Enjoy this collage of the entire team giving love away!

Here are a some stories written from various members of the Texas Team while in Vietnam.

Christine:

Today the team and I went to the Da Nang Water Park with kids from two orphanages, There were about 50 kids with us in total, all of which were precious to not only the Lord, but to me as well!  From the moment I saw the kids as we arrived at the water park, my heart was filled with love for these kids as they laughed and played with each other and the team as well. On my way to the park I found myself thinking about how I wanted to impact their lives and impart joy, but shortly after spending some time with them I realized that they were imparting joy in my life! It was a huge surprise realizing just how infectious their smiles and laughter were! The kids just pulled me by the arm and dragged me into the water. They splashed me and I splashed back. The fun was just beginning. As the boys and girls took off my sunglasses and put them on themselves, I watched their smiles grow even bigger and bigger and in that moment I understood what the concept of GIBTK is all about. Even if it was just for a moment, just for one day, these kids experienced fun with water slides, food, ice cream and bubbles, the little things that I, like so many other Americans, take for granted – happy memories. Today was a special day for these kids and also for me. For me it was about gaining a greater appreciation of sharing the beauty and joy of life. For the kids I suppose it was the same thing. They really aren’t that different from adults..we are all God’s children in His eyes anyways. My prayer today is that God would continue to unfold the reality of how far a simple act of kindness such as spending time with another person can really go because today I saw firsthand that it goes farther than I thought I knew.

Carlos:

I’ve been going to foreign lands my entire life.  I’ve seen poverty in third world countries and seen so many miracles in places that seemed hopeless.  Coming to Vietnam I expected nothing less.  What I didn’t expect was to feel so compelled to do more than what I was already doing.  I didn’t expect to cast vision about bringing more American Youth next year…I didn’t expect to partner with one of my friends (John Michael) to build a house for a family…I definitely didn’t expect to take time and dream up ways to raise money for Vietnam endeavors…BUT I HAVE! This morning I  was given an incredible compliment that challenged me…I was called a Warrior.  Somehow when I see the kids here I see more in them than what they see…I see hope, I see futures, I see Christ’s love forever changing their lives…I look at their lives and obstacles and when I put their obstacles next to God’s plan for them I can’t help but call them the Warriors!

Aric:

While being here in Danang, I so badly want to put on that red cape and that famous “S” on my chest and come to the RESCUE!  For years these children have been crying out for help. I, being Aric Dang have strived to be that so called “Superman” in their lives. Being there today and every day, but I can only do so much. I’ve finally come to a realization that I can’t do much, but God! God’s love and blessings can bring so much joy to a child’s face. Because the love of God, these children can overcome anything. I just want to leave the reader with this. SHARE GOD’S LOVE!!!

Although our differences are apparent, I believe today we met our third daughter from Vietnam…a blue eye, a brown eye; white skin, brown skin; speak English, speak Vietnamese. Different? Yes. The same? Definitely. While visiting a street kids program, Tram quickly attached herself to us. Although her English was limited, she tried very hard to communicate with us, asking us simple questions like, “how are you?”, and “what is your name?” We took a walk to her room with Tram holding our hands. She was so proud of her bunk bed and wanted her picture taken with us there. As she held our hands we could feel the emptiness of a heart that longed for parents. Through an interpreter we found out that she had been at the program for six years and never knew her parents. She does have a grandmother and aunt that she visits on holidays. She told us she was eleven, but we feel that she may be a bit older – who knows. We spent the rest of our time there at the program on the steps with Tram. She was content to hold our hands, fan us with whatever she found available, and to say just a few words. Although we are very different in appearance – our hearts are the same. Tram was like an empty vessel just waiting to be filled up with love. I hope our love filled her heart just a bit, because her heart filled ours. – Bruce & Camella

Planned interviews with potential heart surgery patients was on our schedule today. We have done this before and your heart is always ripped out when you see the hopelessness in the eyes of the parents and the sadness of sick children. But today my heart was in for a surprise. The staff of GIBTK had gone to great lengths to arrange for previous heart, eye, and orthopedic surgery recipients to come to the office. All of this was to be a surprise. And surprised  I was. Looking through the mass of parents and children, I began to make out familiar faces. In the room were people that three months ago I wept with over the physical condition of their children. Today I saw a transformation of not only the children but of their parents. Their sorrows had turned to joy. Seeing this caused a flood of gratitude to well up in my heart when the reality hit me that we truly are changing lives by helping to save the lives of these children. In the room was a beautiful 14 year old girl who had received a corrective eye surgery to repair a drooping eye. In the past she shyly smiled at you with downcast eyes…now she is radiant and doesn’t hesitate to meet your gaze. Also in the room was a little four year old rambunctious boy whose orthopedic surgery now enables him to run as he once could only try to do. I sobbed with joy as I recognized a mother who had already lost one child to heart disease as she proudly showed off her healthy six month old baby boy – saved by a heart surgery her dream was alive! How do I put into words emotions and feelings that I cannot describe? The events that transpired today have impacted my life. Seeing the results of the procedures that we helped to fund in March brought to me an overwhelming flood of tears of joy and thankfulness. I am thankful to be a part of helping the Creator of the universe help children and families to find hope for a better tomorrow. I am humbled to not only be able to witness these transformations but to be a part of the solution. As we moved into the interview phase for those families that came today seeking heart surgeries for their critically ill children, I was even more motivated to help each of them with a transforming solution. I had a more confident resolve that yes, in three months we can see their sorrow turn to joy. We can see our God transform their fears of losing their child into hopes for the future. Today I wept with the parents that were weeping for their children. I am confident that when I see them the next time I will weep tears of joy with them too. – Bruce

