On April 14 we visited the Hoa Sen Charity School with food and school supplies. Several months ago we met Patrick Poppins of Australia, who asked us about the different organizations that we help out. Upon his return to Australia, Patrick sent us a very generous donation, and we looked at how we could help the new charity school north of Nha Trang.
We talked with sister An Nguyen and she said food and school supplies were their most pressing need. The school has about 30 preschoolers and kindergarteners, and their resources are limited. They also provide free breakfast and lunch for the children, so basic foodstuff is always a necessity.
We spent a day shopping at the Phuong Nam Bookstore in Nha Trang, and ordered food for the visit. On Saturday morning, we loaded up a car and drove the 25 kilometers to Tan Thanh village. We brought a wide selection of school books for the kids, plus school supplies. The children were so happy! Between the snacks we brought and all the new books, the kids had a very active morning. The nuns were also overjoyed to see bags of rice, boxes of noodles, cooking oil, soaps, and cooking spices.
We were treated to a nice vegetarian meal, and had a tour of the new classrooms still under construction.
The nuns at Hoa Sen do an amazing job, and we thank Patrick for making a wonderful difference in these children’s lives.
