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HEADLINES 2008
Annual Lavang Gala Harvest Moon Restaurant, 7260 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22042 (703) 573-6000 Tickets On Sale NOW! 240-486-1961 More Vietnam Veterans Involved with VDS More Darrah Hollenbach: Our Volunteer English Teacher's Experience at the Lavang Boarding House. More Students' Appreciations: We invite you to read their stories and journey with them in their sentiments of joy and gratitude. More PAST EVENTS2006 Annual Lavang Gala: More Recognitions: More
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Students' Appreciations
Students at the Lavang Boarding House were asked to write an essay on why they feel they need to be assisted by Vietnam Dream for Success and their experience living at the boarding house. We invite you to read their stories and journey with them in their sentiments of joy and gratitude.
Dear Sr. Cecilia,
The first words and always I wish you good health, peace, and filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that you can accomplish God’s design in your life.
My name is Nguyen Thi Tuyen. I was born on June 20, 1986 in Danh Giao, Thai Do, Thai Thuy, Thai Binh, North Vietnam. I am the oldest child and have three younger brothers.
Dear Sister… since childhood I have been raised and surrounded by the love of my family and the community where I resided. I had witnessed many poor people afflicted with illnesses and had no money for medicine or to see a doctor. This situation prompted me to think about studying diligently so that I can realize my dream of becoming a physician to heal the ailments of the sick people in my village. Because of my family’s financial difficulty and due to my lack of knowledge and preparation, I did not meet the requirements to enroll at the University of Medicine.
During 2004-2005 I remained at home to help my parents. I started the intermediate courses in medicine in Thai Binh in October 2005. However, my mother became ill and had surgery in February, 2006. I had no other choice but to quit school. In July 2006 I pursued my dream of becoming a doctor by moving to Saigon with the intention of finding a job and studying at the same time. I borrowed money from my two uncles to travel to Saigon without my parents’ approval. When my parents understood my dream of becoming a doctor to help the sick people in my hometown and my thirst for medical knowledge, my parents had forgiven me and had agreed to allow me to remain in Saigon. The humble farmers’ income of my parents is not sufficient to provide for two of us in college and my two younger siblings in high school. My parents have exhausted their saving to pay for my first semester in college. I had to borrow money from my sister-in-law to pay for the second semester. I had intended to work during the summer so I can pay her back. There had been times when I became despair and wanted to quit school and to find work. I had knocked on the doors of many convents, but they all required some financial support from my family.
When I heard about VDS’ and Sr. Cecilia’s mission I was determined to come see Sr. Cecilia, even though I thought my chance for assistance was small. God’s providence is amazing. God has shown me the way and has guided me to the Lavang Boarding House. Right now I am still singing the notes of joy, happiness, and mixed with dreaming because I never thought that I would be so fortunate. I had only dreamed of having enough money to pay for my tuitions. Sr. Cecilia has opened her arms to assist me, and I ask that Sister will continue to guide me as a mother. I need her guidance in all aspects, spiritually and academically.
May God continue to shower many blessings upon Sister, her family, and all of VDS’ supporters.
Sincerely,
Teresa Nguyen Thi Tuyen
Dear Sister,
My name is Nguyen Thi Thu Hien. I am a first year student majoring in English and Russian at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City.
Minh and Binh both study Social Work at the same university where I am studying, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Minh was invited by Binh to visit the Lavang Boarding House, and Minh shared with me about her visit afterward. I was informed that you have extended your heart to assist some college students with financial difficulties and are providing the means for them to follow their college dreams.
Dear Sister… my family has been encountering great hardships in sending me and my siblings to school. I have two younger siblings: one is in the 11 th grade and the other is in the 5 th grade. The day that I passed the entrance exams into the university… I was happy and also worried. My parents worked very hard to raise all of us. My father served in the concentration camp for five years. My mother was the sole provider raising all three of us, and she is often afflicted with illnesses. When my father was released, he had no professional career and had to work odd jobs to support our family. My mother sells sweet rice in the streets.
