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Hi everyone! Robert asked me to get this journal out. This journal was written by Tam - South East Asia Director of GIBTK. Let her tell you about the trip that GIBTK's team just made to Kon Tum, a province in the central highland of Viet Nam.
It has been so long since our last bike distribution. Thanks to our friends and our donors for their generosity, GIBTK team could make a trip to Dak Glei district, Kon Tum province on Oct 8th to distribute 50 bikes to kids. This trip should have been done in Mar 2020 but the Covid19 had put everything into a postponed mode. We left Da Nang on a day with severe heavy rain. After more than an hour on road, we hit a landslide in the mountainous area of Quang Nam and we had to turn back to almost our starting point to take another road. Finally, we got there after 7 hours and half. Yes, it was tired but it was so worth.
The excitement to see kids' face started firing me up when I saw bikes being unloaded from the truck. I could not imagine how kids would be when they see these cool bikes. I took a moment to talk with two boys who were the first recipients of the distribution. At first, they were too shy to talk to me because they saw a bunch of strangers unloading bikes. They are minority ethnic and they rarely see people outside the circle of their village or school. They use body language a lot more than words in front of my presence. When being asked if they liked to have a bike, they kept smiling but their eyes kept staring at the bikes. They like having a bike but they did not dare to say it.
(Two boys kept looking at the bikes, being unloaded from the truck)
After the bikes were unloaded, our team started to work on the bikes to get them ready for the distribution. We asked for help from the boys, they just came in and helped enthusiastically. Although we did not understand the language when they talked to each other but we could understand the smile and hope in their eyes. It was so nice to see those boys just run into the job and do what it took to have the bikes ready. Somehow, we could inspire the serving culture in them by showing our humble attitude and friendly caring approach.
(Two boys taking bikes to stage)
After this distribution, I learned about so many more circumstances that I could not hold my tear back. Many kids in Dak Pek commune have to walk for a very long distance (about 10 km) to get to school and no bikes. I myself walked to school for 12 years but was never in such a long distance so I have no idea even if I imagine. Hearing about their circumstances makes me want to come back and do more for kids here. How to survive is a big question for each family there so buying a bike for their kids is not an easy answer either. One of the kids from the distribution kept riding the bike around before our distribution and didn't want to leave the bike when we had to start the ceremony.
(This boy kept riding the bike around non-stop)
Then the next morning when I had a morning meeting with our partner before heading to a water filter distribution, I heard about a story of a 7 grader in Dak Pek commune. He is A Thanh Tung who is an orphan. His father passed away many years ago. His family is very poor. He walks for 10 km to go to school every day. He was one of the 10 kids who got scholarship given by our partner in Kon Tum. When he got there, he saw beautiful bikes given to other kids, he dreamed to have one but he did not dare to say a word. After we left the distribution, he told the local officer that he wanted one. We could not get a bike like that in Kon Tum so we promised to send him one when we get back to Da Nang. I guess this bike means so much to him. I can imagine his reaction when being told about this but if it was me, I would shout out loud to let the world know about it.
 (A Thanh Tung is the tallest boy in this picture)
And A Thanh Tung was just one of those kids who need bikes there. When we finished the distribution, the vice-director of education department of Dak Glei district came to me and said there were so many kids from Dak Pek commune near here desperately needing bikes. Could we come and help?! I did not promise anything and said GIBTK would try our best. Leaving the distribution with a burden in my heart because so many others could not have an access to bike to go to school because of poverty. I hope that you can join us in this project to bring hope and motivation to help kids have better future.
(Two boys got their bikes with big smiles)
Also, I am writing this journal while the 6th typhoon is heading to the central of Viet Nam. It is going to land at about 11 am today - Oct 11th - VN time. On my way home from Kon Tum, flood water was everywhere and almost crossed the national road. Giao dropped me off at my parents' house to help them move things up higher in case water gets into the house. Other provinces have been severely flooded. It was broadcasted that in the next 10 days there would be three tropical depressions hitting the central of Viet Nam with very heavy rain. GIBTK team is ready to do relief if needed. But let's believe that it is going to stop sooner than expected and not be as bad as they are being predicted. In Jesus's name, Amen.
Sincerely with love
Tam Tong
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