Our first destination in Central of Vietnam is Da Nang City. During our stay for two days, GFO had visited Center of Homeless Children in Da Nang City and we had the chance to observe daily activities of the children there. On another hand, we had also given gifts for the children. Fortunately, the pupils and students of Social Activity Department of Le Quy Don School had come in at the right time, without their helps, three representatives of GFO would not be able to learn about the existence of one very special place. A school of orphans, a second home for children whose lives are depended pretty much on the tiny amount of money that they earned daily from digging up garbage. With the help of the principal of the school, we had talked to them, we had come to their houses and we had witnessed how much damage the Xangsane storm caused on these innocent children. Based on the information that we had collected, three representatives of GFO had thoroughly discussed the matter and decided to present a sponsorship under the form of a scholarship to three children. They are: Nguyen Van Quynh, Le Trinh Hoang Anh and Phan Thi My Ha.

Leaving Da Nang behind, we headed to Hue. It seemed like Lady Luck was smiling on us on the first day stepping on Hue, we met some of the nuns from Dieu Vien Temple, Huong Thuy District, Thua Thien Hue Province. Through the introduction of nun Thich Nu Dieu Dam, we had met some of the kids around that area. They are kids who had lost both of their parents; apparently, it has long become their duty to fight their own hunger, to gather all their strengths so that they would somehow survive and able to pull themselves to school tomorrow. We had come to every single house to speak to their relatives because we felt an urgent need to help them live a better life.

Second day in Hue, nun Thich Nu Dieu Dam and monk Thuong Toa Thich Tinh Quang of Truong Xuan Temple brought us to Huong Phong Commune- Huong Tra District-Thua Thien Hue Province- the poorest village that was damaged the heaviest. The scenes that we visualized based on the news are nothing compared with the reality. Houses that were once a roof for these families are desolated back to its origin- sand and dust. It is understood that disaster showed no mercy to humanity. But it is still hard for us to compromise on the fact that disaster did not even leave out a crowded family with many children or a poor mother who was still carrying her new born baby. Fishing net which once was their tool to make a living everyday, it was now left at the corner and the corner is not even their own. It is a stab in the heart for us to learn that these children did not only taste the pain of losing one or both parents but also struggled to find their way back to school. GFO had then decided to fund five families to rebuild their houses.

Apart from visiting and supporting these families financially, GFO had also settled on the matter of establishing an official long term fund to sponsor students that despite of living in a very harsh situation, amazingly, the need of coming back to school still burning in them. Be a Guardian in GFO so that you can help these kids. You can make their days or life a meaningful one by writing a letter to support them morally or providing a monthly scholarship. With your kind-hearted soul, you know that children always deserve the best.

With our deepest appreciation, GFO would like to thank every individuals as well as organizations that had make our journey a successful and smooth trip.:

At Da Nang City:

• Pham Thien Nhu, Ngo Viet Huong and Nguyen Huy Quang of Social Activity of Le Quy Don Secondary School
• Mrs Nguyen Thi Kim Yen- principal of Dung Si Thanh Khe Primary School
• Mr Ho Viet

At Hue City:

• Nun Thich Nu Dieu Dam and other nuns at Dieu Vien temple.
• Monk Thich Tinh Quang of Truong Xuan Temple.
• Mr Huynh Tu, President of the Community of Huong Phong Commune- Huong Tra District- Thua Thien Hue.

For more specific information on each individual case, finance support from GFO and further plan about our future visits, please view these following attachments.

(Reported by Phuong Tam