Our life became more difficult when I began my college. Just recently my mother had an operation to remove her appendix. Such operation is not serious and does not require much money, yet it was a great burden for our family. My parents had borrowed a lot of money. My father’s odd jobs and my mother’s sweet rice are not enough to provide for our daily needs. We do not know what will happen in the next few months. I have tried to look for work to help my parents, but in the vicinity of the university there are no jobs available. I do not know what to do next. I have been praying and trusting in God’s Providence.
I want to sincerely share with you, Sister, that when I heard Minh mentioned your humanitarian works, I thought that God has answered my prayers. But I also thought that God requires of me my cooperation. For this reason, I have made an effort to come to the Lavang Boarding House to see you directly. Minh has been there once, but did not remember exactly where the house is. Both of us came to look for the house, and finally we found it. We had to fight off our fears to courageously ask to see you, and I was very happy when you were willing to speak to us with understanding and concern.
I have contacted my home parish and have requested a letter of recommendation from our pastor. I hope that you, Sister, will open your heart of compassion to assist me. If you decide to help me, I will be profoundly grateful and promise to never disappoint you.
I pray that God will send His blessings upon you, Sister, and to your family also!
Sincerely yours,
Nguyen Thi Thu Hien
Dear Sister,
I am writing these few lines below as my way of sharing my life story, as a younger sister confiding in an older sister, or it can also be viewed as my diary which I have stored in my mind for a long time. It can also be perceived as my personal memoir or that space in my life that has been reserved for me. I am writing these lines with sincere aspirations and with no intention of complaining or lamenting.
Dear Sister… I believe that the first words and more important words to begin my life story are a few words about myself. My name is Dang Thi Minh of Vietnamese origin. I have no religious affiliation. I was born in Le Loi, Kien Vuong, Thai Binh, North Vietnam. Currently my family resides in Dac Lak. I am a first year student in Social Work at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City.
Dear Sister… It is difficult to open my life story. My parents were raised in large families in Thai Binh, North Vietnam where it is known to have “little land with many people.” The year 1988 was a harsh year for my family in the countryside. My parents left Thai Binh and settled in Tay Nguyen and chose Dac Lak to begin a new life with two empty hands and with two young infant children in their arms. They worked odd jobs for others in order to provide for our daily needs in this new land. My younger sibling was born during this time in 1990, and it was a time of great “crisis” for my family. The youngest child became ill and floods destroyed our crops…our life seemed like it was at its darkest days. We eventually emerged from this crisis and were able to purchase a small piece of land and build a small house to settle in this new land. However, as the three children grew older our debts became greater.
My parents had to take me to my grandmother’s house in North Vietnam and entrusted me in her care as well as my aunts’. I grew up lavished with my grandmother’s love. My early years in school were depended on my grandmother’s vegetables that were sold in the market. During this time I lived far away from my parents and my loved ones. When I finished 9 th grade my grandmother passed away. I had to quit school to work as a maid for others. I worked under these circumstances for one year… and realized that the only way to become successful is by being educated. I returned to
Dac Lak with my parents and continued my high school years filled with many dreams…and this was also a rigorous period in my life. Once more I had to stay far away from my family. I attended a high school that was 20 kilometers from my house. I would ride the bicycle to school and would remain at a renting room near the school. During these three years in high school I was only able to assist my parents on some Sundays. Dac Lak is hot and windy… the road to school to me was miserably difficult. However, to make my parents proud I have tried very hard to pass the entrance exams into the university.
When I received news that I have passed the entrance exams into the university I was happy, but was also worried. My mother cried. Her tears conveyed tears that were more of concern than happiness. I am the second child in a family of farmers who has passed the entrance exam, and this makes my situation a heavier burden for my parents. My older sister is a second year student at the University of Pedagogy (teaching) in Ho Chi Minh City and my younger sibling is still in the 11 th grade.
