Carol Hightower, Girlfriends’ Member;  DeSoto, Tx

“I’ve tried to pin down my experiences in Vietnam to one and have been unable to do so.  There are so many things that have touched me and changed me.  Thank you and GIBTK for what you are doing.  There are so many people here watching you.

Yesterday at the dinner with the orphans and unwed Mothers,  I was out in the hall watching two of the babies sleep.  One of the women who works for the hotel and was overseeing the dinner walked through and was admiring the babies.  I told her Be was very sick.  She said, “But you are going to help him” with total confidence.  Tam, your assistant, who doesn’t follow any religion, now believes in miracles.  Only problem is, she thinks you perform them, and I guess in a way, you assist. Giao, who drives the van, says you have a big heart.  He has a big heart too, as I’ve seen on several occasions.
 


1. Be, a precious four month old boy born to an unwed Mother, has been diagnosed with untreatable heart problems.  If he lives six months, they will reassess.  I sat and held him and spoke healing to him and bound spirits of infirmity and death.  I told him he would be a mighty man of God and a leader of his people.  We are told to speak what’s not as though it is.  I believe that God will heal this baby and use the healing for His Glory.  As I speak to Be, he tries to speak back to me and smiles. 



2.  Ha’n, a severely handicapped boy of about 12 in a state run orphanage.  As soon as I touched him, he jumped from his bed (a wooden box on legs with a straw mat in it) and pulled me by the hand to go to the swing.  Along the way all of the other children were telling him “No” and trying to get him to turn around, but H’an was on a mission.  After he swung for a while, I took him back to his room, but each visitor who came had to take H’an to swing.  Apparently the only time he gets to leave his room is when visitors come and H’an wasn’t wasting an opportunity.
 


3.  Akela Richardson with our youth group who raised enough money for a heart surgery and in doing so, because of a corporate match program, facilitated three heart surgeries.  I told her, she’s my new hero.

4.    My friend, I met in the mountains when we took cloth, shoes, notebooks and rice cookers.  She didn’t get anything but a box, but was perfectly fine.  She needed that box for her salvage business.  She wanted to show me her home and I was an honored guest.  It is one of the old homes with the rusted tin roof and open to the elements.  She had a great brood of chickens running through her home.  An independent woman who rode her bike and carried a big box at the same time and didn’t ask for anything.
 
My overall impression of the Vietnamese people is that they are sweet, hard working, fun loving people. They just need to know the joy of serving a living God.  I believe through your work and ministry, many will come to know Jesus, because they will see His love through you.”

Akela Richardson,  High School Senior, Dallas Texas

HEART SURGERY
- “There were 6 candidates, all of them being a life changing surgery. The first 5 went by and I didn’t feel any of those were the one. The 6th came up and it was an 18month year old baby and her father was a fisherman and he couldn’t afford to pay for a life saving surgery for his own daughter. I can’t even imagine what that could be like.

“Her parents didn’t really show any emotion but when I looked into their eyes like Robert said to, I could see the joy. When they first came up there was no hope in their eyes but when they were told that their daughter was going to get a surgery, all of the sudden their empty eyes had hope in them. I’m so glad I saved money for this and seeing what I saw is going to make me save again and again so that I can buy as many surgeries and save as many lives as I can.


THE HOUSE –  ‘I didn’t realize how much it meant when I decided to help the lady to rebuild her house. They put me on the spot and made me tell her that I was going to rebuild her house. I was speechless and had no idea what to say. I said a couple of words but Carlos took over and when he begins to tell her what I did to save up money her eyes begin to water up. I saw in her eyes thankfulness, happiness, and curiosity all at once. And just seeing that for just a couple of seconds made raising that money worthwhile, and made me wish I would have saved more.”



THE KIDS – “We were only with the 1st orphanage for 3 days. I didn’t think I could get so attached to those kids that quickly. I had to leave early to go to the heart surgery meeting. When I told the group of boys that I had been hanging out with most of the time that I was leaving they didn’t understand at first. But right when they really did understand I could see the sadness and abandonment in their eyes. Everyone that has ever been in their lives sooner or later leave. As I was walking away I turn around and they were all standing their two of them with tears in their eyes. Those kids changed my life and I think I affected theirs as well. I love those kids so much and I can’t wait to go back next year.”

