Chris Tierney and Peter Nicholls attended the Mission to Vietnam in April 2023. Tram our main volunteer and manager in Vietnam picked us up early on the Monday morning when we first visited a lady we gave a dairy cow to who has two twin boys 19 years of age with severe brain damage and cannot work. She raises money for the family by collecting plastic bottles out of the rubbish. Unfortunately, she was not at home as she was working but the local government official took us to the see the cow and it was in very, very good condition and we were told that she is extremely happy.  

We then travelled to visit the family who have a two-room home that had no shower and toilet and we have now been able to provide the toilet. Further we visited another family for whom we have provided a shower and toilet. (we previously provided cows for both of these families). The grandfather of this second family is very sick with cancer. The lady’s husband passed away many years ago and she is very sick recovering from spinal surgery. Her 10 year old daughter is currently at school and studying very hard. They were very very happy because there was sufficient funds to be able to build a bedroom for the young girl as well as the toilet and shower.  

We then continued to the special needs school giving nappies food and supplies, rice etc enough to last for six months. It was wonderful to catch up with the children and see the happy faces and the joy of these young children and young adults who live in such tortured bodies. 

The following day we travelled into the country to visit families that we have given cows to in the past.  Greeted by a very happy mum who now has 3 cows that had calves. Over the years the calves mean so much to the family, the cows not only give milk but a calf that they can sell is worth two years of labour to them.  

Traveling on to Tam Lanh we met Mr Truyen and Mr. Tia the local officials and the president of the area where we then gave 20 push bikes to children in need and two more cows to families living in very difficult situations. The local officials fully support us now and are very happy to see us and I consider them wonderful friends. They take great delight in taking us to lunch at a restaurant on the lake just near the town of Tam Lanh. Mr Truyen and Mr. Tia also showed us many other things that are needed in Tam Lanh, they would like assistance with the new sporting facility. The ground they currently play on is dirt and there are no showers or toilets for the children to get changed in. If it’s possible at some stage to cover this all-weather soccer / football ground / basketball a multi-purpose ground, it’s certainly another project that we can look at for the future. 

We then visited miss Tam who is the young lady 25 years young and has never been off her bed. We took clothes, food and supplies to her and we also visited miss Phuong who is a young student that we’re sponsoring for $60 per month which provides for school fees, books, uniform and English classes for her.  

The following day we travelled to Ho Chi Minh and then the 9 hour overnight bus to the South to look at a bridge that is needed to connect the roads to give people access to a hospital instead of having to travel 20 kilometres to be able to find a bridge. The trip was 9 hours by bus one hour by car 45 minutes by longboat to get to the bridge site. This will be a project for the future. It is certainly a worthy cause but such a long way to the South so difficult to get to but it’s certainly something that we would try to help with in the future.  

Our final day was spent at an orphanage that was set up by a lady who was a doctor but wanted to become a monk. All her savings and inheritance went into the facility that she has developed herself to cater for orphans, children in need and those children and young adults with such devastating disabilities. She cares for and loves all the children and young adults providing food shelter clothing and schooling for them. It is a humbling experience to see the dedication of one person to the needs of others. The selfless dedication, commitment and lifelong mission to care for those in need. The orphanage is a beautiful, clean, wonderful facility and all from her own money. 

We were also able to distribute donated beanies and soft toys from Anne and the two natural ladies groupies. Thank you to those ladies for the very, very special gifts. And to Kevin Milstein and the Reagan Milstein Foundation for the football gear and footballs that we were able to give to the children. 

To summarise, we were able to distribute beanies and soft toys, two dairy cows, 20 push bikes, food and supplies to the special needs school in Tamky City, food and supplies to the orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, food and supplies to Miss Tam and to inspect the toilet we previously constructed in 2022, the new shower, toilet and bedroom we provided and the funds for and future missions we have been asked to assist with. 

The needs and wants of these people living in such remote communities & in such poverty is indescribable but to be there and share what limited things they have is an absolute joy. Love living in Australia and all that we have here but be mindful of those who need so much but ask for nothin