I feel vulnerable about yesterday's email. I let you see a little of me. I know it brought a few tears and made some uncomfortable. I guess I am sorry but probably not. Especially since today's emails seem to bring up the same emotions in me as when I reread yesterdays.

So am I sorry? I don't know... I guess I wish all we had to talk about was the fun times of swimming or taking orphans out to lunch. But there is so much more. We first must help the kids. We MUST do what I so often call "triage relief". Then and only then can we move on to development and helping them to fulfill their dreams and oh yah eat some ice cream and swim!

Here is 2 our team members journals of their experiences;

Marianne Smith; Teacher, Philadelphia

"Okay, I have a confession to make. In my first few days in Viet Nam I had moments when I really wanted to turn around and go home. I missed my kids, my familiar and predictable life, my stuff, my bed, my friends- a world where I belonged and was not a stranger. I like adventure, I like taking risks sometimes, but this was clearly over the top and it was forcing me to depend only on God and a bunch of strangers and I was not comfortable.

Her eyes said it all

 Until Yesterday. We went to the office of GIBTK and watched as Robert interviewed seven mothers each with a child in need of heart surgery. I did not understand all of what was being said as each mother explained her need. But I understood the faces and the eyes and the body language. 

"Her heart seemed outside her chest"

We looked eye to eye

Kathie ("my" always crying) I.T. specialist from Denver Colorado

Birthday wishes

If you ever want to touch the heart of someone, try just looking in their eyes.  When the tears won't stop you'll know you have possibly gotten to the heart of things!  The most transparent aspect of this mission trip has been relating to these people with their eyes!   Language, culture, complete world life differences and all the connection is with the eyes.  What touches the eyes of an American who has it all - real poverty and a genuine smiling face!  Try a room full of orphans singing happy birthday to YOU and giving you a friendship bracelet. 

"Same place as last year"

Visit an orphanage with disabled kids filling a room, sitting and laying four to a bed that Scott says were in that same place last year!  Watch their eyes light up with as we play with a little white balloon David blew up.  The boy hits the balloon in the air and it flies out the door and we run to catch it - and listen to their laughter!  Then catch the balloon, give it back and watch the delight in his eyes as he hits the balloon out the door again.  Do that again and again and then try watch their eyes as you have to leave.

Needing a new home

Try giving the most gentle woman, holding her small child with another asleep in a small hammock, the news that GIBTK will be building them a new house, which today consists of a tin roof, walls that are just the neighbors cement walls and a piece of wood for a bed.  Don't even look for a kitchen, but look for a pan and possibly a small place for a fire or traces of rice and then you'll see a glimpse of what they experience every day!

Then hold a baby that has a flat head and worse from not being held, and look around and see ten of them!  Or play with a little girl for an hour and see her run back and forth through all the visitors with your little fan - Can you see her life of simplicity, or is it?  Then as she writes her name in purple magic marker on your palm and another writes his name on your other palm, try to wash that experience away! 

1 of two girls who will now be able to wear shoes

Or how about the two girls you have the opportunity to change their lives and sponsor operations to fix one's twisted club foot and her friend in the next bed with two toes. Then imagine needing $2,600 dollars - yes dollars for your child's heart surgery.  Put your hand on their heart and feel it pounding through their shirt and look in their mom's eyes, tears for hope and fear I'd imagine, I just can't.  Try living on $35 dollars a month, yes a month.  Then try to not cry when you pray~

><((((º>  BBlessed