Opportunities...Time for you to take a step? (click on photo to enlarge)

As you look at the blog and you're prompted, please contact us for additional information. There are opportunities to go as a volunteer...Most likely there is a need for whatever you're interested in. There are also volunteer opportunities without going. Volunteers helped set up the blog, develop our logo, donated medical supplies, teddy bears, toys...even the money to buy pigs, books and turkeys. In Laos, school stops for deaf children at 8th grade. A volunteer is helping develop the needed sign language curriculum. You want to go play with orphans, plant a garden, install a sprinkler system for the garden, paint, install a shower or two or three, fix something, teach something? The need is there. If someone would've told me 5 years ago that I'd be spending vacations in SE Asia (it's definitely a working vacation), I wouldn't have believed them. Now I wake up every day thinking about the people and the needs there, and what we can do to contribute to their lives. Like our friend Vilat says, "If we wait till we have enough time or enough money to start, we never will." Take a step, you'll be blessed as a result. Southeast Asia Healthcare Partners, Inc., is a non-profit Texas corporation that serves elderly and orphans in SE Asia. We are all volunteers.

How could we say no?

We couldn't...

Reflections

LAOS - We had great meetings with government officials in Laos and are beginning to get a picture of the needs of the disabled there. There is no one advocating for the elderly at this point, although a national committee has been established to evaluate their needs. Mentally and physically disabled cared for and housed behind/under a stadium is indelibly imprinted on our minds. Deaf education stops at 8th grade in Laos. Surely there is someone out there who can help with high school deaf curriculum. After all, the sign language is universal. Laos seems primed for improved care for the elderly and other disabled people. They have requested a copy of our Vietnam Conference DVD. We need guidance in how we are to proceed in working there.

VIETNAM - Thanks to Dr. Nguyen accompanying us, this trip gave us a much better understanding of healthcare overall in the country. We experienced so much, visiting hospitals, medical school, nutrition institute and facilities for the disabled that were painful to see. We had meetings with significant Vietnamese influencers. The enthusiastic response to the Caring for the Elderly Conference and subsequent training was inspiring. Much of the work in Vietnam was physically and emotionally draining. Visiting SS3 on our final day was a blessing as we saw first hand results from some of our efforts and were welcomed as family members there. We were humbled that their staff paid a half day's salary or more ($2.50) for our lunch. It was also humbling that when we gave a little money to be spread among the staff in the Executive Lounge of the hotel for their excellent service, the supervisor initially didn't want to accept it, saying we should give it to the poor people we were there serving (he was aware of our work)...his employees make about $200/month.

OTHER THOUGHTS - Folks at home praying for us, as well as praying for the people we were there to serve...the building of our faith as we did things we hadn't done before, frequently being called upon to give a speech or even TV interview without advance notice. Gifts of medical supplies, transfer vests, toys, teddy bears, and unexpected financial contributions warmed our hearts and made a difference in the lives of others. An attitude of gratitude for family, friends and our way of life. Respect and deepening friendship for our co-workers who went above and beyond any reasonable expectation. While we were taking vacation time, to consider it a vacation would require a significant re-definition. Perspective about what is really important. Serving others...Friendship. Divine appointments. Our dependence on Divine guidance... This isn't about us.

Most of you reading this know someone on our team...you can be assured that they represented their God, their country and their profession well on this trip.

Return to SS3 (Click on photo to enlarge)

How exciting to see ongoing improvements at SS3. They proudly told us they were getting ready to sell one of the donated pigs (big now) to buy some more little pigs. The turkeys are apparently fertile as there are more than a dozen. This is just the way we envisioned the program, and it's so exciting to see the enthusiasm of the elderly resident who feeds the pigs. They have even installed two flushing toilets (shared by 18 residents) in one of the elderly buildings. Although we expressed concern when they told us they were hosting a feast for us and that we were there to serve them, they fed us lunch. How humbling when we found out later that they had collected approximately $2.50 from each employee (they work a 72 hour/week and make about $100/month) to feed us and another group of volunteers (from Australia) that was there that day. We were told it was their desire to welcome us as family members...next time we will be the ones throwing the feast. The Australian group is focusing on the orphans and providing supplements for the babies. We demonstrated techniques taught at Wednesday's conference and distributed donated medical supplies and toys. I wish all the donors (books, toys, medical supplies, transfer vests, and money) could have been there to see the difference their gifts are making in peoples' lives. There is still a lot to be done here, but it was a significant contrast to the other facilities we visited, and was an encouragement to us and the work we are doing, which after the day before was sorely needed.

A Sad Story (click on photo to enlarge)

We went to an oncology hospital, a childrens' hospital with 2-3 patients in every bed (you read that right) and some facilities for disabled we hadn't seen before. This was hard to witness. We did have one real moment of success in one of the facilities where we trained them to use the transfer vest. The resident who had apparently not walked for some time was so excited he started clapping and almost jumping up and down... The staff there were also given a new vision of what is possible... these are just a few of the photos, and not the worst. Six babies in one bed...squalor most of us wouldn't allow for our pets. I can't remember anything more draining... Divine intervention is required for real change here...the next post will be more uplifting.

