- by Keith Polarek

Area 10 Faith Community (Richmond, Va) recently sent a small group of volunteers to participate in a Corporate Social Responsibility Conference hosted by the Hanoi Young Business Association. Joining the group from Virginia was a team from NorthWood Church (Keller, Tx). Bob Gluck and I were impressed with the high level of engagement and humbled by the sincere generosity shown by our new friends at HYBA. Between conference breakout sessions, we enjoyed connecting with our new friends on who they thought might make it to the final rounds of the World Cup. Later in the week, the conference hosts gave tours at various local companies highlighting how they have put the principles of CSR into action.

Keith Polarek led the Community Relations working group during the CSR conference

Also from Area 10 Faith Community was Dr. Ashley Woodward and Chris Barras who brought medical supplies to the staff at Chuong My Hospital in rural Hanoi. “Dr. Ashley”, an OB-GYN, assisted in the birth of a beautiful baby girl and shared a medical presentation on “Post-partum Hemorrhages.” Bob and I nodded our heads acting as if we understood what Dr. Ashley was saying. The team was also able to tour the National Cancer Hospital and an orphanage in Hanoi.

Dr. Ashley Woodward and nurses in Chuong My's ob-gyn department try out equipment donated by Area 10.

Chris Barras, lead pastor of Area 10 Faith Community, was excited to build new friendships with GVI and HYBA. By the end of the farewell dinner on the last night Chris was already talking about plans to bring another medical team back in the near future and for many years to come.

On a random but telling side note, the Area 10 Faith Community team kept a running tally of the calories collectively consumed at Fanny’s Ice Cream Parlor overlooking Hoam Kiem Lake. The result over 10 days was……… an astonishing 22,400 calories!! Ouch!!

L-R: Aaron Buck (conference presenter), Ngoc (conference interpreter), Gail Wallace (conference presenter), Chris Barras, Luu Ba Long (HYBA conference coordinator), Bob Gluck, Keith Polarek

Thursday, May 13 - Steve Johnson and I made it from Laos to Hanoi late yesterday afternoon. The lady at the front desk at the Hilton recognized me and we were quickly ushered up to the executive floor. They treat us like royalty here although we’re staying on HHonors points. We walked 4-5 blocks to a restaurant I have a frequent diner card for. If someone would’ve told me that there would ever be a time in my life I would be comfortable in Hanoi there would’ve been a strong argument…but now Hanoi is in our comfort zone.

Friday, May 14 - The meeting with DOLISA went very well this morning. They extended an invitation to conduct an annual conference on caring for the elderly. The first conference will be in November, will involve about 7 US volunteers and include approximately 200 participants from the five local Hanoi facilities which care for the elderly. Just think, a city of 3.5 million with 5 facilities that care for the elderly. This represents a significant undertaking for our volunteers. We are honored to receive the opportunity.

Meeting with officials at DOLISA, (the Department of Labor, war Invalids and Social Affairs) the government Department that oversees orphan and elderly care and other social services

Saturday, May 15 - We got a tour unavailable to most Americans…We got outside Hanoi and had our first water buffalo experience and stopped near freshly cut rice. These were new sights and smells for us. Many people did double takes as they saw their first Americans. We rode by an army base and saw soldiers taking rifle practice in a field. That made me a little nervous as I realized a few years back we would have been their targets.

"Everyone's got a water buffalo, Mark's (L) is fast but Steve's is slow..."

Monday, May 17 - Our last official visit, before picking up a couple of kilos (of coffee), was to SS3, the half orphanage, half elderly facility we’ve been working with for a couple of years. We wanted to monitor the donated animals and see our friends there. The pigs have grown and they are eating about one per week, which is a significant improvement in their meat consumption. They have purchased a few turkeys and will be buying chickens in the future. There are 91 elderly and almost 60 orphans. Since our first visit in 2008 we are enjoying watching the kids grow, and working to facilitate improvements at the facility, in both services and buildings…the picture demonstrates the need.

Typical conditions for the abandoned elderly at SS3.

Sunday, May 23 - The opportunities are everywhere. We need wisdom in taking the best steps to help meet the almost overwhelming needs. We need like minded volunteers who are willing to join us on these trips so that we can begin to develop continuity and make faster progress. We need for God to open the doors that He wants us to go through and continue to give us vision. Upon our return, a business friend commented, “It looks like you could have another full time job.” He’s right, and like Paula said, “This is a job that costs money rather than pays money.” Maybe it doesn’t make financial sense, but this is some of the most rewarding work we do.