AFTER LEAVING VIETNAM – “This entire trip changed my life. The orphanage kids, Robert, the heart surgery, and telling that lady that we were rebuilding her house. This trip opened my eyes to a lot of things I realize that we as Americans are selfish and spoiled. We always want more, we get what we want and then we still want more. Those kids had nothing, except a place to sleep and food. And they were always happy, and they never asked for more. I gave those orphanage kids all the jewelry I had brought on that trip, hoping that they would remember me. And I had to beg them to keep the jewelry that I had giving them, they kept trying to give it back. This entire trip has changed my life and I can’t wait to go back next year.”

Jessamy Gumm; “Girlfriend member”; Dallas, Texas

The Way Eye See It

“Ask anyone I know, and they’ll tell you about a sparkle that comes to my eyes whenever I speak of Southeast Asia.  Having lived in Thailand for 3 years, I am well acquainted with the climate, food, sights, smells and culture of these enchanting people.  I’ve seen many things in my experiences here, but have never been as touched as I was the other day upon meeting the sweetest child by the name of Han Vang.

“Han Vang happens to live in an orphanage in Da Nang, Vietnam due to her special needs brought on by dioxin poisoning. She has lost sight in both of her eyes.  Her right eye has already been repaired by lens transplant and yesterday I found her waiting in the hospital for miraculous funds to become available so that her left eye can receive a transplant.

“Did I mention to you how precious this little one is? When I first met Han Vang, she was downstairs at her home singing a beautiful welcome song to me upon arrival to her joyous abode. She was clapping her hands, smiling up to the camera and rejoicing over her friend’s success with blowing bubbles.  I had NO IDEA that her sight was being threatened by chemicals that had entered her body through no fault of her own.

“When I happened upon her again at the hospital waiting for her transplant, my heart melted…much like my body in this sweltering, tropical heat.  Han Vang instantly recognized me, and obediently turned to smile at the camera.

“I met her sister that day too, a misty-eyed girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Would today be the day that Han Vang would receive word that a donor would provide the money for a lens transplant?

“I walked out to the balcony to spend a moment with myself and my thoughts. Robert’s also there.  I look in his eyes and see the same struggle there that I know is in my own heart. Instantly my eyes get a sparkle, a sparkle brought on by my own tears of submission. Yes, today Han Vang will receive her lens transplant.”

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” I Corinthians 2:9

For our friends of New Name Mission Society:

On June 22, 2009, a group of 25 teenagers and adults from Trinity Church in Cedar Hill, TX left for Vietnam. Their mission – to invade Vietnam with Compassion! Although the trip had been planned for months, due to some needs here at home, Bruce and I were unable to make this trip. It was one of the hardest things we have ever done to not make this trip, but we know that God works ALL things to our good. And that good has been quite evidenced by the reports we have heard from Vietnam. Lives have been changed (both for the Vietnamese and the Americans). My words fall short, so I will just let the reports from individuals who went on the trip tell the story. Our heartfelt thanks to Robert Kalatschan of Giving It Back to Kids and his amazing team on the ground in Vietnam – we LOVE partnering with you! Thank you for investing so much into our team(s)! Together we will continue to put smiles on faces, love the unlovable, and keep giving those hugs!

Matthew Lauth, Dallas Texas, 18 years old

Really, seeing the kids in the orphanage and how close they all were really made an impact on me because my family is just the opposite. We never are together as one family and we never really spend time with one another. It really didn’t kick into me until the second night we stayed in the orphanage that all of the kids there were “orphans,” because they were all close knit and a family, even though none of them have a family. And tonight really God showed me that I need to show so much more love to my parents because they deserve it, they love me unconditionally and try their best to get me whatever I want, and yet I, a lot of the time, I am rude and respond in hateful tones. Those kids don’t have parents, they don’t have someone to tell them they love them every day, to be there for them and to show them the in’s and outs of life. I do and I take that for granted. Those kids would give anything to have parents like I have. I mean they tried to trade five fake plastic bronze soccer medals for my one silver plastic soccer medal. They understand the values of life so much more than a lot of Americans do. They know what to cherish and we don’t. I found that through staying with kids who don’t know the value and importance of having one parent, and I’m so blessed to have two. If I could give a message to anyone, I would have to say that it’s “don’t take your parents for granted, they are such an important part of your life, and if you shut them out, you are missing out on probably some of the most important times you have on this earth. Not only do they help you grow physically but also spiritually as well.” So overall, after staying 2 nights and 3 days in an orphanage, I realized how much a parent means!”

