Sept 09 From America

Been back in the US for 2 weeks now and it's still an adjustment. I'm not sure what to do with all this time - I know I should be relaxing but it's more like a working vacation: time to recharge my batteries for the return to Vietnam and also time to set appointments to recruit volunteers or find donors for our program. All in all, I'm lucky! I'm spending a lot of time with my nephew Ambros and my parents who are (mostly) in good health.

I'll be going to Boston and NYC, then PA before going back out to CA. Still have lots of friends and family to see and a former vol has me booked in to speak to the Asian Club at Columbia U this week! So far I've spoken to Sedgwick Middle School and the local Red Cross - both have an interest in donating to our kids!

Back in Vietnam last week there was a 3 day typhoon that devasted some villages just south of our placement in TamKy. Viet and other vols have just put out an urgent plea to fund raise on First Giving site. Our goal is to raise $20,000 to help the families who lost homes and are still without fresh water and power.

Before I left - things were much calmer. We had a couple of kids who needed hospital care but one was adopted in Aug and the other should be going to Cananda this week! Otherwise, we still have our staffing issues at the orphanages - but our volunteers are working extra hard to help out. In fact, we've had 2 nurses as return volunteers recently who have begun training for the carers and actual nursing staff.

We have a lot going on with the day-to-day operations but we're also starting to think long term about how to build the program. A few ideas are to have long term western volunteers in each city to help the Placement Managers and also to fund and build our own foster home and / or vocational center. Any way we can reach out to more kids - the better. We've seen so many street kids and orphans just waiting for thier fair shot at an education or job training - we hope we can provide for them soon.

So since everything is running well- I'll be back in Vietnam for 2010 - My current plan is to travel back to America in the spring and fall versus just in the fall like this year. It's a bit too long of a gap between seeing family and friends....Plus if the recruiting and fund raising works out well on this trip, I'll have another good reason to return twice per year!

People ask if I'll stay in Vietnam. Well, for the time being I will. The kids need me and I need them! Thanks for all of your support - it means a lot to me to know you're out there reading my blog and newsletters and sending good karma out our way.