Please click here to watch the video.

And here is the story was recorded by GVI Lao Cao Project Manager – Lai The Thanh:

“After giving all the donations to the students, I had a chance to talk to a student name Sung Seo Chinh. He was a H’mong student at 5^th grade.

He told me that his family was very poor with 3 children and he was the first child. He had never had any new winter coats before. In winter time, with the harsh wind and rain, he often felt so cold because his clothes were not enough to keep him warm and his feet were numb because he had to walk in his slippers. On the night of the day he was announced that he and his friends would have brand-new warm coats and shoes and boots, HE COULD NOT SLEEP. He stayed up whole night and was counting on the time for the next day to come to receive the warm gift. When I gave the gift to him, he immediately put them on and kept the shoes on his hands. He said the donation could keep him warm and protected his health during winter time. Thanks to GVI. Then he walked around and talked with his friends about the gifts. They burst into laughter.

I am sure we keep their hearts warm too.”

Time is flying and a New Year is coming!

I am eagerly anticipating this New Year ‘s coming with excitement feeling at all levels. It is obviously that our Father is leading and guiding me to the plan He has made. I am also glad to see the family growing in His love and care and am thankful for the value that He is shaping in  my family.

As the staff of GVI, I am very eager with the new chapter that He has been planning with GVI. The more I travel with GVI the more the work of the Kingdom I can see. Each smile, laughter, time of fun, love, passion are all the building materials for the building of the Kingdom.

Thank you for your partnership in 2011!  It has been a wonderful year to see the transformation, growth, fruit  at each project site.  We are all excited and waiting for the New Year’s coming!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

I love the quote:” Following the light and be the light”
Written by: Hoang Thi Bic, Senior Administrative Officer

For many years but this year, 2011 was the year that I could see His light so clearly and toddle my first steps to the light.

With my second year with GVI, I be able to see His light through the people who I work with and I be able to show His light myself through the children we serve, the doctors and the nurses we work, the farmers we help at our project sites.

Just seeing that, your heart and my heart are warmed and we all know the meaningful works we are doing and we all know we are honoring Him.

Thank you for being a light in the process for a Caterpillar to become the Butterfly.

Wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Love from Vietnam.

Transformation!!!
Written by: Dinh Thi Lan Huong,  Project Officer.

This year went by fast like never before. Another year is coming and Christmas is just right at the corner.

Every Christmas brings me different feelings and thinking. This year besides feeling of thankfulness I also sense more about transformation.

Transformation is a continuing process. Every day went by, every person I met, every story that I heard, every action that I saw has changed me, transformed my life in different ways.

I’m celebrating Christmas but not forgetting who died for us to have this today. With a thankful heart I want to give thanks to Him and all my brothers and sisters who touched my life and helped me better and rejoice with me in His love “From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another the Warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other”.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Christmas and real servants.
Written by: Nguyen Thi Thu Thao, Project Officer.

(Galatians 6:10 GWT) When God puts someone in front of you, He is giving you the opportunity to grow in servant hood.

This year when I think of Christmas, the first thing comes to my mind is “a servant”.

God remind me about Jesus: He came to the Earth to serve not to be served. ” Serve as unto the Lord”. The longer I work with GVI, the more I find out why God let me do this job – it is to find out the true meaning of God’s plan for my life – “ Serve as unto the Lord” – follow his example.

Thanks God for me to have the opportunity to meet people like you – God call you to Vietnam to serve.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

My first Christmas with GVI Sisters and Brothers
Written by: Vu Thanh Tra, Administrative Assistant.

This year was an important year to me. The most important thing was I found my way to Him on 6^th July. I’m so happy that my family has three people believe in God.

With GVI, I learned how to serve people, how to love people instead of depending on others and careless for others. I had chance to learn from my sisters and brothers in His love. They taught me many things. I feel like I am growing up every day.

