From the Heart of Someone Who Belongs Here - Tin's Journal

I’m Tin and I’ve been working at GIBTK for almost six years. Thinking back to 2019, I had just graduated from Medical school—still clumsy and unsure of myself—when I was lucky enough to be welcomed into the GIBTK as a healthcare staff member and assistant in the Wheelchair program, helping bring wheelchairs to people with disabilities in need across Vietnam.

This is me with an elderly person from the wheelchair program. So far, GIBTK has distributed 188,620 wheelchairs across Vietnam

At first, I thought it was just another job. But the longer I stayed, the more I saw the beautiful work this place is doing—not just helping people once, but walking alongside them, building lifelong relationships that truly transform the course of children’s and families’ lives in Vietnam and Cambodia. 

I’ve witnessed the incredible impact this organization has had on people and students

There’s something I still carry in my heart to this day—the thing that moved me most: GIBTK creates an environment where kids can live, learn, and grow to their full potential. And I was no different. From someone used to sitting behind stacks of medical records, I had the chance to go out into the world—to travel across almost every province in Vietnam and Cambodia, to deliver care and compassion with my own hands, to learn from the people we served, and to grow a little more each day. 

This is me with the girls at the Homes in Cambodia

Later, I was entrusted with something completely new—Media. I learned how to take photos, film videos, and capture the emotional moments that GIBTK brings to life. I had never imagined doing this kind of work. There were times I doubted myself and wondered, “Am I good enough to share these beautiful stories with the world?”

I captured this moment of a young woman graduating

But thank God, I was never alone. I had a wonderful team who believed in me, supported me, and guided me every step of the way. Thanks to them, I discovered new parts of myself and found the courage to use my gifts. 

This is the wonderful team that constantly encourages and uplifts me

I still remember the day I said “goodbye” to GIBTK, thinking it was time to return home and help with my family’s small business. But things didn’t go the way I expected. I didn’t feel like I truly belonged there. I ended up taking a marketing course, and during that time, I kept contributing to GIBTK through designs and videos—just to say, in my own quiet way, “I’m still here.”

Me with Robert – an amazing leader, the kind you rarely find anywhere else

Maybe that’s what brought me back. And this time, with a new role in Marketing. But honestly, it doesn’t feel like just a job—it feels like a calling. And I even had the “privilege” of being on the receiving end of Robert’s love-filled punches when we met again—because, well, I once left GIBTK. 

This photo captures the moment we exchanged what we call ‘love’

I used to be someone who was strong, not easily emotional, and rarely opened up. But something changed in me. GIBTK “broke me” in the most beautiful way. Now, I feel things more deeply. I cry more easily. And I’ve learned that when you witness lives being transformed and hearts being healed—those tears are a gift. 

Seeing their lives transformed often leaves me overwhelmed with emotion

I still remember Robert once said, “Welcome to my world.” And yes, this is a world where I feel free to be myself—to feel deeply, to cry, and to be truly happy. 

I’m proud to be able to share the impact that GIBTK creates with others

From someone who once taught the kids in our Homes how to take care of their health, I’m now the one still doing it and holding the camera, capturing their graduation day moments—so I can share them with you, with our sponsors, and with the world. And that fills me with pride. 

GIBTK has given me new hope. I carry in my heart a deep sense of gratitude, and a calling to serve others. I don’t have the words to express it all, but I truly feel blessed and thankful to witness the beautiful work this organization is doing every single day. 

Thank you for letting me feel like I belong. Thank you to everyone who has helped shape me into a better version of myself. I hope the stories I share and the videos I create from the lives of those in need will touch your heart too—so you can see the beauty that GIBTK continues to plant in this world. 

This is me and Tam, celebrating five years of working here together

"We highly appreciate you and thank you for transforming lives"

Robert Kalatschan

Giving it Back to Kids

www.gibtk.org

robert@gibtk.org