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.

Arrival

Dave's first trip out of North America...you know you're on a long trip when you get to Japan and you're not there yet.















After visiting an international church and eating lunch we went to Hoa Lo Prison, commonly known as the Hanoi Hilton. A sobering place.







As you can see, one day and David is acclimated to life in Vietnam. He is like a giant here.

It's been a fun first day as we adjust to 12 hour time zone change. Folks at the hotel remember me (Mark) from previous stays, we filled up our frequent eater card at lunch (Al Frescos, an Aussie owned favorite), so our next one is free!

A surprise for Dave...wild/crazy Hanoi traffic and all the near misses had him cringing in the front seat.

Toys and Medical Supplies on the way...

Four suitcases of donated medical supplies, toys, stuffed animals, transfer vests are half way to Hanoi. Here they are before being closed up for the trip. Next time you see these they'll be in use. The rest of the team is bringing several more suitcases full when they travel next week.

David and I (Mark) made it to Tokyo. Flight attendant from DFW-Tokyo was the same one on Mark/Steve's May trip. He and Mark exchanged contact info...He and his wife both have Harleys and invited Mark to call him next trip to Seattle.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement.

Pre-Trip Meeting

Dr. and Mrs. Nguyen hosted a Board Meeting and volunteers meeting to discuss the upcoming trip to Laos and Vietnam. November 16-19 we will be conducting training and the first annual Caring for the Elderly Conference in Hanoi.
Pictured left to right: Dr. Y Duc Nguyen-Medical Adviser, Gary Anderson-Board Member, Mark Hemingway-Board Member, Steve Johnson-Board Member, Paula Hemingway-Board Member, Loan Nguyen-Board Member, David Hemingway-Volunteer, Melody Malone-Board Member and Joleann Beene-Board Member. Not pictured (someone had to take the picture) is Lee Lanham-Volunteer. Hope you'll follow our trip and consider how you might partner with us...Volunteer, Pray, Support. Want more information, just let us know....we're an open book. We have been overwhelmed by the people who have volunteered time helping us develop a logo, set up this blog, supported our volunteers financially and prayerfully, and who have given us an amazing amount of supplies, toys, etc., for the elderly and orphans we serve. You'll see some of these items in upcoming posts.

Upcoming November Trip/Caring For The Elderly Conference

Dr. and Mrs. Duc Nguyen, Joleann Beene, R.N., Melody Malone, P.T., Steve Johnson, his daughter Therissa Johnson, R.N., Mark and David Hemingway will be traveling to Hanoi in November. The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) has invited us to conduct an annual Caring For The Elderly Conference. The NGO, Glocal Ventures, Inc., led by Sherman Chau in Hanoi, has been instrumental in facilitating our previous meetings with DOLISA and is doing much of the legwork in advance of the conference. We have been told to expect as many as 200 participants. There will be one day where the 200 come together, then our team will visit 3 facilities that house elderly and some orphans, to conduct additional hands on training. Dr. Nguyen has recently written a book in Vietnamese called Caring For The Elderly. Thanks to a generous donation, all participants will receive a copy of that book. We also plan to provide stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs for each facility. Things many of us take for granted mean a lot in Vietnam. If your company has promotional items that would be appropriate to give to orphans, elderly, or the people that work with them, they would be appreciated. (Pens, markers, balls, penlights, first aid kits, inflatable balls, etc. These people have next to nothing.) We believe this conference will enhance our efforts and credibility as we strive to make a difference in lives there. David and Mark will also be spending some time in Vientiane, Laos following up with key government officials met on the May trip, pursue additional contacts and visit actual orphanages and elderly housing. Vilat Keomoungkhoun is working with us on the Laos project. Please pray for God's will to be accomplished...

Southeast Asia Healthcare Partners, Inc.

It's official...Southeast Asia Healthcare Partners, Inc., is a new Texas nonprofit corporation. Another step...We are pursuing 501 (c)(3) status with the IRS. We are hopeful that will assist us in volunteer recruitment as well as be attractive to potential donors, although we know that tax deductions alone aren't what attract people to the mission of serving others.