We made our second trip to Vietnam in March and visited three of the beneficiaries of the Le Hoang Foundation–the orphanages in Hue at Duc Son Pagoda, Long Tho Pagoda, and Uu Dam Compassion House. Needless to say, the visits were filled with love, laughter, and joy as we saw the results of your generous contributions on the faces of the children at these orphanages. With your assistance, the Le Hoang Foundation was able to provide these children with some basic necessities that we often take for granted, like instant noodles and blankets, as well as other items, like mosquito nets, that are vital for their survival and well being. Along the way, we also managed to deliver stuff that allowed children…to be children. Words can’t describe the sheer happiness etched on the countenances of these orphans when we passed out coloring books, computers, toys, and even an electric keyboard.
In Thanh Hoa, we had the honor and privilege of meeting two gentlemen that will be vital to the success of the Le Hoang Foundation in Vietnam. They were the Bishop of Thanh Hoa, the Most Reverend Joseph Linh Chi Nguyen, and the Director of Thanh Hoa’s Social Services Commission, the Reverend Anthony Thieu Dinh Trinh. They led us on a brief tour of the area and we got to meet many of the underprivileged children of the “boat” families–residents that lived in boats along the riverbanks. The Le Hoang Foundation was able to provide many families with special needs children in Thanh Hoa with simple care packages consisting of rice, spices, and snacks. One of the future goals of the Le Hoang Foundation will be to provide the “boat” families with more permanent homes to ensure that their children will have a brighter future.
This visit further highlighted the need for organizations like the Le Hoang Foundation to assume a greater role in providing for the underprivileged children of Vietnam. None of what we have accomplished so far, and what we will achieve in the future, is possible without the volunteers that work tirelessly for us and your generous contributions. Your generosity will help future projects that will assist the boat families of Thanh Hoa, the ethnic children of Sapa, and along with Sister Lien De to provide educational assistance to the 17 girls of Dong Con Duc Me Vo Nhiem.
