A couple of sponsors relate their visit to Kontum

Valérie and Philippe Galmiche, who sponsor two children through our association, had the opportunity to go to Kon Tum a few months ago during their trip to Vietnam. Here is their account of this visit :

“In March 2020, we visited Vietnam and had the opportunity to visit Kon Tum.

On Monday March 9th., Valérie and I had an appointment at 10 a.m. at the association’s girls’ boarding structure in order to meet our two sponsor children. When we arrived, we were welcomed by the nuns and Sister Anselme accompanied us throughout the day. We then visited the families of our two sponsor children with a car and driver made available to us by the nuns. Thanks to Sister Anselme, who acted as our interpreter, we were able to talk a little with the children’s parents. 

Through these encounters we discovered the precarious living conditions in poor and uncomfortable houses, despite which the people were friendly and welcoming.”

“Late morning and early afternoon, we took our sponsor children out for a meal then we spent some time with the children playing dominos. We had brought paper and coloured pencils with us and the children enjoyed drawing.

Mid afternoon, we left the children and went to visit the sponsor child of our friend Muriel Oral in a distant village. We were once again warmly welcomed. In their home we met a former pupil of the nuns who invited Valérie to spend a magic moment in her beauty parlour. We then took the children back to their homes.

In the evening, we returned to the boarding structure where the nuns had promised us a surprise i.e. a dance performance in which all the girls, small and big, took part. 

We must say that this evening was filled with intense emotion for us.”

“For the girls, it was also their last evening with the nuns before returning home to their families for Covid 19 lockdown.

This day will remain forever engraved in our memory ! It was clear to us that the girls were happy and felt at home in the boarding structure.

We would like to thank Carole Trarbach and Carole Agnès who allowed us to contact the nuns and who gave us plenty of information which facilitated the organisation of this day.”

Best regards,
Valérie and Philippe