Mark Hemingway and Steven Johnson (centre, back row) bring some fun and cheer to children at SS3.

]]> http://glocalventures.org/blog/?feed=rss2&p=477 http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=412 http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=412#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 09:48:38 +0000 glocal http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=412 Huong safely delivered a healthy daughter at 4 pm on Saturday, May 8 at the French Hospital in Hanoi. Her daughter was born at a healthy 3 kg (6.6 lbs). Baby's nickname is May (for her birth month) and at the moment, it's her only name. Huong is having a hard time deciding on her official name...]]>

Huong safely delivered a healthy daughter at 4 pm on Saturday, May 8 at the French Hospital in Hanoi. Her daughter was born at a healthy 3 kg (6.6 lbs). Baby’s nickname is May (for her birth month) and at the moment, it’s her only name. Huong is having a hard time deciding on her official name but at least it’s down to two choices: Thien An (Peace from Heaven) or Thien Bao Anh (Treasure from Heaven). Can’t go wrong with either one!

That's a lot of hair!

Little May

Proud Mom

I met NorthWood teams years ago when I was a waitress at Alfrescos restaurant. I was so appreciative of what they were doing for Vietnamese people, especially for the kids. I was deeply impressed by their kindness (I thought to myself, “I am Vietnamese but I have not done anything for my people, and yet they come from somewhere very far away to help my people… you should be ashamed, Bic!!!”). Every year, I waited for summer time and October – November time to come because I knew they would always come by at this time of the year and I would see them again. You may or may not know about the feeling of waiting to meet friends who you haven’t seen for a year. I just cannot describe that clearly but just know that I was so excited and happy to see them again and again. I tried scheduling my time to be with them more and more.

When the teams come, there are some people from last time who could not come but there are also new people and they are all very nice and friendly (which means I have more and more friends). For those who cannot come, I am sure they know that all the kids and all of us Vietnamese miss them very much. Being able to know more about them and join them with what they are doing gave me another picture of life - It is not just about “getting” but also “giving,” not just about “you” but also “others”…

Bic helped interpret for NorthWood volunteers on last year's Orphan Trip to Do Son Beach

My job with Alfrescos Restaurant Group was very busy so I could only have a very short time to spend with them. I always wished I could have more time. And yes, last year I did. I was with the Summer Camp team for the whole time (except the goodbye time with Birla kids - it is always too sad to say goodbye and I do not want to do that) and painting rooms at SS3 It meant a lot to me, it changed me. Have you ever seen a group of people come from the other side of the earth to hang out with kids, to take care of them, to share the happy moment with the kids, to carry the babies on their neck and their back just as the fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers would do to their own children, sisters and brother? Yes, I have. (Talking about last year makes me think of my room mate, Mary Lu and the moment we cried when we found her journal, a moment that we can never forget.  Mary Lu is going to delivery her second baby soon – and we all pray for her and her baby).

NorthWood teams gave me the opportunity to know GVI and the GVI staff. I admired Tim, Huong, Tan and Thuy so much because they were Vietnamese like me but doing a great job to help our people. They have big hearts. To be able to have a big heart like theirs, to spend more time with the teams, to do something meaningful - these are things I have wanted to do for a long time and they are  some of the very first thoughts - like bricks - that helped me to build a path that eventually led me to join the GVI team.

I love Alfrescos and what I was doing there, and I do miss them very much. It is sad to leave after 9 years with the Group but I do feel happy to be with GVI. As my friend, Erica, told me, “Everything happens for a reason” - so I do believe there must be a reason for me to meet NorthWood teams and to be with GVI. I am getting to know more about GVI just as they are getting to know more about me. It is not easy to start a new job, especially when it is a 100% new field for me, but just start it with Love - it works, in my opinion!

I want to share with you all two questions that appeared in my mind at two periods of time in my life:

1. When I was with Alfrescos as a Sales & Marketing Manager: How much can I earn from these people? (Clients)

2. When I am with GVI: How much can I learn from these people? (Volunteers, Kids and others)

A big different of just one letter, isn’t it? My name Bich is not an exception , so just call me BIC as it is easier for you!

Till then,

Best Regards,

BICH (Stands for: Beautiful, Intelligent, Charming and Humorous)

Tristan and B.I.C.H. on the 2009 Orphan Trip

Approximately one year ago, after speaking with a friend, I was called to go to on a medical service trip to Vietnam. We were not sure of what I would be doing, only that I would offer my services as a nurse.

