Receiving open letter from Nam Nhu Primary School and in response to God’s word in the Bible
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and truth” the Charity Board of the Love In Action Committee had called for sponsorship and help for Nam Nhu Primary School, Nam Po district, Dien Bien province since August 12, 2020 until Aug 30, 2020. After 18 days of calling, we have received cash support of 86 million VND and in-kind about 4 million VND, the total amount raised is 90 million VND (equivalent to USD 3.900), not included donated clothes (list of donators as in the attached picture). Total spending amount in the Program is 74 (equivalent to 3.200) million VND (outstanding is 16 million VND equivalent to USD 700), detail as the attached pictures. The outstanding amount we would transfer to the next charity program planned on Quarter IV/2020.
Thank God for the answer to our prayers. Thank for the contribution, intercession, encouragement and dedication of God's children and donors who do not believe in God yet but have trusted and supported us. Thank to the volunteers for their time and effort to collect, sort, pack, transport and distribute gifts to the students. At the same time, we also thank the churches, local authorities, the school administrators in Nam Nhu commune for coordinating and helping us to implement this program well. Below is the trip report.
At 7:00 am on August 31, 2020, we (5 men and 4 women) divided into 2 cars, departing from 2 locations in Hanoi City. Both vehicles are pickup trucks, loaded with backpacks, sandals, books, notebooks, and gifts, one owned by Pastor Vu Minh Tuan - Thanh Cong Congregation, and another owned by Mr. Pham Trung Ha - Head of the Charity Board of the Love In Action Committee.
Traveling over a distance of about 500km, we arrived at a motel in Dien Bien Phu City at around 8pm. We are very happy to travel together, to be together, and to do this work together.
At 6:00 am on September 1, 2020, after praying, we departed for Nam Nhu commune, Nam Po district, Dien Bien province. The distance is only about 150km but it was the hardest to go with landslides, slippery and muddy, some team members getting car sick, one time we had to stop to tie up a cargo box which was about to fall. On the way, we stopped to register at the Quarantine Station and declare medical status at Nam Po District Medical Center.
Here, we were also picked up and guided by brothers from the local congregation on motorbikes. The more we go, the more we feel the difficulties and suffering in the life of the upland people. When it comes to transportation, there are still many difficulties to travelThe bridges here are still bamboo bridges with a surface made of bamboo and leaves. The flood on the morning of August 17 also caused a bridge to be washed away and left 128 households isolated due to landslides and bridge drifting. The total local damage amounted to a few billion VND.
At around 12:15 pm, we arrived at the house of Mr. Hoang A Ky - pastor of the Nam Nhu 1 Village Church. Waiting at Mr. Ky’s house to welcome us were representatives of local authorities: Mr. Giang Nhe Chu - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Nhu Commune, Association of the Elderly, Border Police, and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy - Principal of Nam Nhu Primary School for Ethnic Minority, representatives of the Church in Nam Po district and some teachers in the school.
We were invited to a meal at Mr. Ky's house and had a pleasant conversation with the local government officials, the people, and God's children here.
Around 1:30 pm, we started to drive the car to the cargo gathering place to bring the goods to the school. Because bridges were collapsed, cars could not go directly, we were helped by a large number of people and local authorities, unloading goods from cars and then transporting goods to the school by motorbike.
We were present at the yard of Nam Nhu Primary School around 2:15 pm. The 20,000 m2 land that the school was built up was donated by Mr. Hoang A Ky (Year of birth 1973) - Hmong ethnic: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/nhan-ai/chuyen-nguoi-hien-dat-xay-truong-o-nam-po-20200712223202847.html
It was not yet the beginning day of the new school year, so only a few students nearby came to receive gifts, the rest would receive gifts from the school on the beginning day. In total, we have given the school 463 gifts for elementary students, each gift includes 01 backpack, 05 notebooks, 02 pens, 01 pen box, 02 pencils, 01 ruler, 01 pencil eraser, 01 pencil sharpener, and 01 pair of plastic sandals (worth about 200,000 VND / gift/student); Besides, there are primary textbooks and gifts for 80 preschool students including slippers, comic books, writing notebooks and 300 notebooks for middle school students.
Local government representatives and polices also present to receiving and checking gifts with us and the school.
Talking to us, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy - School principal said: the school and the students are very happy when the delegation came to help. Most of the students here are from very poor families, they don’t have enough food and clothes, so it is a problem to take care of books and supplies for the children to go to school. Especially when the historic flood happened, the situation became even more difficult. With the school, the houses of 2 teachers were also swept away by the flood, and all their property, furniture, and public service buildings were badly damaged. Therefore, the help was timely, necessary, and meaningful.
At about 2:40 pm we left the school to meet, socialize and have fellowship with the churches. First, we went to Nam Nhu 1 Village Church managed by Mr. Hoang A Ky. The road to the church was not possible to travel by car, so we were transported on motorbikes by the brothers in the congregation. The church here has about 600-700 members, with about 300 regular attendants every Sunday in worship and study of God's Word. Here, we sang together in praise of God and shared God's Word. Here the Love In Action Committee also gave gifts to church representatives to contribute to the general fund of the church along with all the new and old clothes we collected and sorted.
Afterward, we went to Nam Nhu 3 Village Church, managed by Pastor Thao A Tam. This place to worship God was newly built, spacious and clean, it is all contributed by members of the village to build together, especially the hard work of the deacons, and Mr. Giang A Ky - Head of the village.
Here, we talked and listened to the difficulties and demands for the help of the congregation and local members. The deacon of the church said: Currently, the church here does not have a living place for a pastor, at the same time the believers here and the church administrators are still very difficult economically. People do not have an economic development orientation, so their lives are still difficult and unstable, it affects worshipping and doing God's work too. People want to be guided to have a career to help their economic life more stable.
Although we wanted to stay to talk more, we didn't have enough time. We had to leave at 4:45 pm (originally planned to leave at 3 pm). Due to the road was difficult to travel and it was getting dark quickly, we arrived at the hotel at 12 midnight. It was truly a very meaningful and long day. We are looking forward to coming back next time with more time to learn and share.
Thank God our Lord for His blessing this trip! We would like to give thanks once again for the help of the churches, members, volunteers, and all benefactors who have helped us implement this program. May God bless you more and more!
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