On January 24, 2016 we made a wonderful visit to the impoverished community of Khanh Trung in Khanh Son district, southwest of Nha Trang. Khanh Son is a rugged mountainous region, far from any major city. Many who live here are ethnic minorities, and eke out a living mostly through farming. Our volunteers had visited the area before and seen the poverty firsthand, and recently reached out to the local government about planning a charity trip to coincide with Tet, the Vietnamese new year.
As Tet is the biggest holiday of the year, common sights in the cities are elaborate decorations and traditional foods to mark the beginning of the new year. In poor communities, however, all of that is a luxury the families cannot afford, and most go without anything special when Tet comes around. Through the kindness of our donors, we were able to give 130 poor families basic foodstuff and special bags filled with traditional Tet food and drinks. Children in the community also received red envelopes of lucky money, sweets, and balloons.
This trip came from the incredible dedication of our volunteers, Mai Khanh and her Guiding Light Group, who spent their days off organizing and preparing for the visit. Any charity trip to a poor community would be impossible without the help and coordination of the local government, and this visit was no different. The local authorities handed out numbers to the families, ensured the process was well-organized, and were instrumental to the project’s success.
This heartfelt visit came about through donations from JL Support Services and Mr. Hieu Nguyen of the USA. Thank you!!!