When we first arrived, I was very anxious, not knowing what to expect. Sherman met us at the airport. What a spiritual, knowledgeable man. I was relieved to know we would be in good hands. He knew the area well, spoke the language, and always knew what to order on the menu, which most of the time was written in Vietnamese. I enjoyed the interactive cultural orientation we received. It gave me a better idea of my future interactions with the Vietnamese.

Our first day at Nam Dinh Nursing University, we were welcomed with open arms. The staff seemed so happy for us to be there. They could not wait to hear the information we had to share with them. They were very excited and happy to hear there would be more teams coming to follow up.

Debbie teaches nursing students how to use and read a 12-lead EKG.

The medical/nursing system in Vietnam is currently under a state of transition. It is a very exciting time to be involved in the process. They are like sponges wanting whatever information/curriculum we have available. It was very different teaching with an interpreter. It was exciting to see the acknowledgment and smiles when they understood the information they were given.

Our visit to Chuong My hospital the next day was quite an eye opener. The nurses all seemed to be hardworking and very knowledgeable about basic bedside care, however they significantly lacked the use of any modern equipment or modern practices. There was no air conditioning in any part of the hospital, just open windows. I can only imagine what it would be like in the summer. I also had my first experience using a “Squattie Potty.” Wow.

The patient beds were basically frames with thin woven mats on top. There are no wheelchairs or elevators and very few sinks. When I questioned the head nurse on how many heart attacks they treat per year, he responded that they did not know because they were unable to diagnose a heart attack. There were only 2 EKG machines for the entire hospital, and neither was a 12 lead which is used to diagnose a heart attack. They also lacked a basic defibrillator which is used routinely in the resuscitation of cardiac arrest patients.

Danielle introduces a Physical Assessment Flowsheet to nurses at Chuong My Hospital

There appears to be so much potential to greatly impact this community and save lives with the knowledge, equipment and skills we have and take for granted. It is an exciting time as well, because they are so ready and willing to absorb whatever we are able to offer them.

In general everyone was so kind, and welcoming. I truly enjoyed every minute of my adventure in Vietnam and knew that God was ever present, from the prayers answered that helped the powerpoint presentation finally work to the wonderful, gifted people I was privileged to meet. There is a lot of work to be done there, medically and in other areas. I look forward to participating in this growth in whatever capacity God has in store for me.

Debbie Krauser is a Nurse Practitioner. This was her first trip to Vietnam. She was accompanied by Danielle Jeffares, a Registered Nurse. In addition to teaching and training, Danielle and Debbie made key assessments and observations that will help GVI’s future medical projects.

- by Dinh Thi Lan Huong

“Fun Day” is a new project that GVI has recently initiated at SS3 Orphanage to teach children basic English and to build closer bonds with the kids through English games and songs, and by celebrating birthdays and having fun with them. It is repeated every 2 months.

Penny reads an English story to children at SS3 Orphanage

We had our second Fun Day last month at SS3. We started by introducing ourselves in English. Some did very well and some didn’t but the children were eager to learn. The party continued with some fun games, a birthday celebration, story time and singing time. We all laughed and had fun. At the end of the singing time, a girl name Huong stood up and said she wanted to sing a song. She is new to the orphanage and joined the center in February this year. She wanted Penny, one of our volunteers from Australia, to be in the song to help her. We were excited to listen and watch …

The lyrics were sung with a beautiful voice. The song was called,  “Having mother is the best thing in the world.” Huong walked closer and closer to Penny, held her hands, looked into her eyes and sang the song to her as if Penny was her own mother. My heart melted. Everyone was quiet when she finished the song. Many moments passed… some of us were speechless, some of us cried… It was very, very touching.

Huong sings a song that yearns for a Mother

On the way home, I thought to myself, ‘If being a mother is the biggest desire of a woman then wanting to have a mother back is the biggest wish of a child too.’ We usually show the orphans we love them by buying things, doing fun activities, etc. Sometimes we do that because we love to do it but other times, it’s just something that we think we should do and it doesn’t come from the bottom of our heart (not always ). Kids won’t feel loved that way. After that day, I asked myself if I was showing them the true LOVE that they want and desire. Am I loving them the way they want and need, or do I just love them in the way I want to?

I was reminded that when we do things in the same way that a mother shows  love and responsibility to her children, then others (the orphans) will feel loved. In that way we will truly love to them and we will not just be trying to show them that we are nice. The important thing is doing something that is meaningful to the other person. And it’s important to feel more and listen more.

Huong oversees GVI’s Orphanage work in addition to managing Autism and Elderly projects and is a new mother

- by Dennis Jeffares, International Director of Glocal Ventures, Inc.