Paul Ferguson, Cedar Hill, Texas, Age 18

How do you prepare to go to Vietnam? How do you prepare for a bus of 40 something crying kids slowly pulling away from the only form of hope they have ever known? You can’t… I have memorized 14 books of the bible, know all the bible facts, the Sunday school answers, yet nothing could have prepared me for that. When I looked at the list of the things I was passionate about before Vietnam, I saw things like basketball, and shopping, and clothes. But what do these kids have? They have a hope that someone will love them for four days. But where is that hope when the four days is gone? You must count the cost to put others over your own personal agenda. I have been on countless mission’s trips without hitting a wall ever, but on this one I have hit a huge one. I asked God, “Why now? Why this trip?” and He said, “Paul, I’m not going to let you keep going on missions trips with the wrong perspective, just going through the motions” and it really opened my eyes… So what do we need to do? Sacrifice our own personal agenda for that of others. How do we do that? By counting the cost, going all in, going the distance… I know my eyes have been opened to this new light, because I have been selfish.

Becky Hennessy, founder “Girlfriends” and Pastor, Dallas Texas

As we walked on to the grounds of Hoi An Orphanage, I was moved emotionally as children came out of so many different doorways.  But when I found the teenage girls the tugging of my heart became a violent pound as I struggled with the possibilities of their futures.  I tried to communicate with them…learning their names and ages.  But what I really wanted to know was their dreams and desires for their life after their time at Hoi An. What did they want to become as young women? What did they want to accomplish?  I saw my daughter in them and wanted to help make their dreams come true.  But all I could do in the short time I was there was give a smile and a hug.  But they are now permanently fixed in my heart…and I will pray and believe that they will reach their destination.

But it was the “agent orange” kids that made me feel as though my heart stopped beating.  I was not expecting the impact of seeing and hugging them.  Their physical and mental limitations made them “unseen” and “unwanted” in our world.  Pictures of my mom, spending her final years in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s, also part of the “unseen” and “unwanted”. But I am grateful for Robert and Giving It Back to the Kids who make sure that these kids, tucked away in an orphanage in Vietnam are seen…and wanted.  I am grateful.

Having the opportunity to deliver rice and rice cookers to needy families in Hoa Vong was a great privilege.  I am committed to the cause of women and children, mostly in Dallas, Texas.  But seeing these moms reminded me that we are the same the world over…just women who desire to provide for their families food, clothing and shelter. I went half-way around the world to realize that I am connected to every woman on earth and I am responsible for my sisters.

Sue Yandle, “Girlfriends” team member, Dallas, Texas

I am a Vietnam era veteran, serving in the US Navy 1969-1971.  I did not serve in Vietnam but was affected by this war. I have seen men changed from being a fun loving person to a person who was tormented by war…yes even today, I have experienced rejection, called names and abandoned by a husband. I have learned how to bandage the wound, make it look better and put the pain away – deep away where it would not be seen.

When we arrived in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) I expected to experience emotion, but I didn’t, what I experienced was a sensory overload of sight sounds and smells.  Although, I knew in my heart of hearts while in Vietnam “I would confront my demons of the past”. Upon arriving in DaNang we were greeted by children with flowers, smiling faces and hugs…it was an extraordinary greeting. So much love on these little faces.

On our way to our hotel it happened…looking at the infamous Marble Mountain, so many lost there….some, lost to death, others to death of  self.  In my mind I could hear the helicopters, taste the fear, feel the pain of those I loved… it was here my brother lost his youth and had to make life and death decisions…that plagues him still today.   I couldn’t stop the tears; I ask God why I am having such a difficult time I never served here?  He reminded me of soul ties and how the pain of those I love has affected me.

The best way I can express this is to say it is like shrapnel buried deep inside and over time it has worked its way to the surface, then it has to be removed so healing can occur. My shrapnel is called rejection… I did not realize how deep this went.

