Hello, Vietnam

Wed, 05/20/2009 - 10:58 — Spritzy
Region of the Globe (state/district, country): 
Vietnam (We reside in Oregon though)
Project Type: 
Ongoing project
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Poverty
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Personal Peace
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Hunger
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Education
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Discrimination
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Disease
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Community
Issues Addressed (Mark all that apply): 
Healthy Lifestyles
Number of People Involved: 
Over 50 including donators
Number of People Impacted: 
At least 100
SEE it: What is the mission of your project? What has inspired you to envision and implement it?: 
The mission is to fly all the way to Vietnam and help the misfortunate people of that country. My parents and grandparents often told stories of the crippled, homeless, and parentless people of Vietnam. My youth group leaders implemented this project years ago, and I'm just a new member who's willing to be a part of the upcoming mission trip.
ACT upon it: What does your project do? What action does it take to accomplish its mission? Who does it involve?: 
My project focuses on all sorts of people in Vietnam who needs care. The youth group and some other church members from Portland, Oregon will fly to Vietnam. We will spend time, and hand out gifts, supplies, and foods to the people. We will visit orphanages, where several of them are abandoned due to AIDS/other diseases, poverty, and deformities. They deserve at least some sort of motherly love and the youth group will do our best to cheer the kids up. We will visit the leper villages where the people are not allowed to leave from. They are people with no limbs, eyes, or digits. And the children there are aware of the fact that they'd lose some body part of theirs just like their parents did. So we, inspired by Jesus, are going to spend time with them and pass out gifts. People can feel lonely and alienated, so we're trying to be there for them- even for a short while. And then the main part of our trip is to build homes for the homeless people on the country side. Most of them live in poor frameworks of planks/tarp. Some families consist of more than 10 people. Sometimes they don't have roofs/walls to cover from rain/wind/giant mosquitoes. This project involves church members who are donating money to our project, the people who are organizing these events, and the people who are going straight to Vietnam to do the deed.
INSPIRE from it: What has your project accomplished? Where do you see it going in the future? How can others get involved?: 
The other 3 times the youth group headed down to Vietnam, they've accomplished a lot. The people we helped out were very grateful, and many of them cried (because they were happy). Most of the leper villagers were more grateful for the attention/care we gave than the gifts/supplies. In the future, I'm hoping that more programs like this would be made by other second-generation Vietnamese-American/European people, third, and so on. Because once the first generation disappears, someone else should carry on the task. Someone from the future should help those who are left to suffer in the home country of Vietnam. And I'm hoping that Vietnam would soon rise as a 1st world country. Other people can get involved by donating money straight to our church: Our Lady of Lavang Parish. They could send money by mail to the church, and add a simple note that the money goes to the Hello! Vietnam program led by the Holy Trinity youth group. Or they can totally start their own program that's similar to ours.