Our church (NorthWood) is currently in the 3rd week of  “The James Experiment” – a guided Bible study to explore faith more deeply.  As we reflect on the book of James we are reminded of many lessons learned over the last 14 years of service to the people of Vietnam.

1. The value of family and community
In our work in Vietnam, we have encountered many people who have endured trials far beyond anything we have encountered, but working together in tight knit families and communities, they have found ways to persevere.  The exposure that NorthWood families have had with our Vietnamese friends has strengthened our view of family and community.  Through our interaction with their communities, God has reminded us that he has created us to function as families and communities, not as mere individuals.  Practicing this life principle of valuing family and community in the context of a deep love of God equips us for all of life’s challenges.

2. The Value of humility
There is so much that God can teach us when we approach other cultures in humility.  Humility enables us to access the understanding that we need to successfully engage other cultures.  The more we engage, the more we appreciate the differences between our cultures, and in many cases, what we learn from other cultures actually strengthens our own communities.

3. True Religion
This year will be the 11th year NorthWood has been involved in orphan work in Vietnam.  We will send 8 teams to Vietnam this year, but our orphan trip is the one that draws the greatest number of volunteers.  There is something about this ministry that touches the lives of our people in a very special way.  James 1:27 tells us that looking after orphans and widows is the kind of religion that God accepts as pure and faultless.

4. Action and Faith work together
When NorthWood began working in Vietnam in 1996, our desire was to see communities transformed.  But as we lived out our faith through serving the people of Vietnam we discovered that our own community at NorthWood was being transformed.  James 1:22 tells us “Don’t merely listen to the word, do what it says”. When we follow Christ’s example of unconditional love, we don’t hesitate to walk across the street or fly across an ocean to help a neighbor in need.  Our work in Vietnam has provided us with countless opportunities to put our faith into action, and in the process, our faith is being made complete (James 2:22) ]]> http://glocalventures.org/blog/?feed=rss2&p=428 http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=390 http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=390#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:55:16 +0000 glocal http://glocalventures.org/blog/?p=390 This is an essay written by one of our interpreters, Tran Thi Trang, to apply for a regional student conference, and it shows that our friends in Vietnam understand and appreciate what we do. Trang is a fourth-year university student and is an excellent interpreter. ]]> This is an essay written by one of our interpreters, Tran Thi Trang, to apply for a regional student conference, and it shows that our friends in Vietnam understand and appreciate what we do. Trang is a fourth-year university student and is an excellent interpreter. She has served on four GVI trips, each time building stronger friendships with our volunteers. She gets what GVI is all about and writes about it well!

How can young people play an active role in promoting better health for all in the context of the ASEM countries?

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are…

This song just leaves enough time to wash your hands thoroughly. In a special class this simple but fascinating lesson about health and hygiene was delivered to students of ethnic minorities living in Lao Cai in the North Uplands of Vietnam. The students were so excited because their teachers today were not their teachers, but actually enthusiastic and kind-hearted volunteers from America. They traveled half way around the world with a great compassion to help people and hoped to bring about  a better life.

I felt blessed to join them as a local volunteer to support the team. As a main working theme to introduce a healthy lifestyle of GVI, a US based NGO that I luckily found chances to work with, this team continued lessons about health and hygiene. They strongly believed that small habits they taught the children at those remote schools would be life-changing lessons. Personally, what inspired me is the belief that young people like me and my team from America or any other countries can make impact and bring about transformation for a healthier for disadvantaged people by participation in such volunteering programs.

It is a fact that many young people of different ages in Vietnam view community volunteerism volunteering as an integral part of their student life. Every summer  pupils and students eagerly set off their journeys to remote areas, not for enjoying their summer holidays but participating volunteering programs held by Vietnam Youth’s Union. They get involved in a variety of activities, namely distributing mosquito nets or traps to prevent dengue fever, constructing water systems to ensure adequate access to clean water for people in mountainous areas, or carrying out healthcare for mother and child programs…Such activities have not only proved to effectively raise public awareness about healthcare but individually become memorable moments for the young people when they contributed to community development also.

Trang (middle row, making the peace sign) relaxes with friends from Forefront at the Lao Cai-China border.

In addition, chances to participate in volunteering activities are open in NGOs in Vietnam. These NGOs have shown their proactive roles in mobilizing volunteers from all over the world to help Vietnamese people especially the poor and disadvantaged people to obtain better access to healthcare. Serving as a bridge in this cross-border cooperation I strongly believe that it is bound to bear fruits in promoting health for the public, especially the vulnerable groups.