God in His infinite mercy placed a young woman here named Seana, she had never served in the military but her father did.  She loves her father and yes …he had his demons, those that come in sleep to torment, rejection from his country and yes, the loss of his youth. He rescued her from a life of hell. She cared for him until his death.  This is a place of healing for her too…we understand each other’s unspoken pain.

We have visited orphans that are physically and mentally handicapped.  At the Father’s House there are young women that have chosen life for their babies and in doing so have been cast out of their homes and villages in shame. There are orphans that have been left by parents not wanting them or due to the death of the parents. In all of this a common thread is woven – Rejection.

Robert and Giving it Back to Kids is cutting the thread of rejection and soothing the pain with the spirit of love from the Father. To quote him “The faces may be different but the spirit is the same”. So we deposit love into each person and circumstance, the Father’s love that heals many deep wounds.”

Thank you Robert and GIBTK.

Jonathan Briggs, 18, Dallas, TX



The most amazing thing that stands out to me is the kids at the orphanage and how they have no personal space.  They will just come up and love on you like they’ve know you their whole life. Even though it was hot and humid and we were tired beyond belief.

We were all told to count the cost and we did.  We played with the kids all day and these kids are worth it.  I know there is no certain religion in Vietnam and probably none of the kids are saved but I saw the love of Christ in them and realized that many Christians today don’t even show that kind of love.  These kids have changed my life forever and I definitely plan on coming next year.

Diane Kendrick, Girlfriends team member, Dallas Texas

It was amazing today at the Father’s House. When we got there we met everyone. While upstairs I prayed for a baby whose heart is not working. I felt the anointing being released every time I prayed for him. I am in agreement with Robert for his healing. Others prayed as well for him.

Today did a lot of good for me. I prayed for God’s love to be evident today and released through me. After sharing and reading to them they began to talk a lot to us. One girl just kept giving me her baby and I could tell she liked me. She showed such affection towards me.

She is the same age as my daughter whom I have had great difficulty with in the last 2 years. I don’t know but today I felt good. I never thought I could go that long with 11 girls and 10 babies and not once get frustrated with them.

It was very healing for me today. You know we went there for them and gave all we had, but I am the one who received more than I would of thought or imagined. My heart is full of precious memories of young girls with their babies just wanting to be loved. Sometimes we just need to know we are special whether we are young or older, it really doesn’t matter. The heart just wants to be noticed and cared about.

Today I got to give that and receive it. I had no idea how much it would mean to me to share God’s love with them. I pray for them to be protected from harm. I pray each life will be full of love and peace as they walk this journey called life. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be a part of this. Much thanks to Robert, Bruce and Camella for having us.

Ashley Reid, 18, Dallas, Texas



The day before I left for my trip to Vietnam I started to get sick. 
This was my 2nd time going out of the country, and the 2nd time that I would be sick while gone. I was so mad that I was sick and I was like 
great this is going to make my trip horrible. I started to pray and 
believe that I would not be sick while I was gone on this trip and 
that it would be the best mission’s trips I have ever been on. I was sick the whole flight to Vietnam and when we got there on Wednesday I was starting to feel worse. I continued to pray and believe that I would get better and I kept telling myself that all I needed was a 
good nights’ sleep and that I would be better in the morning.

Usually when I’m sick like this and I wake up the next morning I feel even worse than I did when I went to bed. So Wednesday night I went to sleep and the next morning I woke up and I felt so much better. I was so surprised that I actually was better and not sick anymore. Also, that day when I woke up I took a shower and got some water in my ear 
and it would not come out. I could not find anything to put in my ear 
to make it better, so after the water had been in there for awhile it 
started to hurt.

That day we were leaving to fly to Danang to go stay in a orphanage for three days and when we were in the plane on our way to Danang my ear started to hurt even more, so much to the point where I was about to cry. I started to ask God to make the pain go away and somehow have the water drain out of my ear so that it would not hurt anymore. A couple minutes after that I heard a loud popping noise in my ear and then all the pain and all the water was gone.

This is the first time that something like this has happened to me before and it’s so awesome the feeling you get when you know God did this for you. I have wanted something like this to happen my whole life and why now that I’m on this trip is this happening? I really do not know but I am extremely glad that it has, because it has changed my life so much and opened my eyes to so many things.