I arrived in Saigon ( HCM City) with many worries. My parents borrow money so that all three of us can attend school. Just recently we lost our crops to the floods and our flocks to the bird flu. Our financial income has declined.
Our parents still struggle to send all three of us to school. Their hair has become gray. I love my parents dearly and am worry about what will happen next year. When my older sister will be in her third year in college, I will be in my second year, and my younger sibling will be a senior in high school … our needs and expenses will be greater.
By chance I met Binh, a student at the boarding house, and eventually met Sr. Cecilia with my sincere admiration for her humanitarian efforts. I sought out Sr. Cecilia and hope that she would sympathize my situation … and I would feel even more fortunate if Sr. Cecilia decides to share her blessings with me.
I am aware that in this life there are many other people whose lives are even harsher than mine, but to have encountered Sr. Cecilia is a great blessing for me… and if Sr. Cecilia decides to assist me, it would be my great happiness. If to the contrary, please view this letter as a younger sister confiding in an older sister. I wish you peace, Sister, peace to your family and peace also to me.
With love,
Dang Thi Minh
Dear Benefactors of Vietnam Dream for Success,
First of all, please allow me to extend my greetings to our benefactors/supporters and my prayerful wishes of peace and happiness in God’s grace through the intercession of Mary, our Mother.
My name is Dinh Thi Lu. I was born on March 13, 1985. Currently, I am a postulant of the Community of Charity and Social Services founded and directed by Bishop Paul Nguyen Thanh Hoan, Bishop of the Diocese of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan, Vietnam.
Dear Benefactors… Deep inside I always embrace the goal of my community: to serve others. Even while growing up I had always wanted to help others, especially the poor, because there are many poor families in my village who are poor not only in spirit but also in material needs. Many children want to go to school but are unable to because of their families’ financial demands and due to large number of children in each household. I am in the same circumstance with many younger siblings. The situation forced me to interrupt my studies and to find work to assist my parents to enable my younger siblings to attend school. While challenged by this difficulty Bishop Paul Nguyen Thanh Hoan enabled me to continue to finish my high school. After graduation I thought that I will never have a chance to go to college, for my community, like my family, still encounters difficulty with our financial demands. To reach our goal of spreading the Good News to those who have not heard of the Gospel, Bishop Paul tries to send members of our community to colleges/universities to major in various fields so that our ministry to the poor can be carried out.
I am fortunate to be chosen to attend college to become a veterinarian so that I can take care of the hog farm of the community, which will be a source of income for the community and for our ministry to the poor. I am also grateful to receive the assistance of Sr. Cecilia and our benefactors… for providing me with all the resources I need to pursue my studies. What makes me most happy is the opportunity to live with other students at our boarding house that is filled with love and compassion, especially the concern and sincere care of Sr. Cecilia, which most of the time, had made me unable to control my tears of joy. Since leaving my family (who resides in Nghe An, north Vietnam), I have never experienced overwhelming happiness as I do now.
Dear Benefactors… you and Sister have shared your blessings with me. I promise to be diligent in my studies so that I will become a significant individual for society and for the Church. I do not know how to respond to your generosity and Sister’s… all I have are my daily prayers for you and Sister. May God always be with you and Sister and reward you abundantly for helping me.
Finally, please allow me to say “Thank You” to you, my benefactors, and to Sister.
Respectfully,
Dinh Thi Lu
Dear Benefactors of Vietnam Dream for Success,
My name is Luong Thi Ngoc Bich. Currently I am majoring in English at the University of Hung Vuong in Ho Chi Minh City.
First of all, I wish you good health. May God always bestow His blessings upon you, our benefactors.