ASEM University 16 would be a golden chance for me to exchange my experiences about how young Vietnamese people are contributing to health improvement for the vulnerable groups. Furthermore, as quoted by Winston Churchill, “You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.” I hope that all young people like me will learn more about the meaning of life and themselves when they embark on working for community’s welfare.

Our team recently returned from a trip to the Hau Thao Middle School near SaPa in the Lao Cai province of northern Vietnam. We had three goals on this trip:
• Provide fresh clean water for the school and community
• Teach classes on health and hygiene
• Form relationships with the staff and students

We were looking forward to seeing the work organized by GVI and trying to make a difference in the lives of people of this community. As with most groups that go on this type of expedition, we received far more than we gave.

The funding for the water project had already been forwarded to Vietnam, and the work was underway when we arrived. Their skilled workers were doing an excellent job of constructing the filter and holding tanks. We were able to lend some manual labor support in hauling the materials up the rugged slope, and were joined in our efforts by several of the school’s staff. We were able to see the majority of the project reach completion before our departure, and are confident the entire system will be up and running shortly.

The health and hygiene classes were a big success. The kids seemed to grasp the concept of what germs are and how they can control them. By use of songs, props, and hands on demonstrations, the message was communicated and, hopefully, absorbed.

The biggest reward of the trip, though, was getting to know the students and staff at Hau Thao School. They were so open and fun to be around. We enjoyed playing soccer keep away, badmitten, hacky sack, duck duck goose and other games, as well as teaching them songs like “head and shoulders knees and toes”, and joining in on their calisthenics. Thanks to the donation of a young man back in Surprise, we were also able to distribute over a hundred beanie babies to the kids. All in all, the chance to start personal relationships with the children and adults was the high point of the entire trip.

At our orientation meeting we were taught the importance of “under promising and over delivering”. So, while we can’t make any promises, our entire team is certainly looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead in forming a partnership between Parkway and Hau Thao School, and deepening the relationships that were formed in what we hope to be the first of many visits.

San Sa Ho school drive

The team from Skelly Drive worked hard to pave the driveway for San Sa Ho school. Students and teachers will greatly appreciate this, particularly when it rains since the rain often turns Sapa dirt roads (and schoolyards) into slippery, muddy and nearly impassable messes. They also donated a Reverse-Osmosis filter that will provide clean, safe drinking water for the school. More importantly than the work, the team strengthened and deepened friendships that we started a year ago. They did this by working side by side with the staff and students, by stretching themselves to taste new and interesting foods with the school and by literally stretching themselves during morning exercises with the students.

Morning Techno

The team from NorthWood reunited in Hanoi with their HYBA-BEST friends from the Corporate Responsibility Study Tour Very shortly after arriving at their hotel, they were enthusiastically and warmly hosted by members of the Study Tour who were all eager to return the hospitality they were showed in Texas (we even heard of heated discussions about who had the privilege of hosting the volunteers!). The team then went to Lao Cai to follow up on GVI-NorthWood’s one-year old Poverty Alleviation program in Lau Thi Ngai commune. They were joined by members of the Study Tour. In Texas, they saw the “local” part of Glocal Ventures’ service engagement in Texas - now they were going to see the global part of it.

Lunch in Lau Thi Ngai

The NorthWood-GVI team met with local partners about the effectiveness of the program. They learned that adjusting the program to provide larger loan amounts - which would  enable poor families to buy a water buffalo - could quickly help many of them escape poverty. (And speaking of escapes, read about Vicky Scott’s miraculous escape from injury.)

Hospitality seemed to be the theme of the trip: even families in this needy community spared no expense in putting on a lavish meal for the guests (BEST members bought a goat to add to the meal). Afterwards the villagers (from the Flower Hmong minority) put on a cultural show of dances and songs in the light of a bonfire (to which the NorthWood volunteers responded by teaching them the Hokey Pokey).

The team spent the last part of their trip at Nam Mon school. They taught hygiene classes (which were so popular and fun that students who had had the lessons last November wanted to hear them again). They also renovated and rebuilt the school kitchen to improve hygiene. They paved the floor of the kitchen, provided a countertop so that food would not have to be prepared on the dirt floor and built a brick oven and chimney for better ventilation. BEST members also made a generous donation of school supplies, clothes and food to the school. The NorthWood team plans to return to the school in November, if for nothing else than to avenge their loss in tug-of-war to some skinny, scappy Nam Mon middle-schoolers.

Giant Killers!