This time it was a very interesting time to do the visits as everyone was very busy with the rice harvesting. You see many farmers working in the fields, rice being taken to market, rice lying out all over the roads and yards to dry (usually takes about 3 days to dry) and fires everywhere where the rice stubble in the fields is being burned down.
As always, I was so impressed with the CEF staff, the sponsored children's earnestness to do well and the unfailing generosity of these families, most of whom have next to nothing. Usually we are greeted with tea, but even had a watermelon presented to us on Saturday as a gesture of welcome.
Lunches are Vietnamese style and typically taken in local pagodas after which the staff may rest just a bit before we venture back out into the heat of the day.
I was fortunate to meet a couple of GO sponsored children over the two days and hear their stories as well as share with them about their sponsors. One young girl totally cracked up at the sound of her sponsor, Patsy's, home being called O-HI-O.
Many times, the children live down several long and narrow paths and, with my broken foot, I was not always able to get to them (although staff certainly did via bicycles or on foot).
One little boy jumped on his bike to come meet me at a pagoda.
One little boy jumped on his bike to come meet me at a pagoda.
Another time, I waited in the car for the staff. Well, that was not so interesting sitting in the car, but as soon as I got out, the local families all swarmed around as I am quite a sight to them; being a Westerner and having a cast on my foot. Communications can be a challenge without an interpreter, but then some things like love and caring are just universal and can be conveyed in any language, can't they?
The family I spent some time with while waiting
All in all, two very full and satisfying days, I reflected,as we drove back into Hoi An, rain beating on the car windshield.
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