Dear benefactors… Since I have been accepted to reside at the Lavang Boarding House… this is the first time that I experience true joy and happiness. This experience is like the greatest valuable gift in my life. Here I can realize my dream, that is, to become an English teacher, since I have been provided with all the resources to pursue this dream. Not only do I have the opportunity to attend college, I also have the opportunities to learn how to become a mature person. I also have the opportunities to reach out to the world, to realize the world is bigger than I thought, to learn that the world offers much more… these are the realities which I have never dare to dream or think about. To learn to become mature individuals with other students and residents of the Lavang Boarding House, who are filled with humility, compassion and forgiveness… I feel truly happy, for the Lavang Boarding House is like my house of happiness that is filled with both spiritual and material resources.
I truly feel fortunate, for I receive the utmost care and assistance of you, my benefactors.
What makes me most happy is the opportunity to meet those who visit from the US. These encounters will give me many chances to learn about many new things, which will help with my English major. In addition, I have the opportunity to acquaint myself with other students who reside at the boarding house, whom I am privileged to have met. I also hope that in the future I will be able to help the poor and enable everyone to live a happier and dignified life.
Dear benefactors… I have received your support, I promise to work hard in my studies so that I can become a person of significant asset to society.
I also do not know how to respond to the love you have reserved for me except my daily prayers for you. May God grant you many blessings and with good health.
Again, thank you to all of my benefactors.
Sincerely,
Luong Thi Ngoc Bich
Ho Chi Minh City, December 27, 2006
Dear Sister!
Another year is almost gone. The whole world had just welcomed the birth of the Child Jesus and is preparing to welcome the New Year. I wish you, Sister, your family and our benefactors a New Year filled with happiness and peace, and I pray that God grant all of you countless blessings on all of you, so that you can carry out the noble mission. Please allow me to share a few moving words as I receive your assistance.
Dear Sister… truly even now I have not yet believed that I am actually living at the boarding house. This does not mean that my faith is lacking, but because this whole experience has been an awesome event. I feel truly fortunate and full of happiness when I receive your sincere and dedicated assistance. I am very emotional to the point of bursting into tears. When I was informed by my pastor, Fr. Thuc, that I have been accepted to live at this boarding house… The first day I stepped into this house, I did not think that I will be accepted to reside here, for it is beyond the expectation of poor students like myself. Yet my feelings of surprise disappeared by the love which everyone at the house lavish upon me. Sister’s concern, the care of aunt (the cook) and uncle (guardian), and everyone else’s had convinced me that these individuals are truly my family. Here I experience love and kindness from everyone, and I will always remember Sister’s words, “This house is a house of love; this house is a house of mercy.” I feel that my life now is so much more fulfilling than before. I was born into a family with great financial difficulties. My parents work very hard to enable me and all my siblings to attend school. While in high school I encountered many challenges: my family shortage of finance; my house is situated far in the countryside, a stumbling block for my daily commute into the city to attend school. I feel compassion for my parents’ sacrifices. I have made a promise that I will work hard in school and pass the entrance exam into the university as my gift of consolation for my parents’ hardship. As for myself, I still remember the day when I received a notice that I had passed the entrance exam… how I shed tears of joy. I experienced happiness and the joy of my parents through their eyes. Yet I was also aware that behind such joy and happiness there were also many concerns of how to finance my college education. The day to depart my family for college finally arrived. I had cried much for missing my parents. The first few days away from home… the life of poor students like us is lacking in many aspects, both material and spiritual. For the first few months we lived in a very small rented room, hot, and when the night approached a legion of mice mingled with us, and mosquitoes… yet for me to live in this place was already considered fulfilling.
Everything came to me unexpectedly when my father visited me and took me to this house. At first I felt a little afraid about something, but when I have lived in the boarding house I finally feel true happiness. We are provided with all of our material needs. All the residents at the house, though we just met, look upon each other like family. I feel truly fortunate and will always promise myself to truly live a life worthy of Sister’s and our benefactors’ sacrifices. I hope that there will be more poor students who will be as fortunate as I am. My aspiration is that after completing my four years of college I will be able to do something for others as my way of returning the blessings I have received from my parents, from Sister, and from our benefactors who have assisted me. I have chosen to major in Social Work, and this speaks volume for what I intend to do with my life, that is, to utilize my college education so I can be of service to humanity, to society.
