EXPERIENCE AFTER A FAMILY TRIP

I feel extremely lucky and grateful to be participating in a free food morning for needy families in Ho Chi Minh City (District 8) – families who are helped by FFSC to get their children to school. We were very warmly welcomed by everyone. I am not too surprised to see their extremely precarious living conditions because I have previously lived in Central Africa for months. However, I have never witnessed inmurality among those from disadvantaged backgrounds until this event. So it’s heartbreaking for me to hear part of their story. Like a boy with a permanent eye injury caused by a bird, or a teenager who has been HIV positive all his life because his parents are addicted to drugs. The story of a 70-year-old grandmother who has to take care of two great-grandchildren because her children and grandchildren are both on drugs. The grandmother picks up plastic bottles and plastic bags from the landfill every day to earn only about 50,000 VND/day (1.95€), which is 60€/month. This amount she had to pay for the rent of the 12m2 house, electricity, food, and other necessities.

Most of the children I met smiled brightly, behaved ritually, and were energetic. A 5-year-old girl gave us one candy each. Although the day was very hot, I left in an unsymist expressive preoccupation – preoccupied with how to make sustainable improvements for those needy families.

Education is one of the decisive factors to escape this vicious poverty. So I have more respect for the Sister of the FFSC and the inspiration you have created in your efforts and dedication to helping the underlings regardless of religion.

– Vincent Brochart, guest at FFSC guest house