Feedback from our meeting with the students

I arrived safely home in Ho Chi Minh City this afternoon, and am considering what to do with myself for the next few days until Jessica returns.

A few days ago I received a forwarded email containing a letter sent by Vy, a student I met last week who is being sponsored to study by Jessica. ( please see: http://ayearinindochina.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-visit-to-some-vietnamese-students.html ) 

We visited Vy as well as some fellow students who are being sponsored by Jessica and by Nguyet. Nguyet is a friend of Jessica's who is now retired and spends her time co-ordinating the sponsorship of students in Ho Chi Minh City. After our meeting Vy wrote a moving letter to Jessica and Nguyet, which was translated into English. She has suffered from an undiagnosed illness for many years of her life, and is able to study at university because of the support of Jessica and Nguyet. I also received some more photographs from the meeting, which Nguyet had taken. I will post them both here.

Tu

Nguyet with Trung

Vy's letter:

Dear Jessica and Mrs Nguyet,

Last night was a memorable night not only for me but also for all of my friends who had met you in that night. I have many words to say but It’s hard to begin. When I rode the bike on my way back to the room, I still had deeply impression of our appointment. I was moved when I met you and Mrs Nguyet, I could meet and talk to you as well as I received the advices from Mrs Nguyet. You are so pretty and friendly, you always smile like sunshine, especially you also have 2 dimples like me. I wish I could talk to you more but I know my English is not good to response you in English, I can understand your questions but it’s so pity that my vocabulary is not enough to tell you what I want to tell. I will do my best to learn English so that I can communicate with you in English later on.

I was introduced to 2 ex-students like Ms Tue and Mr Pho. Both of them are really good and hard working. I was impressed by them especially Ms Tue because I had chance to share with her more. I heard about her difficult situation when she was a student, she had overcome many periods in university, in life and she also received the help and sharing from Mrs Nguyet. Now she becomes a successful engineer and good at English. Thanks to her interpretation, you understood my messages. It was 10 PM and now 1 AM already, time is flying. I had many things in my mind but it seems not enough to tell. In this world, whoever was born in their own way, we can’t change whoever we become but we can change our life. It depends on us. If we are strong, do our best to overcome all the difficulties and never give up, do not let the destiny beat us, I believe all of us will have a brighter future. All of my friends whom I met in that night had a very hard time in their life but they did their best to fight with it, to overcome it. We must face it, do not give up easily because If we can win one difficulty, we can continue to fight with next challenges in our life and our mind will become stronger and stronger. Keep moving ahead with a strong heart to reach the better future is our aim. All of my friends are people of spirit, even they have a very strictly life. I saw the disables, who were affected  by the consequence of the war, agent orange, did their best to prove that the physical and spirit pain can’t stop their steps.  I am not exception, after many serious difficulties have passed over, I am writing to my supporters to thank to you for your help and sharing. Without your help in the pass, I won’t be here typing this email to you. My hands are shaking and I have pain on my eyes due to my sickness, it also make me painful inside my body as well as other parts of the body, but I try not to give up to keep my dream and desire alive in my mind. Once Buddha doesn't provide us a perfect body, he will compensate other good things. I was affected by my friends in Tu’s room last night. I was really moved to see that Phu has no arm but he still can write and even write very beautifully, he can do everything else like a normal person. Other friends also have their old difficulties but they always smile, keep trying in their life. They are really good for me to follow. It is so ashamed to see other people who have 2 arms and 2 legs, think of giving up if they face a challenge.

I wasn’t lucky enough to have good health as others. I just wish I am a healthy person, my mind is conscious, comfortable and easy going in one day but I get familiar with my life in the pass and continue up to now. I accepted it and continue to take medicine to maintain my life. I know I can lose my life anytime, this feeling make me worry but I am lucky to have my parents and you, Mrs Nguyet besides me. I feel so sorry to my parents that they have to worry for me everyday, every time the pain comes so that I try to handle my pain, keep silence and not to tell them. I cry in the night when thinking of the sadness I bring to my parents. They work very hard to support me.  I promise to myself to try, to study hard and never give up the fight with my destiny and succeed because of my parents, my brother and your support. I admire sister Tue and brother Pho, I want to succeed like them. Last night I received from Mrs Nguyet the sponsor of 1.2million VND for 2 months. I am really thankful to you for your support. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate your help as well as Mrs Nguyet’s. I know there are a lot of challenges coming but I strongly believe that I will overcome them because I had been through many bitter feelings in the life. Life is a glass of black coffee, you just taste it, you feel bitter but then you will feel it become sweet gradually. I wish you and Mrs Nguyet always happy, healthy and I think you will be very happy to see our smile.

Love you so much.