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Dorothea's Project legacies is having a huge impact in the community but also in the lives of our gibtk team! Including Karla DeSimone who recently visited. Before I get to her journal I wanted to share with all of you that we are looking / planning on opening Dorothea's Project legacy 3. This building is "supposed" / "hopefully be available in a few months.
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Could this be the future home Of Project Legacy #3?
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Here's Karla's Journal
Achievers, Overcomers, & Groundbreakers
My husband, David and I met Dorothea and Robert at church nearly 30 years ago. We became instant friends. We were two young couples that shared a mutual heartache, as we both deeply desired to have children. As God would have it, David and I were ultimately blessed with two sons and we offered praise, cheered, hooted and hollered when Robert and Dorothea adopted Thomas and Kristina! Dorothea loved children and when she held a child in her arms, her eyes twinkled.
Since the first day Dorothea and Robert founded GIBTK, they were never content with status quo. Through the numbing grief of Dorothea losing her courageous battle with lung cancer, a promise was fulfilled, and Project Legacy was birthed. Dorothea's Project Legacy honors her commitment to give children a safe place to study, improve their knowledge and reach their full potential. On this trip I visited both Dorothea's Legacy 2 and Dorothea's Legacy 1, and in doing so I relived my dear friend's zest for fun, unrivaled concern for others, and witnessed limitless opportunities for community children in need.
Nhung and I visiting with the incredible teachers and nurse at Dorothea's Legacy 2
Today Nhung and I set out to Quang Nam to visit Legacy 2. Back in the early days of Giving it Back to Kids, when the GIBTK teams would go visit the children, our vans would barely glide up towards the homes when our kids would come flocking out towards our vans to welcome us. Today when pulling up to Dorothea's Legacy 2, it was reminiscent of those "old days". Nhung and I weren't even out of the car and the courtyard was swarming with excitement as the kids came up to greet us. I wholeheartedly believe that kids need unconditional hugs... so I was determined to hug each one of them... even some of the teenage boys who no doubt hoped I wouldn't reach them!
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Students making sure no-one left too early lol
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Let's establish something right out the gate. I have no talents... can't sing.... can't dance... but I was received like a MEGA rock star! The children showered me with elaborate homemade cards, paintings, and sketches. The detail in the cards and sketches was astonishing. These girls did their homework and drew me complete with yellow hair and glasses! One of my doggies even made it to one of the cards! I was enamored with the teachers, who shuttled me from classroom to classroom... introducing the children by name and I was thinking... "Wow, these teachers clearly love what they do!"
Next thing I knew, all 50+ kids were neatly seated in a perfect circle in the main classroom, waiting for me to say a little something. After I shared, the teachers asked if any of the kids had anything they wanted to ask me. Let's just say these kids are determined! The first young lady boldly stood up and in front of all her classmates asked me "how could she do better in school and improve her English... and she asked me this question in perfect English"! Gives me the chills because it confirms that Dorothea's Project Legacy is working and these compassionate community kids are not only joyful, kind and creative, but they are excelling in their studies! Amen to that!
Today was doubly exciting to me because in addition to visiting Dorothea's Legacy 2 for the first time, today I was also going to meet a student named Luan. I had first learned about Luan through a journal written by a GIBTK staff member. Luan is a young man who helps his Mom catch snails in the river to earn extra money for the family and who looks out for his younger sisters. Luan's zest for learning and care for his family caught my attention and I shared his story with a friend of mine.
Barbara is also a GIBTK enthusiast and generously lets me sell her jewelry on Ebay and then donate 100% of the proceeds to GIBTK. So with money converted from "sparkly jewelry into cash" and help from teacher Binh, Luan got to pick out school supplies, clothes, shoes and a much needed bike! Bikes are urgently needed in these remote regions to get the children to school quickly (out of the hot sun), but as Robert reminds me, bikes also help a child with their self-esteem. The poorest kids have to walk to school and when seen walking, they feel poor. BUT, when they get a shiny new bike... where do you think one of the first places they want to go with their new wheels? Well to school of course! ��
Finding out that the boy I was talking to was Luan! And these boys can sing!
Robert always teases me that when we travel with a larger group... I'm the last on the van... it's true. Now you look at these faces and tell me, would you want to be the first in the van?
Legacy 1
I was warmly welcomed to Dorothea's Legacy 1 with shouts of "Hello Karla"! My first course of business... to apologize for being late! On this particular day, it seemed no matter where I was supposed to be, I was late... a true domino effect type of my day. Legacy 1 is nestled among the bustling compound that shares residency with Hal's Home, Carmela's Home, and the Lighthouse. Because of the shared setting there is always a constant parade of kids coming and going, housemothers making food, kids doing homework, and the GIBTK staff's unfailing dedication, as day and night classes are offered to the community.
Second course of business was just like at Legacy 2 a few days before, putting me in one very sweet position... literally. My buddy and GIBTK board member, Bruce Binkley, gave me an important job to do... hand out candy and treats to all the kids! Is there anyone reading old enough to remember when you were in grade school and the teacher would pick a student (insert a really high honor and big job) to take the blackboard erasers down to the custodian to have them vacuumed? Well, today I was the one enlisting multiple students to help me hand out this boatload of candy from Bruce and Camilla. The students were at first stunned when I picked them from the classroom... next they jumped up.. then eagerly grabbed the box of candy... and giving it out to their classmates!
Could be the candy... but these kids sure look like they are having fun!
We've all had teachers who have made a difference in our lives. For me it was my third-grade teacher, Miss Lynch. She taught me about kindness. Our class was comprised of 7 girls and 8 boys. One of the girls owned only 1 dress so Miss Lynch "took up sewing" as a "hobby". She asked my classmate with the 1 dress... "if she would mind if she practiced by sewing her a dress". Miss Lynch didn't stop there. Miss Lynch proceeded to sew all 7 of us girls a dress... to protect one student's self-esteem. After making 7 dresses to help one child, Miss Lynch "inquired" which girl had received the first dress... and would that girl mind if she made her 1 more dress because "she had improved her sewing skills so much".
That act of kindness has remained with me all my life. I see this genuine care in the teachers at Dorothea's Legacy Projects. Teachers who coach and listen and care. These children are achievers, overcomers, and groundbreakers. Dorothea's Project Legacy has enabled them to find their voice. They always had the inherent talent within, but now they have a safe environment and the resources necessary to shine!
My girl Vui and superstar teachers from Dorothea's Legacy 1
With Love;
Karla DeSimone
GIBTK Historian
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