Tax ID# 03-0432991
A non profit under Section 501 (c) (3)
Public Charity Status 170 (b) (A) (vi)
Combined Federal Campaign CFC # 12462 Code donor
Houston, 18th April 2010.
Dear Benefactors of the "Abandoned Little Angels",
Living in Vietnam and being a missionary in that country, I joined the Abandoned Little Angels (ALA) in their trip to visit the orphanages in all the regions of Vietnam for the last three years. Every time, it has been a touching experience when encountering the poor children, mainly in the countryside. This year, I was invited by the ALA to come to Houston to share my experiences with the benefactors of the ALA at their fundraising banquet. It has been a wonderful experience for many reasons. People were so welcoming. I visited so many people and I can tell you, I even spoke more vietnamese here than in Vietnam!
I was also interested in discovering the life of the vietnamese community abroad. In three years since my arrival in Vietnam, I met many vietnamese who are in the process of migrating to the United States, Australia, or Europe. Before leaving Vietnam, these people had mixed feelings. They were excited to go to "the promised land" but also sad to leave their country. I also shared their sentiments, and I sometimes worry for them because I too am an immigrant. How would they adapt in a so different society?
Being originally from a western country (Belgium), I knew they would have to cope with the cold climate, another food, another culture, the language--so many challenges to face and so many mysteries to solve. For example, they take a flight (often for the first time in their lives) and suddenly in less than 24 hours, they find themselves in a brand new world
For sure, immigration was and is still a challenging experience but during the four weeks I spent among the vietnamese community in USA, I discovered how immigration can change the life of a family for good. I was indeed deeply impressed by the vitality of the vietnamese community in USA. Here, many Vietnamese are highly educated. They have prosperous businesses. Their children speak English fluently with an american accent. Many of them speak Vietnamese fluently, while others do not. You can see that the vietnamese community assimilated many of the good values of American culture. They like to be efficient, they respect the environment (Houston is so clean, my goodness!), they believe in their own capacity to achieve their goals (the American optimism). But they also remain faithfull to their original background. In many places, the second and the third generation of the vietnamese migrants go to study vietnamese at school ! One can say that the American dream has been fulfilled. Mission accomplished!
Having left Vietnam in tragic events or simply in search of a better life, the Vietnamese community in USA didn't forget that most of their relatives and friends or simply compatriots in Vietnam are still struggling for a better life. This is also a great value of the Americans, and especially of the vietnamese ; although many are well-off, they are willing to support their families and the poor in Vietnam. It is a kind of moral duty. When you have money, you have to share it with those who are in need.
I am impressed by the amount of money the ALA is able to raise every year in America. Because of this funding, every year the orphaned and handicapped children living in over 60 loving shelters continue to receive assistance. After having met many Vietnamese-American immigrants, I recognize one unifying disposition, an ongoing attachment to their native country. The majority of Vietnamese-Americans either do not want to or have not had the opportunity to return to Vietnam. The first generation immigrants left their native land over thirty years ago and because of that, it is difficult for them to imagine what the daily events in Vietnam are currently like. The large cities have underwent a transformation. Saigon, especially because so many immigrants are familiar with this city, have become overcrowded as work demands have dictated the population explosion. The roads could not expand to keep up with the ever growing mass of people, making a simple task such as crossing the street a hazard during traffic hours.
If one could imagine a past population of under 3 million now expanded to over 8 million; one can see sanitation problems and labor issues arising. On the surface, the urban areas in Vietnam seem to have advanced in the realms of technology and wealth. The night life teems with activities. A closer examination, with focus on the impoverish, the handicapped, the beggars, and the vagrants who immerse themselves in the work force at such a young age, reveals a different picture. Many of the same people who participate in the night life are the ones living only for the moment, or to forget a difficulties in life. Any person who has a chance to visit the rural areas like I did with ALA, will find that life there is much much worse
A desirable quality of the Vietnamese people is their compassion for their relatives and their countrymen. For example, despite having just arrived to a new country as well as having difficulty assimilating to a new lifestyle, many immigrants were able to find means to send a portion of their hard-earned income to their relatives in Vietnam. Although they realize that a portion of the money sent will likely benefit the government, familial ties spur them onward. The deeply caring nature and magnanimous benevolence shown by the Vietnamese people are virtues worthy of many praises. A well-off person giving from his excess is not as highly regarded as one who shares from his daily livelihood. The impoverish, the ill-fated, and the handicapped need and deserve our assistance. They are appreciative of your help, and on their behalf, I am grateful for your humanitarianism and your generosity.
May God bless you all and repay your kindness many folds. Amen.