Dear Sister… you are leaving for the US tomorrow. I will miss your smile very much, and your voice, and I hope that soon I will see you again in this warm loving home. I wish you, Sister, a safe trip back to the US and with your family, welcome the New Year filled with happiness, peaceful in God’s love. May God grant you good health so that you can continue to carry out your noble humanitarian efforts. Everyone and I will never forget you. Please pray for me and everyone so that each day we can become more perfect, contributing our humble strength to make the world more beautiful.
Thank you again, Sister and good-bye. Hope to see you again.
Yours truly,
Maria Tran Thi Binh
Dear Benefactors,
First of all, I wish you health in both body and spirit, and peace in Jesus and Mary. My name is Terexa Nguyen Thi Oanh. I was born on August 16, 1982. Presently I belong to the Community of Charity and Social Services founded and directed by Bishop Paul Nguyen Thanh Hoan.
Dear benefactors… when Bishop Paul assigned me to attend college, I became confused, for I did not know what I needed to do.
Dear benefactors… my family experiences many difficulties, for I was born into a family of farmers with twelve children. My school days were always interrupted, not like many others. I am the oldest child, and my siblings are still young. My parents have to work very hard to send all of us to school. I am majoring in Veterinarian to take care of the hog’s farm of our community. The younger sibling next to me is also a member of the Dominican Sisters of Thai Binh. My other sibling is in college majoring in Computer Science. The rest of my siblings are still in school.
About myself…I attended school and assisted my parents when not in school. There were many times when I studied and saw my parents working… I felt uneasy seeing them work. My family encounters many difficulties…My mother works from dawn until 10 P.M. everyday. Seeing our mother working so hard, all of us feel very sad. With this sadness we promise to study hard in school so as to be able to respond to our parents’ sacrifice. When I completed high school, I could not continue on seeing my parents work so hard. I worked for a while to help them. After a few years I decided to dedicate my life to God. Currently I am majoring in Veterinarian. I have many financial concerns, since my family is very poor with many children. In addition, my sibling who was studying Computer Science has been diagnosed with a heart problem and leukemia. My family is powerless in providing for my college education, even in small amount. I have not been able to focus on my studies, but constantly worrying. Sometimes I wanted to just let my life flow wherever it wants to flow. In moments like these I would cry alone, and feeling hopeless that I will probably never be able to pursue the field that I like. As each drop of tears ran down my cheeks I would wish that God would send someone to help me, and this would have been so wonderful. I only needed someone to finance my education, and this would have been so wonderful and sufficient for me. Such wish seemed so distant to me, and the whole world becomes saddened, and it empowered me with this sadness. While I was feeling such weight of sadness and despair and writing my feelings of sadness on my notebook, I heard the owner of the rented room told me that I had a phone call. I spoke with Sister Lien of my community informing me that there is a Sister from the US who wants to help the poor. My heart was instantly filled with hope that I will be able to go to college and be able to major in the field I so much love.
Dear benefactors… When I received the news that Sister has accepted to assist me, I was overjoyed. Yet this joy soon turned into worries, for I had doubts that such kindness cannot be real. When I moved into the boarding house, at first as I first stepped into the house I felt surprised and uneasy, shy and afraid, for I never imagine or dream to live in such a house. I had only wished that someone would help pay for my tuitions and affordable housing, and this would have been sufficient for me. Yet I never expected God’s abundant blessings upon me this way, for Sister not only provides me with my material needs, but also treats me like a loving mother. In this house everyone loves me, from the cook to the guardian, they all care for me for both of my material and spiritual needs.