I want to say thanks to Him and to GVI sisters and brothers and all of you who came to my life.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Here come Christmas!!!
Written by: Lai The Thanh, Lao Cai Project Manager

Christmas comes again. Streets, restaurants, supermarkets are decorated with magnificent Christmas trees, Santa Claus with gift bag on the shoulder and thousands of sparkling lights. It’s wonderful!

But I wonder what is so wonderful for? For children or clients? If only for human we have thousands of opportunities but the Christmas season, human has a chance to recognize great love of God when He gave the most wonderful gift, Jesus Christ. Through faith in Him we receive eternal life. So this Christmas season really mean for your life when you have Him.

Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly”.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.

1.   Lao Cai school (Nam Mon 2) who GVI-NorthWood helped achieved National Standard Certification by donating and installing computer labs, building school gate and school yard.

2.   Dormitories were built for Ta Phin school, Sapa by GVI-Forefront with 2 beds & blankets for 32 boarders.

2.    Schools in Bac Ha and Sapa district, received lunch program for 150 boarders.

2.   Times Orphan kids in Hanoi be taken on beach trip which give 165 kids to have their best time of the year.

2.   Water buffaloes were donated to 2 poor farmer families and 32 others families could borrow loan to buy water buffaloes – sponsored by GVI-NorthWood’s Poverty Alleviation team.

3.   miles of water lines and 1 water tank were built in Sapa which provides clean running water for 986 students, teachers and villagers.

3.   teachers conferences were provided for 190 teachers in Sapa and Bac Ha

5.    Rocking chairs were provided for 105 elderly at Social Sponsor Center in Hanoi.

16.    Buffalo corrals for impoverished farmers in Bac Ha, sponsored by GVI-NorthWood’s Poverty Alleviation team.

26.    volunteer teams who made trips to Vietnam.

40.    pairs of glasses given out to students in Chuong My at a vision screening clinic by GVI-NorthWood pediatric ophthalmologists ; more than 550 children were screened.

181.    volunteers who came to serve in Vietnam.

210.   nurses, doctors and medical staff trained in nursing, ophthalmology, geriatric care.

225.   volunteer days spent in Vietnam.

257.   Warm jackets, 10 skirts, 195 pairs of shoes, 185 pairs of boots were donated for students in Bac Ha and Sapa.

260.    teachers and parents trained in Hanoi and in Special Needs and Autism and Teaching Methodology.

591.   Students participated in English classes in Bac Ha and Sapa.

1650.  m² of school yard was continually paved at Nam Mon and Ban Ho Middle Schools in Lao Cai.

6862.    number of lives impacted in Vietnam by GVI volunteers.

Let’s make the numbers BIGGER next year!!!

Nam Mon Primary School

This morning we made the “not for the weak” van ride

up the mountain to visit the Nam Mon Primary School.  Nam Mon Primary School is one of the schools that GVI began partnering with two years ago.  Even though this is only my first trip, I have often heard about all the work that had been done on past visits.  What awaited us though was so much more than I ever could have imagined!  This facility has been transformed from it’s below standard status into a model school in the two short years GVI has partnered with them.  It has also been granted the very hard to achieve rating of “Government Status” by the Vietnamese officials.

In a show of gratitude to GVI and the teams that have worked so hard to assist with this transformation, the school’s principle presented Vicky Scott with a letter conveying the heartfelt thanks from the staff as well as the children of the school.  After the tea and ceremony, we were all given a tour of the facility and a surprise “flash mob” concert from the children of the school (picture above).

During the tour, I was very surprised to learn that of the 100 or so children that attend the school, about 65 actually live there full-time in dormitories located at the school.  They do this because their homes and villages are just too far away from the school to make the daily trip.

As you can imagine, the decision to send a child away each week to school would be very hard for any parent, but even more so for those here in Vietnam.  The task of convincing a parent to even consider sending their children to school is not an easy one.  Not only must the parent have trust that their children will be safe while away from them, they must also consider the financial impact of losing a hard worker from their farm.  All of this, combined with a rural farming village culture which doesn’t hold much value in formal education makes the chances of children attending fairly low.  This is why it is imperative that these schools strive to be above average standards.

