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A worthy read. The story of one of our newest team members, written by her with very little editing Im told. When Tam hired her I said but she does not speak English. Tam told me she will learn. I gave Nghia a year. It has been half that and she has learned remarkably well. Thank you Karla DeSimone for being a second mother to her and teaching her English! Nghia is now married and expecting her first child and vital GIBTK team member. This is what you all make happen. If so lead please send a word of encouragement and I will forward to Ngihia.
ATTN. Nghia gave birth to a 6.6 lb baby girl. Her daughter came a few weeks early and shortly after the writing of this journal. See photos at end.
My name is Nghia, I was born 1989 in Quang Nam province. When I was 3 months old, my mother left me and my family to get married to another man. My father, in his grief, succumbed to mental illness. I lived with my old grandmother, my father, and my brother in a collapsed house. Over time, storms became more and more frequent in my hometown. Rain did not leak in, but just continuously poured into the home freely. When my brother was 10 he died in a drowning accident (1995). When I was 8 years old, my grandmother became blind in both eyes. It then became my job to take care of everything. I was responsible for tending to the interior of the house. I was also responsible for farming, making sure we had firewood, picking up usable items in the landfill, selling lotus leaves, or whatever it took to make a living.
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| Recently gibtk team celebrated her birthday. Nghia said it was her first birthday cake / celebration in her life |
I lived in difficult condition. I usually ate soup or vegetables, and with only one meal per day I regularly felt hungry. At the age of 12, I became a worker at a produce and fish company. I woke at 1:00 a.m. I had to get up to prepare meals for my grandmother. At 2:00 a.m. I rode a bicycle to work. I had to ride in the rain, wind, cold winters, and down dark streets through cemeteries. Although I was very scared and cold, I knew I had to make money to study and take care of my father and grandmother. At 6:30 am, I paused my chores to go to school. After I finished at school, I turned back to work. There were many times when I set out early to go to work before school, I thought about my classmates, still asleep in their beds. I didn't want to cry, but tears fell down my face because my peers were able to be in their warm beds, when I had to go to work down a deserted road in the rain and cold winds.
After a time my father left, so I had no parents, no brothers, or sisters. There was little that could heal my broken heart. Many nights I would cry silently, but I always said to myself, "Although I am unhappy, I can still go to school". I committed to overcome my fate with the belief that if I can learn I can improve my life. I told myself if I can educate myself, I can care for my father and grandmother, help other orphans, and those with disabilities and misfortunes like mine.
In 2007, I enrolled in Da Nang Economics University, specializing in accounting. However, because I had no parents to guarantee for me at the bank, I could not borrow money to study. Without the bank loan I would not have money to send to my grandmother to live, nor to pay my tuition and living expenses. Due to this hardship, I was forced to quit studying after two months at Da Nang Economics University. After that, I went to work in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, selling baked goods and tutoring 3 students.
In 2008, I was admitted to the Ho Chi Minh University of Law, but while holding the admission papers in my hand, all I could focus on was not having the money to study and tears rolled down my cheeks.
I needed money to cover my life expenses and send money to my grandmother in the countryside. It was getting close to the day of enrollment but I only had $10. I thought the university gate would close on me yet again, but luckily in my most desperate time of need, I received the help I needed from GIBTK. After 2 hours of talking to Mr. Robert and Mrs. Tam... Mr. Robert cried and Mrs. Tam cried too. Mr. Robert agreed to help me study at the Ho Chi Minh University of Law. From to 2008 through 2012, GIBTK helped pay my tuition fees, living costs in HCM city, hospital fees, and drug costs when I had pain. At the same time, GIBTKs gave money for my grandmother to live and gave my aunt a wheelchair.
 I will be forever grateful to GIBTK, my donor, Mr. Robert and Mrs. Tam. GIBTK changed my life. A decade ago, if GIBTK didn't help me, if I didn't meet Mr. Robert and Mrs. Tam, I would still be a farmer or a shop worker, and my life and my grandmother's life would still be very difficult to just have enough money to live.
Thanks to GIBTK, I was able to complete my studies and now I am a lawyer working at GIBTK. I am very happy because I have a meaningful job at GIBTK. I was put in charge of several projects at GIBTK, and presently I am a leader at Mary's House. At Mary's House, we have 15 girls; many of which have circumstances like mine when I was a little girl. Because I lived that life, I can understand their pain, their loss, and their lack of families. I spend time with the girls. I listen to them. I tell them my story so they share their stories. Sometimes, they ask me how can they overcome their fate? I tell them, "Our circumstances may be unlucky but it's not our fault". I tell them we aren't lonely and we are luckier than many because our donors from GIBTK care.
Our father, Mr. Robert cares. They are always beside us to help us. I remind them to respect and be grateful for the help they receive. I remind them to study their best so they can pass the required tests to the university they want; which will give them a good job after they graduate. I remind them that education can change their lives, their families' lives and can give them the ability to help other unlucky people just like us. I tell them this is the truth, because this happened to me and if I can do it, they can do it!
Currently, as a member of the GIBTK staff, I have the opportunity to fulfill my dream and the Giving it Back to Kids' mission statement of transforming lives and helping kids achieve their maximum potential through medical care, education and love.
Sincerely yours; Nghia
><((((º> BBlessed
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