In January 2020 we had a Lunar New Year party at the Khanh Son Charity Home. The Lunar New Year, Tet, is a huge holiday in Vietnam with many wonderful traditions. One of those traditions is making the yummy holiday food Banh Tet. Families gather together and put all of the ingredients in banana leaves, then cook it over a fire for everyone to enjoy. In addition to having a savory treat, it’s a way for everyone to bond and create something together.
We coordinated with the nuns at the home, and brought some special Tet treats for the children and their families. Another popular tradition is handing out red envelopes of lucky money to the children, which brings good luck to both the giver and receiver. All the children at the home were so surprised to get their own red envelopes!
Next, we arranged to have all the ingredients for Banh Tet brought to the home. The children and their families gathered together in the common room, and everyone worked together to create many wrapped Banh Tet for the families to take home and cook. It was lots of fun and there were smiles all around!
This special holiday charity visit was made possible through the kindhearted donations of Mai-Lan Vugia, Dane Sawmiller, Cuong Nguyen, Megan Murdoch, Nhan Nguyen, Hanh Le, Molly Phillips, and Daniel Cole. Thank you!!!
ABOUT THE KHANH SON CHARITY HOME
Located in the mountainous area to the southwest of Nha Trang, the Khanh Son Charity Home is a loving place that houses and cares for many of the community’s children whose families struggle to support and provide for them. Some of the children stay at the home year-round, sleep in dormitories, and have meals together in a communal dining hall. The nuns provide a nurturing environment for all, ensure the children attend local public schools, and offer free daycare, kindergarten, and after-school tutoring lessons.