Conference Day (Click on photo to enlarge)

The Caring for The Elderly Conference was amazingly well received. A little over 100 were in attendance. DOLISA (government agency) and GVI (NGO) both expressed that the conference exceeded their expectations and the attendees were most attentive in spite of the extra time taken for translation. It was the first conference I've been at where participants took photos of us as we gave our presentations. We were able to video the presentations and will be able to send a copy of the DVD to the Ministry of Health in Laos as well as to others who requested copies. Fortunately Dr. Nguyen was able to navigate any hard-to-translate medical terms to make them understandable for the participants. All participants were given a copy of his book, a certificate of attendance, and the representative facilities were given donated medical supplies and transfer vests. The remaining days will involve visiting the participants' facilities and giving hands on demonstration/training to reinforce the topics covered at the conference.

From 5 Star to Suffering Disabled to Hope

We were greeted with large boquets at the SOS Children's Village in Vientiane. This organization is worldwide and was very impressive...5 Star compared to others we have seen in SE Asia. (click on photos to make them larger)

It went downhill pretty rapidly from there...we ran all day (ended up with about 7 appointments) and mid-fternoon landed at a facility (I use the term very loosely) for 40 disabled children. It was one of the most disturbing scenes we have seen...the photos make it look better than it actually is. The "facility" is mostly outside, behind and in the bowels of a stadium. The room with the beds houses 6 or 7. The Director lives onsite in unbelievable conditions. How she smiles is beyond me. We didn't want to leave that place without doing something to help. Hopefully we will be able to help facilitate at least a clean up of that place and improve the conditions...believe it or not, people pay to leave their kids there for the day.

Our last visit in Laos prior to heading to the airport and back to Hanoi was with Dr. Nao Boutta, Director of the Ministry of Health. The discussion was very hopeful as we discussed the needs of the elderly in Laos. As you can see in the photo, we presented Dr. Nao a "transfer vest" as a sample of something that can be very helpful with disabled people of all ages. He was most enthused with the potential of the vest in Laos, where transfer equipment is not readily available. High points of the Laos portion of the trip were the receptions we received at the Department of Social Welfare and Ministry of Health, where requests were made for video of our upcoming conference in Hanoi, the enthusiasm for the vest (we took 3 as samples), requests for Dr. Nguyen's book and their offer to take us into outlying areas. They also requested that we collaborate with them to improve care for the elderly...our passion.


When is that jet going to arrive???

Wednesday in Laos

We enjoyed dinner on the Mekong River with Dr. Intong, a nutrition officer, and his friend. An exceptional dinner for four was $29 and no tip expected. I left 50,000 kip which migh have resulted in an obscene gesture in the U.S., but was greeted with a warm smile and bow here. What a difference 10,000 miles makes. Thursday we have 5 appointments, 2 with government officials, 2 visits to facilities of some kind and dinner with the grandson of the first Communist President of Laos. Please pray for these meetings and that we'll be worthy amassadors... We asked an English speaking Laotian how to say "God bless you" in Lao yesterday. After conferring with 2 others, she informed us that she didn't know....

Monday in Hanoi - Tuesday Lao PDR Arrival

After riding motorbikes to the pottery village and eating lunch at a goat restaurant, we dropped by artist Minh Son's place for continued fellowship with him and to admire his art. Maybe one day we will own one of his paintings. Minh Son and Sherman Chau provided the motorbike adventure and Minh Son would have nothing to do with our offer to buy lunch.


We ended Monday at a truly 5 Star dinner that our friend Tan's wife prepared for us. It was an unbelievable Vietnamese meal, exceeded only by the fellowship enjoyed with Tan's family. It was humbling to climb 5 stories (no elevator) in an area that would frighten most Americans, to a 400-500 sq ft apartment for a family of four and to hear Tan tell us of his desire to be able to help the poor more. While their home may be small, there is nothing small about the love and happiness we experienced there. Tan's wife is an attorney and an extraordinary cook.

Minh Son and Tan have become genuine friends...what a blessing to know them.





Our trip to Vientiane started with a plane ride from Hanoi. The guy sitting next to me...from Ft. Worth and a friend of the lady who interviewed Steve and me on Lao TV.

There was/is much uncertainty about our trip here. We had no set appointments with government officials prior to our arrival. Within minutes of landing we received an email that we have two that we most wanted and a third in the works. O ye of little faith... We are having dinner tomorrow night with Dr. Intong, who we met in May. I'm hoping we duplicate that dinner at a restaurant on the Mekong River overlooking Thailand.


Dave and I got lost while walking around this afternoon, but did manage to find a Joma Coffee and Bakery. Two kind students, who appeared to be young teens, led us back to the hotel. The girl didn't want to accept the small offer of 30,000 kip as a reward. "I just wanted to help you." It was touching and we finally convinced her to take it.


Looking forward to the next couple of days here in Vientiane. We have meetings scheduled with the Department of Social Welfare, and the Department of Retirement, Disability and Handicap. We will also be going to two places that work with these people. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also working to get us an appointment with the Ministry of Health. Later today we will be meeting with Dr. Intong, who we enjoyed dinner with on our previous visit. He is an excellent resource.