As I sit in the departure lounge of the airport in Ho Chi Minh, my thoughts of leaving take on a different perspective from past trips. I am thinking of all the lovely people we exchanged touches with over the past two weeks; the beautiful children who were sponges for our hugs and affection; and, the adults who I pray felt an unconditional love as they struggle to survive in their near primitive condition. But most thoughts today cgo back to Trong, a veteran of the South Vietnamese Army that I met on a wheelchair distribution outside of Danang. Trong is a 55 year old father of four who at age 21 lost both legs from a bomb in 1974. He was hospitalized in Danang until the US troops left and the country he was fighting to defend was overrun by the North Vietnamese Army in 1975. He was sent home without any of his medical or military records and without his legs. Trong has spent most of his life since that time scooting around on the pavement selling lottery tickets to earn a living for himself and his family. Trong wrote in a letter that he gave me, addressed to his friends in the United States, that he is thankful for his wife and children who have never left him. He and his family have somehow been able to open a small restaurant in the front of their home. As I entered the restaurant, I saw Trong using small footstools as leg extensions to move around the restaurant. I got down on my knees to be eye level and introduced myself as a veteran from the United States. I asked him to forgive us for leaving him behind. We embraced and cried together for a time as God’s presence filled our hearts. The wheelchair will allow Trong much needed mobility on the streets and in his neighborhood. Trong is a proud man and his new wheelchair will add some well deserved dignity to his life. As I leave Vietnam today I am thinking of a new friend I now have who gave all he had for a cause in which he believed. Even though life didn’t turn out the way he had hoped, he has maintained his dignity and kept his family together. I look forward to visiting Trong and his family again on future visits to Vietnam. Lt. Trong asked me to send his greetings to all of his friends in America. – Bruce