Thanksgiving makes me thankful for all we have and all those we know. This year I am especially thankful that I get to be home with most of our family, even though we are missing those that aren't here. Reflecting on that reminds me of how and why we ended up in Vietnam in the first place.
Son Michael surrounded by Teach Me to Fish kids in 2008
Big sister giving her brother a ride from our trip in 2008.
Most of the people I know also know Son Michael Pham. Son Michael is the reason John and I are in
Vietnam. To understand how we got from a
Sammamish family to nomads living in Haiphong I need to go back in time, all
the way to 2003 and the SAMMI Awards.
The SAMMI’s, as we like to call them, came about after the
nightmare of September 11, 2001. A group of people from Sammamish got together
to try to understand what in the world had happened, and what could they do to
try to heal our community. I wasn't in
the room, but what I understand is that this group of visionaries decided the
best way to tackle the horror of what happened was to tell the stories of
people who do good things, actually people doing great things in our
community. They got busy and in three
months had a list of nominees; a first class performance by the SammamishSymphony and local businesses who were willing to help foot the bill.
By the 2nd year the SAMMI’s were getting more
notice and more nominees. I was lucky
enough to be a part of the team that helped put together the second celebration. One of those receiving an award happened to
be Mr. Pham. We found out that he would
not be in the country for the ceremony so Son Michael’s wife Judy gallantly
accepted the award on his behalf. Because
of that association I got to know this good man and have been lucky enough to
tag along and watch him do what he does best, giving service above self.
To try to make a very long story somewhat shorter, Son and
his family were living in South Vietnam during the Vietnam American war. His father was a high ranking military
officer which put the elder Mr. Pham and his family in grave danger after the U.S
pulled out of Vietnam. They had a
harrowing escape and spent years rebuilding their lives in the US, a place that
at that time really didn't want them.
But they did rebuild their lives.
From the battle field to the railroad yard, the elder Mr. Pham and his
wife, and Son Michael as the oldest of five children, supported their family
while they struggled to adapt to their new home, learn the language and
survive.
Son Michael eventually made his way back to Vietnam 20 years
after their escape. He saw the need for
support in Vietnam, especially for those who couldn’t help themselves. This included orphans, veterans and others
injured in the war or by the artillery left behind, and the many veterans and
children who are suffering from the effects of Agent Orange. Through his work there he started KidsWithout Borders, a non-profit that is twofold.
One – it inspires youth into service, by example and by support,
allowing these young people to create their own projects and to volunteer while
mentoring them through the process. The
second part is the support that these efforts offer to others. The beneficiaries in the U.S include the
Ronald McDonald House and the Tukwila Clothing Bank, although there are many,
many more those are the two in the U.S that KWB is currently most active
with. Youth from all over the world
contact Chu Son (he is known to them as
Uncle Son) and ask for his support as they hold fabulous fund raisers and
events or volunteer for months at a time at a KWB supported organization which
is often an orphanage in Vietnam, usually one with children with developmental
disabilities.
In 2007 with students from the KWB Teach Me To Fish Program
In 2006 the summer before our daughter Maggie entered her
senior year at Eastlake High School, she came to me saying that she wanted to
do something that would make a difference. Not only for herself, but for
someone else. She wanted to work with younger kids somehow. At Eastlake they do (or did) a senior project.
We decided to meet with Son Michael to pick his brain on what she could
do. That is how five months later
Maggie, myself and Christina our 22 year old daughter were on a midnight plane
to Hanoi, Vietnam with Son Michael, a handful of Vietnam veterans and several
others who were joining together for this HumaniTour.
To say this trip changed our lives is putting it
mildly. For myself and the girls it was
our first international travel – unless you call driving over the border to
Canada international travel. Having the Vietnam Veterans on this trip was a
bonus. Together we lugged suitcases of
clothes, books and school supplies to orphanages in town and way out of
town. Usually traveling by bus on roads
that buses don’t travel. We held disfigured
children that don’t get held very often.
We played games and took older kids for a once in lifetime trip to a
fancy hotel for a swim and dinner out.
We had a meal prepared by disadvantaged kids who were lucky enough to
get a scholarship to learn the restaurant trade. We had a crash course in the Vietnamese
culture. We came to understand why these
people are so proud and work so hard. I
fell in love with the beauty of Vietnam and its people and 12 months later John
and I were back on another HumaniTour with Son Michael. Some of the things we did were the same, some
were very different, but it was just as impressive. I just got back from my third trip with Son Michael
(November 2014). If possible this trip held even more meaning for me. It was challenging, exciting, and very moving.
Maybe it is because it was such a small group this time, or maybe it was
because I spent more one on one time with some of the most severely disabled
children.
Maggie handing out treats
Christina holding one of the younger children at Go Vap Orphanage in HCMC
Traveling by bus to one of the rural areas of Vietnam so help open a school
When I started writing today, I was going to write about
that last trip. But I think this is long
enough. I am on my way home for a long
visit and then when I return I will join Son Michael once again as he tours
Vietnam bringing with him this time a group of businesspeople from Seattle.
When thinking of Son Michael and the SAMMI’s I am so grateful
for all the mentors I have had in my life.
Besides Son Michael, every single one of those people who sat down and
came up with the SAMMI Awards have had a huge influence on me. When you surround yourself with such great
people you just have to have a great life, right? Son Michael was a major influence in John’s
receiving his position in Vietnam, which is slowly changing who we are. Unfortunately,
I had to leave John in Haiphong all alone (except for those 2 million other
Haiphong people) while I travel back to be surrounded by friends and
family. Being alone together has been
really good for us. Thankfully he will
follow in 3 weeks for a longish visit. And
of course being thankful is what this week is all about.
With John in 2007 on Ha Long Bay
and early this month in Hanoi
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