Four Days In Cam Ranh: January 8 through 11, 2008
by Candace Abel, BSW, Executive Director, Brittany’s Hope Foundation

Our Arrival at the Airport
Tuesday, January 8

We arrived in Cam Ranh at 3:00 pm in the afternoon. Sister Agnes and Sister Marie, along with five of the younger children, picked David and I up at the airport in a rented van.

We drove the half hour trip to NhaTrang and checked into our hotel. Afterwards we spent a relaxing and fun evening meal together before the sisters returned to Cam Ranh.

A Day at an Amusement Park
Wednesday, January 9

On Wednesday morning, Sister Agnes and Sister Marie picked us up at our hotel early. This time, four of the oldest boys accompanied the sisters. It was a beautiful and warm day with a soft breeze cooling the palm trees. In fact, it was pleasantly cool for Vietnam weather. We embarked on a short 20 minute drive to a gorgeous new amusement park (still under construction) right outside of NhaTrang. There we were greeted by the remaining children. Fifty-seven children in total attended, while seven of them were unable because of testing being done within school.

The children were all very clean and extremely well-dressed in new matching clothing. The girls wore matching pink plaid skirts with white collared-button blouse trimmed in pink piping. The older boys and toddlers wore matching khaki slacks and light pink plaid button up short-sleeve shirts. The infants (five of them) were carried by the older girls and wore western-style outfits. When the children saw our van arrive, they cheered and immediately ran to greet us with hugs and kisses. It was a wonderful moment of reunion for all of us. The children all seemed healthy, clean and happy.

After many tears and warm greetings, the children quickly lined up for a song they had rehearsed in our honor. Following the joyful reunion, we entered the amusement park and begin a fun-filled day of adventure on the rides with breaks for snacks and a picnic lunch.

Throughout the day, Mai-Lynn (note: the Abel’s daughter Mai-Lynn often travels with them to Vietnam and spends long hours serving as an interpreter) and I prepared individual reports of the children, taking time to talk with them as occasion arose, photographing (first using their Child Number sign and then some casual ones) and completing the report with the cooperation of the sisters.

Questions asked regarding the child were: 1) general health, 2) grade level, 3) concerns or needs, 4) personality traits, 5) hobbies or interests, 6) socialization in the center, 7) future dreams or aspirations. We were able to complete 42 of the 64 necessary reports while at the park. We had a fun, productive day and all of the children begged to make the trip an annual event!

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