Sister Cecilia Nguyen, CCSS, writes:
I am leaving for Vietnam on July 1 for a 4 weeks mission trip. I will be with my religious community, Community of Charity and Social Services in Vietnam In addition to visiting our various mission locations in Vietnam, we will also be traveling to several rural areas in Vietnam where many families are struggling: Nghe An (north Vietnam), Kien Giang (southwest of Vietnam), and Dami & Daguri (many Montagnard/tribal people live here).
We hope to distribute bicycles to 50 students from each area who have no bikes to commute to school (there are no school bus in Vietnam; most have to walk to school if no bikes are available).
Our goal is to raise money for 150 bicycles at $50 per bike. To this date we have raised 50 bicycles. In addition, we hope to distribute about 1,000 pairs of sandals at $2 each for the children as well as the elderly.
WE NEED HELP TO REACH OUR GOAL: 100 bicycles = $5,000 1,000 pairs of sandals = $2,000
More after the jump about the importance of the bicycles, from a pastor:
Phi Loc Parish, where I am currently ministering, is a poor parish located in the rural area. We have families here who have three, four children who are still in school but have only one bicycle. If one child rides the bicycle to school, his/her siblings will have to walk to school. Even though the parents love their children, they cannot provide for their children's needs. It is already a struggle for the parents to feed, provide clothings, and pay for their children's tuition in school (school is NOT free in Vietnam). The 10 children who received the 10 new and beautiful bicycles repeated among themselves: "This is like a dream." I feel sorry for the children standing nearby and not receiving a bicycle like other children.If you would like to contribute, you can do so by sending a check:
Great joy appeared on the faces of the children who received the bicycles, while deep sadness could be detected on the faces of other children who watched and wish they too could be so lucky. These children asked me: "Father, will we ever have bicycles like those? Their question prompted sadness within me, and I could not answer their question directly, but only reassured them with these words: "My children... try to be good, diligent in your studies, and pray constantly and God will provide. Dear Sisters... Once again, on behalf of the children in our parish, we want to express our sincere gratitude to you and our benefactors and keep us in your prayers. Phi Loc Parish....April 27, 2008... Rev. Joseph Linh Dinh Nguyen."
CCSS
c/o Sr. Cecilia Nguyen
PO BOX 29555
Washington, DC 20017
Or by going to Sister Cecilia's "Vietnam Dream for Success" website and contributing via Paypal.
Drop Sister an email to let her know that it's for the bikes.
I have helped Sister out before to raise funds to house boarding students in Vietnam.
Last week, we talked about "Theo's Work" in Haiti and before that the Mustard Seed Communities, also in the Caribbean - check them out if you missed it.
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Amy,
Thanks for providing the opportunity to make little differences. BTW, the PayPal link provides a space for "Instructions to Seller". The bishop may not get as much in the annual appeal.
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