“Pure, undefiled religion is that you visit the poor, the widows and the orphans in their distress.” Today, we found all three in one place. As we were looking for houses to build for those in need, we were taken to the home of a mother of two named Kim. As we interviewed this family, standing on the dirt floor of their home, we were told that she had just recovered from heart surgery and was in debt for that surgery, that she has been widowed for seven years, and has two daugthers – Thu, 17 years old, and Huyen, 10 years old. It was obvious that this family met the criteria to have a home built to replace the mere sticks they were living in. As the decision was being translated to Kim she began to cry. Her tears broke the dam of emotions that had been pent up inside her two daughters maybe since the loss of their father. Soon everyone on the team was in crying with them, even the party officials that were travelling with us. Love was expressed to this family in every way possible through compassionate touches including father’s hugs for the girls. A new home will be built; bicycles, school supplies & school clothes purchased for the girls; money was give; and they will also receive the blessing of a cow to begin their own small business. But the greatest thing that was provided for this family today was hope. Hope for a future that will include education, concrete floors, a toilet, and a roof over their heads that doesn’t leak. But the greatest hope came through the love and compassion of a group of people from halfway around the world who were led to them by a God who loves them. James 1:27 was realized today when we made a visit to the poor, the widows and the orphans.

The Texas Team touching people at wheelchair & bicycle distributions, orphanages, and on the street.

While delivering wheelchairs, our journey took us to the home of a family that could not come to the distribution. When we walked into the house, the heat was stifling and there were visible ravages of flooding in the home. On a bamboo mat lay a 33 year old man crippled beyond words. We found through talking to the mom that she felt hopeless and weary as she cared for her only son. A widow for thirty years, she had even sold her hair recently to make money for the family. As we gathered in the home, the young man’s eyes were full of terror as his mom weeped over the gift of the wheelchair. He didn’t understand her tears and his anxiousness turned into his own tears. At which time I found myself on the mat with him holding him and crying with him as I believe Jesus would have done. As my tears mingled with the sweat, I looked into his eyes and communicated an unspoken language of God’s love and peace. I watched this young man receive God’s peace which along with the wheelchair was a marker event for his life. A day I know I won’t forget and I rather doubt he will either. – Bruce

P.S. Due to this divine appointment, this family of two will be built a new home and his mother will receive a cow to assist her in starting a business as well as vitamins and a monthly stipend. Hopefully her hair will grow back!

We conducted an intervention today! And no, it was not an intervention to stop the ravages of drugs or alcohol. It was an intervention to stop hopelessness. The recipient of the intervention was a little five year old girl named Tran Thi Thu Vy. Vy has had no use of her legs since birth. An orthopedic surgery was conducted in 2006, but the family had no money or means to get the follow up medical care done. Therefore, she still has a steel pin in her leg. Vy came with her mother Huong expecting to receive a wheelchair, which she did. Vy’s family are rice farmers, meaning they receive only rice for wages, hence nutrition issues are big for her family. As we spent time with Vy and her mother, we explored the options and determined that there may be a possibility that corrective orthopedic surgery might be possible. Vy came to get a wheelchair. Vy left with her mother Huong smiling as she rolled her away in the brand new wheelchair comforted by a commitment from GIBTK to pursue an orthopedic consult for Vy. The weight was lifted from their shoulders as they walked away with a promise from GIBTK to begin monthly support for the family to provide better nutrition for them. Yes….an intervention occurred today…a intervention against hopelessness. A mother, a child and hence an entire family received hope today! – Bruce & Camella

Wow! Today really expanded mine and Bruce’s hearts as we were touched by two “little” girls. Van is nine years old and an orphan at Hai Chau orphanage. Amidst a bunch of craziness when our team hosted 2 orphan groups at a water park, Van sought me out. This is my second year to have the opportunity to love on little Van…but today was exceptional. As her friends splashed about in the wave pool – jumping on each other and a bunch of big Americans, Van was quite content to be held in my arms for more than 30 minutes. No verbal words were spoken, but words of the heart were spoken loud and clear. Van just wanted to be loved. Later this evening we were joined at dinner by 4 young adults who have either left orphanages by their own decision or been required to leave because of their age (18 is the limit for the orphanages). One of the young ladies was Vi (19 years old) whom I have written about since 2005. Vi is now in fashion design school (paid by a charity) and has returned to live at “home” – with the family who could not take care of her when she was younger. As we caught up with her life through an interpreter and tried to determine her needs, our eyes filled up with tears. An unexplainable feeling – but she felt like a daughter to us. We shared pictures, lots of hugs, and promises to e-mail. As we placed her in the taxi to go home, Bruce said it was like telling a daughter goodbye. 2 Vietnamese sisters for you, Jessica. 2 more makes 3.

A picture is worth a thousand words….just imagine taking a group of kids from Hai Chau Orphanage and Danang Street Kids to a water park! 

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