#but still. it's given me a lot of opportunities to be on trams and therefore me able to indulge in my favourite hobby

[szappan]

i miss gill & gilbert :-(

[memo13g]

Day 14: Ky Quang Orphanage

The clock strikes 8:00am, and our bus arrived in front of our hotel. The usual notifications popped up to alert everyone that the bus has arrived. We made our way across the one-way street and loaded ourselves onto the bus. As we made our way to Ky Quang Temple, I noticed the houses were more country-like. It took us a while to find the small road that leads to the temple, and when we found it we made our way inside by walking along with our boxes that carry donations for the children at the orphanage. - The temple is a beautiful place, decorated with large and majestic statues of buddha in gold. Green plantations fill the place and give it an air of serenity. - As soon as we got to the front rooms of the orphans, we started unpacking our boxes and distributed the toys and candy to each memobers so we can pass them to the children. Since there were so many rooms, we took a stroll across each of the room because we weren’t allowed inside and saw a lot of children. There are many babies, still soundly sleeping in their cribs. The children are peaceful and happy despite their underdeveloped brains, missing and deformed limbs, along with a multitude of other defects. - One of the highlights of today was when I stopped by at a room at one end of the hallway. There are many children in there so I first stood by and watch, until one of the caretakers in there saw me and signaled for me to come inside. Others and I started to file in and made a small huddle in the middle of the room because it was spacious so we didn’t know where to go! I remember two of the children there very well. The first one goes by the name Hải, it seems like he is a bit slow and his legs and arms are almost paralyzed but he could still walk and move and think. The second one is named Hưng. Hưng has cerebral palsy so unfortunately all four of his limbs are paralyzed.. However he is still able to listen and understand, and even tell others what he needs! He can slightly hold onto things with his hands and move his legs but if we leave him in one place lying or sitting he wouldn’t be able to move. As I was standing in the middle of the room, Hải came to pat me on my leg using the back of his hand. I turned around to see that he was limping towards me, patted me, then pointed to the area where the caretakers were moving Hưng’s legs, giving him an off-exercise. I believed he told me to go to that area, so I went there and started talking to the lady who was exercising his legs. She informed me in heartfelt words that these children are abandoned by their parents at the front door of the temple when they were very young. They have no relations to each other but might have grown up side by side. I understood that this is why Hải and Hưng must be very close, just like siblings. I wondered why he chose me out of the group I was standing with, it felt amazing when I know he had trusts in me even though I was a stranger. So I came over to the area and hung out with the kids there. - The children loved the bubbles. They kept trying to take the bottle of soap and blow the bubbles away. At one point, Hưng wanted to play with the bubbles too so he asked a little girl for the bottle that she was holding but because she loves it she wouldn’t give it to him. I told the little girl to give me the bottle so I can give it to Hưng but it was taking me a while to obtain it. But then Hải started pointing to the bottle and making a demanding voice (I don’t believe he can talk). The little girl was scared so she gave it to him (I think I was too nice!) and he gave it to Hưng! Hải is such a sweetheart. Hưng is so sweet too. He smiled big and bright every time he blew and saw bubbles. I took the opportunity to take some selfies with the children to keep them as memories. Hải and another older girl played with my phone for the entirety of my stay there, while I stayed with Hưng and the other MEMObers and children. I also had the opportunity to feed little Hưng his lunch. It was rice with soy sauce because he doesn’t like to eat fish. Afterwards, I asked if he wanted soup, and he shook his head. Then I asked if he wanted water, and he said yes (!!!) It came to show how responsive he could be! I was glad to have acknowledged that moment. - Overall, the orphanage was the most fulfilling experience I have had on the trip. It allowed me to fully share the moments with the young children, close and personal, without medical devices or supplies between us. I’m really grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience this, and will come back again next time with my family. After leaving the temple, we headed back home then each went off to do our own things until dinner time. When 6:20 strikes, we again ventured out as a group to share one of our last meals here in Vietnam, at Bong Sen Hotel. Our laughter and talks fill the air, as we celebrated the end of another amazing journey of our day.

-Tram Dang (UCI)

This was it, the aspect of the mission trip I had been looking forward to the most- orphanage visits! We departed to Ky Quang Temple at 8 in the morning, packing along boxes of stuffed animals, toys, stickers, and candy for the children we were about to meet. Once we arrived, we got off the bus and took a short walk to the temple. The majority of the orphans living at Ky Quang Temple are disabled and therefore require long term care, so I feel that MEMO’s contribution was immensely meaningful. Armed with Toy Story stickers and bubble wands, we ventured into the kids’ rooms, and they ran quickly to greet us, swarming every 13Ger to get a chance to be held, blow bubbles, and have their arms and faces decked out in shiny stickers. There was one little girl who begged to be lifted up, and once she was in my arms, she refused to be put down, directing me one way or another towards the school of bubbles drifting around in the air. After half an hour or so, it was lunch time for the kids so we bid our farewells to them. I walked around at the other rooms at the temple and peered into the one hosting the youngest infants and toddlers, and I don’t think my heart has broken so much at the sight of something. Babies with cleft lip, hydrocephalus, and missing limbs were napping peacefully in their cribs, toddlers bouncing around, eager for attention and human warmth from the scarce one or two caretakers present. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed into that room, so communicating with smiles, peek-a-boos and waves across the glass door was our primary means of connecting with the little humans. Though we had to leave, I hope MEMO left a little footprint of happy, blissful memories with them, and I only wish the best for them. 

We then returned to the hotel, and it was leisure time for us to explore the city and then come back together for a laughter-filled dinner as always. I didn’t think it was possible for a group of people to come so close together like this, every MEMOry is a blessing and I’m trying my best to savor every moment with these amazing, inspirational individuals who all signed up to travel halfway around the world to touch the hearts of others.

- Sam Dinh (UCI)