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"Will this thing continue?" Often and more recently very often this is a question I am asked. Another of my "favorites" is "what about corporate structure?" Another is 5 year plans. Honestly very valid questions. Certainly, worth time and effort to explore. I don't take them lightly. In fact, when I dwell to deeply I am rewarded with fear and anxiety of the future.
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| Lovely Hannah being her zany fun self! |
My challenge is to find the way for gibtk. But I almost laugh as I type that because from the beginning, gibtk saw what was next step and took care of it. Will this last, there is many kids who count on GIBTK. I see kids who have grown up in our homes. Now attending University, being like close brothers and sisters.
My struggle is going against what got us this far. Going to man-made wisdom. Or keep doing what we're doing. I was always taught that if I keep doing what you do you'll keep getting what you get. And of course, if you don't like what you're getting change what you're doing.
You know to tell you the truth I LOVE what we're getting. The fruit of our labors is delicious, ripe and ready to produce more fruit, to "give back". I see kids who graduate our programs coming back. I have 2 weddings this trip from kids in our programs. 79 Graduates of college and university! Over 750 heart surgeries, 8000 orth. surgeries, 145,000 wheelchairs and list goes on.
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Katie back for her 3rd trip in 4 years. I gotta feeling she's coming back
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This trip I was reminded of something a good friend told me at a conference. He asked me to look around. "What do you see?" I looked and said I see the same guys as we see every year, our friends. His response rocked me. He said "This organization is dying, there is no new blood. It's the good ol' boys! There is no new "young" people.
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| Fun with science at Legacy 2 |
As I type no I am fighting tears, 'cause you see I've been looking around and I see a lot of new blood!!! This thing called gibtk is catching momentum. As I mentioned before Hannah is here for nearly 3 months and committed to returning after graduation! Giving and inspiring so many kids. Watching her do a cool wacky water and bottle experiment at Dorothea's Legacy 2 or constantly interacting with our kids always adding lessons into the fun. Legacy 2 now has 183 students attending during summer!!!! Seeing the eyes of excitement in the students and even more in Hannah eyes and heart.
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| Lovely Vanessa, now living in Vietnam and working at gibtk as full time volunteer |
A few months ago, another org that donates water filters to us, ATTA was here with a team. One young lady "caught" it. Before she left with the ATTA team she asked Tam if she could come back and volunteer. She said she had to find a job in Danang and wanted to volunteer her time to gibtk. Within 4 days of getting home she was hired by Fisher Super Kids to teach English in Danang. She's back and giving her time freely with our kids in our homes and programs, looking to see what more can she do. This lovely young lady is amazingly friendly and loves VN and gibtk!
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| Tommy majoring in Humanitarian mechanical engineering with his girl friend Elenista a pre med, studying pediactrics |
Both Vanessa and Hannah are making plans to get out to Legacy 2 ASAP. They use Grab motor bike taxis, eat local foods and love the kids, in action. Go figure huh? This afternoon another teen and her mother are coming from Australia for a month to volunteer in our homes! If memory serves me, it's their 3rdtrip back!
How does this happen. 5 year plans? Certainly not mine, there seems to be a God who has a plan way beyond 5 years. GIBTK seems to be part of it. Who knows maybe my son Thomas will find himself here one day. He recently changed his major to Humanitarian Mechanical Engineering! I too had no idea what that meant. It is going into emerging economies and doing things like clean water, solar energy and bridges.
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| Jade, soon a nurse, her specialty infants and labor and delivery. recently returned from a volunteer trip to Thailand bringing her nursing heart to remote areas |
When I look around I see new young blood. GIBTK will keep on beyond my years. I see Vietnamese corporations taking keen interest in our work. Small amounts of funds are coming from them. A good start for sure! I don't mean to down play corporate structure, 5 year plans, development people etc.
There's an old saying that goes something like this. You keep dancing with who brought you to the dance. For today I think I'll keep dancing with who Brought us to "the dance."
And of course, I can't find adequate words to express how much your emails, notes, support makes this thing called gibtk be what it is now and keeps it on the road to get it where God wants us in the future!
><((((º> BBlessed
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