Monday I got an invitation from Sister Cam Thuy from the Anh Linh Love School to attend their end of year celebration. "Your presence will be an encouragement to the children".
I'd like to say, their presence is a lesson of humility and encouragement to me!
I arrived on time at 8:30, amazing considering the rain! I decided to ride my bike over, so got out all my rain gear. I refused to take a taxi! It is deep in District 7, and things aren't exactly, "Phu My Hung" here!
Ms. McKinnon was there....
MC's for the morning....
The first performance....
My favorite! This girl is 19 years old, in grade 6. She is an orphan without papers, in the eyes of the government, she does not exist. She has two younger sisters and they stay at the school. She sang in English, "I am Proud"... the last line, "I can do anything, I spread my wings and fly"....
damn...dropped a tear! Beautiful girl the government just let down!
Graduating class, all finished 9th grade, the little one on the left's name is Ocean. He is 19, by the size of his body, you can only imagine his life prior to coming to school. Sister Thuy sat next to me giving me lots of information about each kid. Two of the students give speaches. Though I can not understand Vietnamese, the content is very clear. They are grateful for the education, grateful for not being left behind and will miss this school, their '2nd home'.
Sister Thuy addressing the crowd.
Hilarious dance
These kids were #1 in their class. You will notice that most are girls... I asked why and the speculation is... if a family has two kids, one a girl, one a boy... the boy goes to school, the girl isn't valued. Hmmm
These were the #2
I got to present the gifts to the #3 kids...
I think these were #4, or received the citizenship award. Not entirely sure.
Another performance, the clothes came from our school's clothing drive.
All the children knew the song the girls were doing their fan dance.
Elementary children listening....
Sister Thuy congratulating them on a great year. Many of the children received 100% on the exams that are given by the government.
A donation for glasses to 46 kids!
I am asked to stay for lunch and do. It is always a nice time to visit with other benefactors of the school. It is always so grounding and humbling.
So, there are two questions I leave the school with:
1. For every child that is found and brought to this school, how many are out there?
2. What happenes to the children that are not found....
leave #2 to ponder.
For some reference, two videos were made by a student at SSIS in hopes of collecting food for the food drive:
I'd like to say, their presence is a lesson of humility and encouragement to me!
damn...dropped a tear! Beautiful girl the government just let down!
I am asked to stay for lunch and do. It is always a nice time to visit with other benefactors of the school. It is always so grounding and humbling.
So, there are two questions I leave the school with:
1. For every child that is found and brought to this school, how many are out there?
2. What happenes to the children that are not found....
leave #2 to ponder.
For some reference, two videos were made by a student at SSIS in hopes of collecting food for the food drive:
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