I came on this trip thinking that it was just gonna be another missions trip and that not really anything was going to happen. I thought that I would play with some kids and have some fun and that’s about it. I did not expect it to be this awesome of an experience.

Today seeing all of the kids that we had spent the past four days with leaving our resort after spending the day with us there at the resort and crying, it showed me how much of a impact we had on them and knowing that they will remember us for the rest of their lives just because we took the time to play with them and love on them was a life changing experience in itself. I’m so glad that I came on this trip and I truly believe that I will never be the same again. 


Preston Woody, 17, Midlothian, TX

This has been such a life changing trip for me. It was much different than I had expected, and far beyond exceeded my expectations. When I first met the kids at the orphanage, I had prepared myself for compassion, and all I wanted to do was love on the kids in the best way I could! There was a cute little boy who was distant from everybody, and didn’t want anyone around him. But God told me even though others are being rejected by this little boy, I have a special anointing to do Gods work, And when I went over to him he jumped into my arms and would not leave me! He was always wanting to be on my shoulders or be held by me. It was really cool for awhile but soon it got a little annoying playing with him all the time, and always holding him was pretty tiring. But I looked deep into his eyes and had compassion, and realized that right now, I am the closest thing this boy has to a father. And every little piggy back ride, or just simply spending time with him meant so much more to him than I can begin to understand, and going to sit down and rest or to go hang out with the other guys would defeat the whole purpose of this trip! And by the end he was letting other people hold him, or play with him. I had given him a little bracelet and I could tell that a simple leather bracelet with a coin will have more of an impact than me wearing it for a few more months and getting tired of it! God was able to move, and plant a seed by simply hanging out with the kids and bringing real smiles to their faces.

Raquel Mooring, 17, Dallas Texas

As I am typing this, I am declaring ‘okay God, I give you full control’. I had just finished typing out at least half of everything I wanted to say when it was suddenly deleted. And if there is one thing I have learned on this trip is that I must be fully dependent on God’s desires and his will for me. The last message was not what God wanted me to write. He wants me to surrender everything over to him.

This is my first missions trip, first time outside the US, and the first time I’ve ever been away from home this long. God is teaching me a lot. But I find that I am learning much more about myself than about all the people I am “ministering” to. I’ve realized things that I have wasted back home. Not stuff like food or clothes. But I have wasted my love, and I’ve wasted my time to simply sit and be with people. They both go together. My church group has been the first ever foreign group allowed to stay in an orphanage in Vietnam with the children. Mostly we just hung around the property, being led by or jumped on by innumerable, curious children, all gabbing away in a language I couldn’t even guess at. And in these actions, I realized how powerful it really was. We couldn’t talk to the kids, they wouldn’t understand. We couldn’t really do anything except be there, and love on them.

And I found a new meaning for the word love. Love can simply be showing that you are unselfish and that you actually, genuinely care about someone. In this orphanage, I was there to love them. So I simply followed the kids around, let them hang on me, and pretended to understand what they were saying. And I know it was so appreciated. This was LOVE. Love that I had wasted back home by just slurring together “Byemomloveyou.” I learned that I had wasted my excess free time that I could have spent actually talking to my family.

These kids had all the time in the world to be with each other, yet they spent every other moment embracing and holding hands and watching out for each other. It became very eye opening and now I see that I am so wasteful. Sometimes it’s easy to be intimidated by showing our love. We feel like it won’t be received or that it will be rejected. But unlike these kids, not all of us have all the time in the world to ponder whether or not we should show love. The people we may be intimidated by are the exact people who we need to LOVE. Each of us carries so much love, and we are filled to the brim. But unless we let ourselves spill over and fill other vessels we are just wasted containers, just waiting for our contents to spoil until we will no longer be needed or wanted. 


So let this be a challenge to Love. Let us Love everyone who we are intimidated by and let us Love in simple ways. Because it’s the simple things that get through. It’s the simple things that are clearly understood.
My name is Raquel Mooring. I am 17 years old and I am from Dallas, Texas on a missions trip to Vietnam with my church youth group. And i will no longer be wasteful.