“We are so fortunate to be where we are in life so we have to always remember the ones that are not so lucky.”

These are the simple words that my mom has always reminded me as I was growing up.  From a poor village in South Vietnam to a refugee camp in the Philippines and finally to the suburbs of America, my mom has always wanted to ensure a brighter future for me and my siblings.  She insisted that the best method was through hard work and education.  By the encouragement of my family, especially my mom, I was determined to work in the health care field and I vowed to help those that were less fortunate.  Thus when I heard about the mission of Viet Toc Foundation, I was instantly gravitated to the idea of assisting the minority children in Vietnam.

I learned about Viet Toc Foundation from the many volunteers, including my mom and Father Vang, and from the fundraising events.  The idea that these children did not have the basic necessities of life, such as clean water, clothes, medicine, shelter, etc, had a profound effect on me.  The reason these children have such an impact on me is that it could have easily been me in their shoes if my family did not leave Vietnam when we did.

When Father Vang asked me to join him on a medical mission this summer in Vietnam, I could not refuse!  I wanted a chance to see these children first hand and to help them in any way I could.  This was my chance to be with these children and to learn about their daily struggles.  I cannot wait to be a part of this great cause.

by Kim Hoa