Our next experience with CEF was a visit back to Hoi An the following year. This time we had friends and family come with us as my husband Wayne and I were having our commitment ceremony in Hoi An. On this visit Graeme gave a talk to our group of friends and we had a further visit with our girls. What a fantastic experience!
We brought some practical gifts; books, stationary and wet weather gear for them. We all enjoyed lunch with Linda, Graeme and Quan and the girls and we got to know them a little better through Quan interpreting for them and us . Once again we returned to Australia with this sense of achievement and pride in giving our support to such a worthy purpose.
Pam and little 'V' amazed at all the work 'K' had put into making the cranes
My next visit to Hoi An I was on my own. I was given the opportunity to visit our sponsor girls’ homes. This was a very humbling experience. I remember visiting ‘V’ with her dad who was very ill at the time.
'V's dad was very happy to meet Pam again
We also visited ‘K’, her mother and sister in their home. They offered us a meal they could ill afford, made in their makeshift kitchen. The welcome was so memorable.
Pam at 'K's' home with 'K's mum
I saw firsthand the mats ‘K’ helped her mother make to earn a living. And soon after this visit to them I experienced a typhoon and wondered however they would survive.
I came home after this visit a changed person. I think I was kind of leaving fragments of my heart in Hoi An with every visit, but on this visit I felt I was also leaving a part of my soul.
We brought some practical gifts; books, stationary and wet weather gear for them. We all enjoyed lunch with Linda, Graeme and Quan and the girls and we got to know them a little better through Quan interpreting for them and us . Once again we returned to Australia with this sense of achievement and pride in giving our support to such a worthy purpose.
Quan explaining about some of the gifts from Pam and her family,
and Lien putting in 'V' new hair clips
I won’t forget the joy on ‘K’ face when she gave us her wedding gift of a Vietnamese mung bean cake and a gorgeous bowl full of little origami cranes.
I won’t forget the joy on ‘K’ face when she gave us her wedding gift of a Vietnamese mung bean cake and a gorgeous bowl full of little origami cranes.
My next visit to Hoi An I was on my own. I was given the opportunity to visit our sponsor girls’ homes. This was a very humbling experience. I remember visiting ‘V’ with her dad who was very ill at the time.
Pam and 'V' doing some beading together
We also visited ‘K’, her mother and sister in their home. They offered us a meal they could ill afford, made in their makeshift kitchen. The welcome was so memorable.
I saw firsthand the mats ‘K’ helped her mother make to earn a living. And soon after this visit to them I experienced a typhoon and wondered however they would survive.
One of the beautiful mats that 'K' and her mother made for Pam
I came home after this visit a changed person. I think I was kind of leaving fragments of my heart in Hoi An with every visit, but on this visit I felt I was also leaving a part of my soul.
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