On Saturday we visited both Jeremy and Roses birth families. It was a long day just because of the distance and what we were trying to accomplished. We spent approximately 9-10 hours in the car. Both families live in very beautiful mountainous regions but are profoundly poor. They were both overjoyed to see the children. We spent an hour or two with each family. I am very glad that we did this. I think it was a good decision.

Well today we left the Kien Giang. We flew to Saigon and then on to Hanoi. I cannot believe how much it has changed. There are so many high rises and lots of really nice houses. But the old quarter is mostly the same..... very quaint but very crowded now. We had one of the traditional meals that Hanoi is famous for (a fish meal sauteed with lots of greens and placed over noodles. It was very good. Rose had noodles.

We went back to the site of the Claudia Hotel which is now a dress shop. Unfortunately Ms. Thuy was out of town. We talked to her on the phone. Oh well. Maybe the next trip.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the provinces. It will be a long day and then back to Hanoi tomorrow night.

Hello again;

Well camp is done. Yesterday was the final day. We saw a lot of patients on the final morning. I know I drew a lot of blood. There were some very sad situations presented to the doctors who to a certain extent were powerless to help but sent to the hospital in hopes that they could. Some even sadder emotional situations with young girls.

Anyway, then we went to the trash dump (a smell which I cannot get out of my head). It was unbelievable but the people actually live there. There was a very very young baby there as well. It was a very emotional time for everyone.

Then we came back to the hotel and showered and got ready to go to the school again for the big celebration (Cambdian New Year). Lots of food made by the locals and lots of celebrating and silly skits and songs and dancing and stuff. Everybody was sad to leave the kids.

Back to the hotel and took the kids out for ice cream and adults for drinks and saying farewell.

Today we are headed back to Saigon (flying so we can make a flight back to Hanoi this time). Then we hopefully visit Ms. Thuy and do some shopping. Then on Saturday we are going to Yen Bai and Phu Tho to see the childrens families. Then back to Saigon.

Today we will work half a day at the medical center and construction (that is everyone will stay at their own post) and then we will celebrate the Cambodian New Year (the Vietnamese New Year and Chinese New Year were on February 14th). We may go visit the garbage dump as the children did earlier this week. The community at the center will prepare us dinner. It is kind of nice. I have never eaten this much Vietnamese food at one time. Rose is pretty much living on Rice this week since everything else is mixed together. After that we are done for the week. Everyone leaves tomorrow. We are taking an airplane out of here while everyone else takes a bus. That is because we are trying to meet the children's families on Saturday. I will keep you posted on that endeavor.

The internet is very difficult here to say the least and I have to hit it at the right time of day or it is impossible to get through so most of the time I do this before I get ready in the am and it still sometimes will not go through. Anyway more about Wednesday. We sort of have a rhythm now and everything is going well but lots of people will not get seen. There are a lot of imperfections with our system but the way I see it we are getting the people in the community accustomed to seeing medical people and that is good (especially for the kids which there are so many of).

Rose and Jeremy played with the kids at the center. They and almost all the kids want nothing to do with parents at any time. I think that means they having a good time. The limited interactions I have with them are not easy since everyone is exhausted all of the time.

Today was interesting. First I became a phlebotomist (sp?) today which was kind of interesting. I enjoyed doing it actually. I was therefore pretty busy most of the day because a lot of people have to have blood drawn. We saw over 200 patients today which was similar to yesterday.

I walked back to the childrens center today to go to the bathroom and a little boy fell in front of me. He had a big head laceration (too big to let go). I was going to sew it up until we found out that center has insurance for the kids that come there and therefore he went to the clinic. I felt so bad for him.

More later since I have to go to dinner.......

Okay no pictures today. I cannot get them to upload today. Too slow. I will try again tomorrow.

Okay I just wrote this whole narrative of Tuesday and it all went away when I was trying to add pictures. Lesson learned. I will add them separately now. The internet is still not as good here as it is in the states but definitely better than 8 years ago.

Anyway, yesterday (Tuesday) started and ended similarly as Monday. We ate at a local Vietnamese restaurant which was very good. It is all very exhausting. We have to meet at 6:30 am and go eat (the kids meet later but have to get ready with me anyway). Then we take a bus to the restaurant and eat and then go to the medical center. We set up all of the stations (everything and I mean everything must be removed and taken away in the evening so it will not be removed during the night) and then the people are allowed to come through. They go through various stations with nurses (after registration) and then doctors if necessary and flouride treatments for the kids and hearing and vision test and then blood draws and vaccinations (if they have been tested). I sit at a table with the phlebotomists (but unfortunately they will not be there for the rest of the week) and help them if they have children. I may try to take their place but not sure.

The police came today and took some medicine but left it when they realized there was no profit. One of the translators I was with was so mad but there is nothing you can do. As it was when I was here the last time, the people seem to work around the system and seem to have a lot of spirit. They are very nice overall and love the children.

The kids that we brought manned the children center. They played games at did arts and crafts with the children and then put on a market. The market sold toys and household goods and food and other stuff to the children and families that regularly attend the center. The collected "money" by attending the center, going to school, etc. It was mass chaos but seemed very successful. The kids also went to the garbage dump. I have not spoken to them about it but I cannot imagine that it was not eye opening.

Anyway it was a very long day and now we start again today (Wednesday). Hopefully it will go well and it will definitely be hot.

MONDAY

Okay it is really hot. I have never been so happy for scrubs. They are cool compared to anything else I could have worn (except a swim suit). We saw over 700 people in the medical center. I have gone back to vaccinating which I have not done i a while. We are vaccinating for Hepatitis B. The people are all very nice and very hard workers. I have met lots of great people and kids both from here and the US.

The kids are working in the children center and being entertained. They are exhausted when it is time to go to bed. Today more children from the area will come to the children center and the kids and older helpers will do some projects with them.

Lots of great Vietnamese food. We are eating authentic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and lots of it because this heat makes you hungry.

Hello!!!

We did make it. The trip was long but the kids did great even with a slight delay in the onset of the trip. We arrived to the hotel at midnight and started sorting through supplies and donations (Our three suitcases were already sent to the site but we had two more to load from our regular suitcases. So it was almost 2 am before bed and up at 5 am to start Sunday. After a 6 hour bus trip we made it to the site and it is hot!!! Lots of work to do sorting through all of the donations. Then a meeting and finally dinner and now it is bedtime. Both Jeremy and Rose are making new friends already. Lots of work tomorrow. The kids go to the school team and I go to the medical team (700 patients expected---I am supposed to help with height and weight in the clinic). Have to be ready to go at 6 am. I included some pictures of the drive down and of some of the center as well.

Okay slight problem in San Francisco. Our plane went up for repairs so they had to get another one (I would not imagine that is easy with a 747 but whatever). Anyway we sat around for a while and then decided to go eat. We found a great Japanese restaurant---Jeremy had eel and Rose had rice. It was actually pretty good considering it is at an airport. Now we are waiting again.

Hello,

YEAH!!! We made it out of the house. We have 6 bags packed full to the brim and overflowing with supplies and donations thanks to all the wonderful generosity. The kids are tired but doing great. We are in San Francisco waiting for the long long flight to Hong Kong and then Saigon (HoChiMin City)

Planning the trip

We are also going to visit both kids families while we are there so we will be very busy in the country. Our packing and going slowly right now but we are getting very excited.

Welcome to our site. We are in the process of packing and making sure everything is in order for us to go on our trip. We received our visas in the mail today. Wow! It is getting close.