making a difference while travelling

We have 8 weeks before we depart for an adventure in Vietnam. The 6 of us will be roughing it over there: catching overnight trains, sleeping in huts, eating street food, mixing it with the locals. My husband and I can’t wait…the kids have no idea what’s going to hit them!

We’ve been planning on where to visit and stay and what activities we’re doing…and in all of that planning we’re lucky to have organised a stay at an orphanage in Hue and to visit a children’s blind centre in Ho Chi Minh City. Our Australian contact, Father Joe continually helps this orphanage and this is where we will be able to help out on any way we can while we stay for a couple of nights. All the orphans here stay free of charge. They have nothing. The running of the orphanage is in constant need of money to pay for bills, workers, maintenance and educational materials. Many of the children have a disability and receive no physiotherapy or speech intervention. The nuns and workers all work as best they can to provide the best they can for these children.

So my kids and I got thinking about raising money for this orphanage, taking over some money and going to purchase what they need. We cannot take ‘stuff’ with us as we are backpackers so that’s not going to work. Father Joe has said the best way is to take money with us and while we are there to go shopping with the workers for what they are in need of. The Vietnamese are still under a communist government, and that means there is no human services or department overseeing social welfare initiatives assisting the poor. disabled and alone.

To me this will be a highlight of our trip to Vietnam. Letting out young children see for themselves the plight of so many kids (there ages too) and how so fortunate they are to live in Australia and have whatever they need at their fingertips – food, medicine, education, assistance, opportunities. Above and below are some of the photos Father Joe has sent us so we can get a glimpse of the orphanage before we arrive. He is pictured with the orphans.

The plan is to have a mindset of being global citizens. We are all here breathing the same air, needing food, water, love and sleep to survive. I cannot wait to see and hear my children’s thoughts when we get there. Will keep you posted! 8 weeks to go…yipppeee!