My Travels to Help Children: Coming Home

Guys, I cannot tell you how giddy/happy/excited/nostalgic I have been since we got to our new province. I stepped out of the airport down here and the first thing I noticed was the heat and humidity. Any thoughts of that were totally overpowered once I took my first deep breath. It smelled exactly like the outside of Da Nang International Airport in Vietnam. We crammed into our van, and with only a little bit of tetris managed to fit everyone and all our luggage without anyone needed to be on someone's lap. Once we left the palm trees caught my attention, the last time I saw full grown palms outside was also in Vietnam. So this place so closely identified with another place so dear to my heart. It already has a fond place in my heart too now. It feels like coming home. Gosh I just got teary eyed writing that! I do not know how South East Asia caught this American girl's heart so strongly, but it did and I would not change it for anything!

Look Guys it's palm trees!!

Oh and guess what? Never mind, you can't seeing as how this is a blog post and you all are in different countries and time zones than me. I will just tell you. I got my photos onto my laptop!!! This is so exciting. I forgot my cable at home, and one of my lovely teammates informed me that my laptop has a SD card reader. Who, knew?...well I guess Lois and Jenna did.

Joanne and Barb. I think this is the only time Barb stopped talking the whole three hour ride.

Jenna and Kara partying in the back of the bus like true high schoolers

Amy enjoying a drink after our pitstop

We are in quite the populated little spot. We spotted two Apple stores, a McDonalds, KFC, and a Walmart within walking distance. We have yet to enjoy going out on the town because we were all tired by the time we finished dinner, planning for tomorrow, and devo time. I have immensely enjoyed the spot because it is full of motor scooters which honk non-stop, which might be annoying to some, but I love it! I left our window open till we were going to sleep so I could enjoy it. I will try to put up photos of my view tomorrow. The internet is starting to cut in and out again.

Tomorrow is big day! We will finally be doing what we came here to do, we will be meeting the kids and loving on them and getting to know them so that we can tell their stories.

Please be lifting up:

Health. Some of the team is really tired and a few people have coughs and/or sore throats. The last thing we want is to get the kids sick, or be less effective because we are weak.
Good connections. This Child Welfare Center has not worked with an adoption agency in over two years. Ask that we be patient, kind, loving, and that we start to build a great relationship for America World Adoption Agency.
Families for these kids! Not all the kids are what is called "paper ready", which they need to be before any adoption could be considered, and only some of the files of the adoptable children have been sent to America World. It is the choice of the director who he wants advocated for at any point in time. The first set of kids the orphanage sent files for are all older boys with cerebral palsy, and other profound disabilities. So it will be more challenging to find families. However, I know that there are families out there who have the love, energy, and resources to care for these boys. Please ask that America World would be able to find them, and that they would prove themselves a good agency to work with to their new partners.

The photos below are some of the ones I would have shown you earlier if I had figured out how to get them off my camera. They are from the night of day one, and the beginning of day two. Hope you all enjoy!

Goodnight Loves.