January 21, 1818: Retreat of Buddhists at Trung Hoà Temple.Then distributed gifts to 13 communes in Mộ Đức district at the temple.The delegates distributed 1,000 gifts in Mộ Đức and 165 gifts in Nghĩa Hành, each gift valued at 300,000 VND.
The 25 delegates were from Europe, America, Canada and Vietnam – we flew in from Saigon Quang Ngai for the event.
Eye surgery on July 20, 2017 at Trung Vuong Hospital, Saigon
Through the charity program at Trung Vuong Hospital, each patient costs only US $ 35. But if their situation is more difficult, then each eye surgery cost from 15-20 million VND ($700-950 USD). The amount of 35 US dollars is only enough to buy drugs for patients. Everything is funded by the hospital and TBF.
When I was born mother did not want me to be like everyone
And I was born not seeing anyone in the world
The love for me is more precious than anything
My eyes can not see my mother and father.
Who loves me like my parents in this life
Who loves me like my teachers have taught in those days
The love for me is longer than the longest river
My eyes can not see my teachers.
Oh! My eyes.
Why can’t my eyes see my parents
Cannot see my teachers
No light, only the dark night.
Who loves me like my parents in this life
Who loves me like my parents have care for me in those days
Their love for me is longer than the longest river
Right now my eyes can not see my friends.
(trying to be as accurate as possible, please forgive the English translation)
Everyone have the right to live and have aspirations, but the lives of overseas Vietnamese living at the border lake in Cambodia are “hopeless”. Because they do not have documentation and they are not Vietnamese citizen. Tu Bi Foundation could only visit annually with New Year gifts. Beside that the “love and kindness” school built by the Tu Bi Foundation has been carried out very well, the students are progressing very fast.
On Jan 6, the TuBi group arrive with gifts for 20 families living in the rubber forest. We visited the classroom and found the students too pale. And the clothes of the students were very slippery. We decided to return bringing each student with new clothes to celebrate the new spring – Year of the Fire Rooster. Each child was given fresh milk and candy. Mothers were given new clothes and each family is given a headlamp so they can see way in through the rubber forest at night.
We were happy to see the children dance to new clothes, drink milk and eat candy … we also bought powdered milk for a premature baby, the 7 months looked 1 month old.
Tu Bi Foundation is sincerely grateful to our benefactors Concept Solutions, friends from Norway and Vietnam for their help in the gifting project for Lunar New Year in Vinh Long and Binh Duong Province possible. Our purpose is not only provide New Year gift, but to give the association an opportunity persuade parents to not let their children drop out of school. Special for this trip we have sister Phong from Norway tending to the project in person.
In addition to rice, noodles, fish, cucumber, … we also give them prayer beads to encourage them to pray to any religion. In extreme suffering, everyone has dreams …
The association also gave milk for children, slippers, clothes, and mattresses for children to sleep on instead of the floor. The last time when visited, a family asked for a mattress because the new husband just had surgery. We bought a new bed for our family. We feel that this immediate help is practical and is urgent need of the poor. We also visited the children who were escaped from the life gathering trash and are now in care at the temple so they can go to school.
Thankfully Venerable Thich Thien Hue has promised every year that he will bring New Year gift to poor households living near the landfill in Vinh Long.
Video clips of poor people living near the landfill.
Lunar New Year gifts for students at Binh Duong, Jan 22, 2016
February 06, 2016
Dear Benefactors;
The dream of being able to go to school for Viet children without citizenship from Cambodia have been fulfilled. In only two months they are able to read and well behave. They’re always polite and courteous.
We were very happy to see these result.
Mr. Phong from Norway gave students candies and “lucky money”. Also, Venerable Thich Thien Hue gave “lucky money” to 17 families.
When we hear stories about the lives of those who live using the rubbish we emit daily, we want to do one something to help but we do not know of a practical way to be of assistance.
On 23/12/2015, Lieu Duyen and her friend from Norway visited some families living on the island at Vinh Long that survive by picking up nylon bags from the garbage that we emit daily. At the same time we went to the garbage dump with the workers and gather nylon garbage bags.
Surrounded by pollution, it is difficult to imagine that anyone can survive in such environment. But here there are hundreds of families from parents to children gathering trash. LD only worked with them for 30 minutes and became dizzy with headache. Her hands were swollen from using borrowing their gloves. This direct interaction gave LD an understanding of their difficult life and wish to find a way to help them.
This year, Tu Bi Foundation volunteers in Viet Nam joined the delegation from Europe to give gifts to the blind in Soc Trang. 1000 set of gifts were handed out directly and everyone was provided lunch.
At the beginning of 2015, we were accompanied by a charity delegation from Europe visiting and giving presents to Vietnamese people in the Cambodian sea area. We see their difficult life and most children were not going to school because they didn’t have birth certificate – we were worried but there was nothing we could do.
Having read the article “People without citizenship at Binh Duong”, we feel that this is something that the Tu Bi Foundation needs to do to help those who have been living in foreign land and have to reside on the border.
In early August, Tu Bi Foundation visited twice with gifts. The charity was led by Venerable Thich Thien Hue from Europe who did not hesitate the difficult trip and arrive with give gifts.