In two years this school has gone from this:

To this!

More importantly is the fact that both the staff and the students now take so much pride in their school!  They have indeed been very good stewards of the money and sweat investments that GVI and many of you have contributed.  There is no doubt that this very important work will positively impact this area, this country, and our world for many generations to come!  What a great example of Syner-GVI!

The next stop

for us was the middle school that many Northwood and GVI volunteers have invested in.  The staff and students are very grateful for the computer lab that was installed last year as well as the paving of the school yard.

After lunch,

we went to yet another school here in the area to teach English to the students.  The teachers became the students as well as they observed the different teaching methods that were demonstrated by the wonderful group of GVI volunteer teachers.

During the lessons, students could earn chips for correct answers that they can use to buy things in the “market” that we set up for them.  All of us were asked to bring different school supplies, trinkets and little toys for the kids to purchase with their chips.

Lessons we learned from the Market:

1.  Post a “No Bargaining Allowed” sign. Market bargaining is a skill learned very early here, and we were clearly out skilled!
2. Colored markers=Yes, Colored pencils=No

Lessons the children learned from the Market:

1.  Americans don’t know how to bargain.
2. There is a big difference between a glue stick and chap stick.

Stay tuned for more!

"How many hugs can you give? I need one".

Five members of Forefront Community (Virginia Beach, VA) in partnership with members of Glocal Ventures Inc. Staff, Hanoi travelled to Sapa Vietnam to engage TaPhin Village.

Projects were undertaken at the TaPhin Middle School. They included the near completion of the second half of a dormitory, a teacher’s conference for approximately 25-30 local teachers, and registration of new students in the nutrition program.

At the end of the visit, the dormitory was completed with exception of the floor and furnishings. The teacher’s conference was a continuation of instruction that has been provided over the last three years. Some methods were new and some were review. The teachers spent three full days of instruction with the conference participants. Families and Children gathered at the TaPhin Kindergarten and PreSchool to enroll in the school lunch nutrition program 60-70 families were processed. This was a fantastic way for us to see the need and to spend time with the families.

Each trip deepens our relationships with the leadership at TaPhin School and with the local village leadership. Transcending any infrastructure improvement or conference is the relational deposits that are beginning to bear fruit. Our purpose from the beginning was to reach our people group (Mien/Red Dao). What has come about is more of a universal reaching of school staff, village leadership, and peripheral people – Sapa shop owners, drivers, hotel staff, and others. Amazing opportunities abound as we continue our commitment of relationship-based work.

Our vision includes fresh water for every person, safe shelter at the schools, nutrition, and education. These basics bring health and enhancement in the lives of their recipients. We would all consider them to be non-negotiable here in our country. We are seeing the improvements in lives because of these relatively small project investments. We wish we had more resources!

Lives Changes – Yes, lives have been changed there but I am referring to the lives of those that have taken one of our trips. We are now seeing a small cadre of Forefronters that are coming back again and again. This further deepens the relationships. We have been changed, wrecked (in a good way), and moved to a deeper level of personal commitment.

For more pictures please click  here.

(George Belden with his new buddies)

Early on and repeatedly throughout the trip it became evident that God was not interested in our gifts but instead in something far more intimate.  The children expressed little interest in juggling beyond the brief talent show act, nullifying the hours spent practicing and preparing.  Camcorder equipment was malfunctioning.  A bout of some laryngitis-like illness swept through both the Area 10 team and the GVI team, rendering two of our translators incapacitated along with one of our talent show singers.  Even our beach plans were stalled by a cleverly placed tropical storm.

Yet somehow everything worked out even better than any of us could have imagined in our dreams leading up to the trip, proving that it was God doing the work and us passively acting as vessels.  Rather than the Area 10 team being in the spotlight, the children of the orphanage dominated the talent show with tender songs and an impressive fashion show.  The joy from our excited cheering spread to a crowd of many curious onlookers.

