What happened in Hue will not stay in Hue. I hope.

That is what I was thinking on the afternoon of July 5th, 2010 as I was about to board the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. After a month of hard work, lots of fun, and new friendships, the five representatives of MVFHF were about to leave. It was at that moment when I pondered upon what our stay had meant. Both to us Monta Vista students and the children at the Xuan Phu Children's Shelter.

When I think back to our three-week stay in Hue, I reflect proudly on the work we did there. The four gardens we funded and help build. The kindergarten we renovated. The stuff we donated. Our efforts are going to leave a lasting mark and make a difference in the children's lives etc, etc. But at the same time, I realize that these projects were not even the most important thing we did in Hue. Instead, our companionship and friendship to the children at the shelter were the most important gifts we could give. The kids wouldn't have cried if the gardens we were trying to build didn't get finished. They, however, did cry when it was time for us to leave Hue. In the end, it was more than about American high school students building them gardens. It was about American high school students caring about THEM and who they were.

Despite my obvious satisfaction in what we accomplished in Hue, I can't helping thinking that the children at the shelter did more for me than I did for them. Duyen, Quang, Nhat, Phap, Nhi, Hong, Phuong, Linh, Mysa, Loanem, and countless others humbled me more than I could've ever imagined. More than that, they inspired me with their hard work, perseverance, and the unlimited kindness they showed to me and to each other. During my stay, it was very easy to forget that these kids were separated from their parents and the homes in which they grew up in. Still, there were times when I saw the scars some of the them bore. A homesick girl crying during lunchtime. A moment of quiet in a usually energetic little boy. Everytime this occurred, I was reminded of all that the children went through, and I felt guilty, sad, and lucky all at the same time. But above all, I was glad that we Monta Vista students were there and at least trying to make a difference in their lives.

There is still so much I want to write about my experience there, because in reality, those three weeks felt like three years. But because I can't, I want to conclude by telling you the reader how important MVFHF really is. Many people might think that a small high school club donating a few thousand bucks is too insignificant to really matter, and in a way, you are right. But fortunately, the world we live in does not care about the amount of money you have or the things we possess. Instead, what's important is empowering and helping others while empowering and changing yourself. That is the definition of community service and that is what we accomplished in the summer of 2010 as MVFHF.

For our last project in Hue, we are currently in the process of building a house in the urban area of the city.

It's been a busy past week. All of us have been working hard and hanging out the kids (which is very tiring). 


Another project we've done: renovating a rural kindergarten. We painted the walls and cemented the floor. Check out the photos!

Things we did:
Continue with the garden project
Camping with the kids
Donate backpacks/medical kits to three other shelters

We are in Hue, Vietnam! The city is very peaceful and laid-back, and the residents take lots of naps.


Many of the orphans are our age or just a little less. Though most of them speak just a little bit of English, we all communicate fine. All of us received a warm welcome from the kids there, especially Shunei and Hikaru.


Also, the weather is HOT (can go up to 115 degrees F)!