have an office in Ha Noi. We had a couple of issues to discuss with them. First was Mai, the girl living at the GFH with an arm severed above the elbow, and an orphanage caring for physically disabled children and young adults. An appointment was made for Mai with a prosthetic technician. We have great hopes that we will be able to get her a functioning arm, but the cost may be an issue. (We don't know the cost yet but some of you may very well hear from us.)
HSCV recently had a couple of donors visit us whom we took to a home caring for the physically disabled children and young adults. We have not yet been able to determine what their exact problems are or if they can be treated but our donors said they may be able to help. That project will begin next week. It is our plan to take the head of The Association for Orthopedic Surgery in Vietnam to the facility to evaluate them. The head of POF in Ha Noi advised she would try to join us. This ia a whole new, big, project for HSCV but we are very enthused to be moving forward with it.
As for the GFH, things are moving very fast. Mai Anh, the long reported girl number five, is due to arrive tomorrow. Although we have still not gotten all the necessary approvals she is scheduled to start school tomorrow afternoon. (We have been getting a great deal of cooperation from her new school principal which is a great surprise.) If this all comes about I will reproduce her profile tomorrow.
In addition, The Blue Dragon contacted us about two very vulnerable girls today. The BD works with street children. The girls are 7 & 14 years of age. They have had very, very difficult lives. I met the 7 year old this afternoon. Absolutely precious. I wanted to bring her back to the GFH tonight but the social workers, both theirs and ours, did not think that was a good idea. I will deffer to their decision as when the appropriate time might be, up to a point.
(I am old and know there is much awfulness in this world but still have trouble comprehending how people cannot love and care for children. Whether they are their own relatives or not.)
When the new girls who should be coming to the GFH get there I will provide profiles on all three in the next day or two.
(Many personal rewards to be had working with children in Vietnam. But awfulness is present here every day. I know where the 7 year old is tonight but not the 14 year old. I know the type of place she has been staying at for awhile and that scares the hell out of me.)
Probably more tomorrow.
HSCV President, Chuck Devet
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