What can I say? What I never dare to dream has become a reality. The house which I had first felt afraid and uneasy has become a home of happiness. To live with other students has allowed me to see this home like my third family. To witness the smiles of the other students, the kind eyes that reflect love and kindness, and especially to see Sister’s smiles and eyes full of love, I experience the love of my own mother next to me, a sister next to her younger sibling. Sister gives me a love of a woman which I have never experienced in my life. Sister’s smiles and eyes filled with love give warmth to my heart. I will never forget this image, this image of a woman filled with charity. Watching Sister providing for me, I have vowed to study even harder in order to reach my goal.
My hope and dream is that after completing college I will return to my community and help those who are less fortunate than me. My dream is very humble. I want everyone in this world to have a happy life with adequate food and clothing. I receive the love from Sister and everyone else… I am moved to tears, and I do not know how to return this love but only through my hard study and efforts so that when I have completed my college I will have many opportunities to help those who are even poorer than me. This is my dream.
My last words here are to thank my benefactors for loving and helping me. I wish you good health and God’s blessings, so that Sister and all of my benefactors can continue to assist me and other students with similar difficult circumstances.
Sincerely,
Nguyen Th Oanh
Dear Sister Cecilia and our Benefactors,
First of all, I wish you good health and much happiness with your families.
I was born in Buon Ma Thuot (central Vietnam), an area of red land conducive to planting trees for industry for many years, a place where my family has bonded for many years. There are twelve children in my family. Since my father left us to live with another woman, my mother is the sole provider. My mother works hard in the field to earn a living to send us to school. But my mother alone cannot take care of all of our needs. In his concerns for my mother’s long hours of work, my oldest brother had to quit school to find work to assist our mother in the fields, and my older sister also quit school to take care of her younger siblings at home. Many years have passed, and even the land has faded its color, and the trees and plants are no longer as green as before.
As my siblings and I grow older, our educational needs are even greater. Our mother had to work even harder and had to be as frugal even in little things. While still in elementary and high school I do not recall what summers were all about, for I was no longer concerned with playing games like other children. My summers were spent in windy and rainy days and nights in the fields, and many sleepless nights next to our kerosene lamp. Even while working along with our mother under the hot sun I had faith that one day I will be successful, and my younger siblings will become outstanding students to make our mother happy. But this hope did not last long. Working many hours in the fields has made our mother weak. Today, our mother is only able to stay home and does light chores at home. Our oldest brother and sister are now married.
Our life becomes even more challenged when I passed the entrance exam into the university. I will no longer be able to help my mother in the fields, and my younger siblings are too young. Our financial income has indeed decreased. Faced with this circumstance, I planned to pursue my college studies and to find work at the same time to lessen my mother’s burdens. I always want my younger siblings to be able to attend school and play like other children. The first few days in college and far away from my family have enabled me to taste sadness. I felt pity for myself because of my family circumstance. As I tried to be frugal I also experienced greater needs. I have become hopeless in my hope to help my mother, and the jobs I found did not work out with my hours in school. However, I have found Bich, who shared the rented room and bed with me and three other students. Encountering Bich had brought me a humble assistance yet one that is filled with meaning. I now live at the Lavang boarding house, which I still think is only a dream. Bich has introduced me to Sr. Cecilia and has lighted my ray of hope which I thought had been forgotten. My happiness is even greater when I live with other students, the cook, and guardian of this house. It seems like these individuals have been destined by God to reside in this home. Everyone is united in this home that is filled with love. And Sister Cecilia, with great compassion, always reminds me to always love others, to be diligent in my studies to make my family, Sister, and my benefactors proud. Living in this house is like a dream… I do not experience any distinction or preference among the students, but to the contrary, they all love me and care for me wholeheartedly.
I am profoundly grateful to Sister and to all our benefactors for helping me light up my dream. For the remaining days living in this house I will pray that the best will come to Sister, our benefactors, and all those who reside in this home.
Respectfully,
Huynh Thi Lien