When the beach was swallowed up by the storm, crafts and group games took root under the pavilion.  Craft participation was surprisingly enthusiastic.  All the kids, regardless of age, were able to make something memorable to take with them, whether a visor, sunglasses, or even a painted picture frame with printed photographs from the trip.  The games created unanticipated opportunities for the kids and adults to warm up to one another and learn each other’s names.  Once the storm passed, relationships had already been birthed in love which enabled the beach activities to be so much more natural and meaningful.

The language barrier was a challenge during mealtime, but more important than frail words were the expressions of love shared in the family style setting.  A family is truly what we became.  When the time came for carnival games, the Area 10 volunteers, GVI staff, and children and adults of the orphanage were already moving as one spirit united by a mutual willingness to surrender oneself.

As must always finally happen on such trips, we met as a group for the last time.  But what occurred during this last visit was something special.  Our “Tạm biệt” (Good bye) turned into “Hẹn gặp lại” (See you later) and then into “Năm sau” (Next year) indicating that this was not the end of our interaction but rather the beginning of something profound.  Each of us on the Area 10 team inwardly committed at different levels to continue contact with the children beyond just these few days.  What we have been given now is an incredible opportunity to be a part of one another’s lives for years to come: to grow, to share, and to experience a gospel not of mere words but of a living reality.
You can view the whole trip picutres by clicking here.

Game time

Northwood arrived to Hanoi for their annual two week trip for the orphan camp and to provide assistance with Lao Cai projects.

The Northwood team and the Birla children had a wonderful time bonding with one another on the Nam Dinh beach. The Birla orphanage put together games for the two groups to play with one another. Northwood put together a soccer tournament for the boys to play on the beach. In addition, Northwood and Birla arranged a talent show that everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Northwood and Birla have worked together over the years to provide a wonderful experience for both groups. This is a time of year that Birla looks forward to as well as the Northwood orphan team. Strong relationships are continuing to be built and these relationships are very important to people on both sides of the world (the Vietnamese and Northwood team).
You can view the whole trip pictures by clicking here.

Huyen & Ngoc (both 20 years old) are two girls who graduated from SS3 orphanage. Norfolk Christian High School recently sponsored an overnight trip to Dum Long resort for the SS3 children. This is a nice resort, not 5-star, just a fairly average resort 2 hours outside of Hanoi. It has a nature trail through a forest and a swimming pool and is set in the peaceful, relaxing countryside of Ha Tay province. That evening around 6 pm, there was free time and Huong (GVI staff) was taking a walk in the forest. Huyen and Ngoc were walking just ahead of her and she overheard them saying, “This is life. This is what I would call truly living!” Huong caught up to them and asked what they meant by that. Ngoc answered, “Before coming here, I would say we just existed at the orphanage. We just lived day to day. But coming here, I feel truly alive.”

Sometimes we get caught up with indicators and statistics and quantifiable numbers as the measure of  our success or of a project’s success. Other times, the intangibles – a feeling, an awakening, a revelation – are more profound and impactful than any statistic.

One of my favourite quotes that describes what GVI does in Vietnam is from Christian development practitioner Jeffery Palmer, who writes that Kingdom Development “is basically working towards a better, more wholesome life in the here and now with an eye towards the by and by. The reflection of what happens now and in the physical can point us towards the spiritual and eternal.” Jesus said he came so that we would have life, and life to the full. For a brief moment during a walk through the forest, two young women felt the truth of those words and touched eternity.

The NCHS students had a lot to say about what they learned from their experience. The students all came to the conclusion that they have taken much for granted. Many students stated that this trip has allowed them to realize how much God has truly blessed their lives. The students were able to learn much about themselves as well as their individual relationships with God.

Their most memorable experiences were hanging out with the kids and seeing their happiness. They enjoyed getting to know each other on a much more serious, spiritual level. Coming to Vietnam, allowed the students to develop a deeper understanding for different cultures, as well as allowing them to have a greater understanding and sense of the beauty of God’s creation.