Last month we organized a trip to Ba Na
for the kids with HIV living in Quang Nam province and Đa Năng
city. were 11 children and their relatives participated in this trip
with every child or 2 children accompanied by an adult. So in total
there were 23 people in total including An Hayley, who volunteers for
us, and I. Ba Na is a famous mountain tourist resort in Da Nang with
cable systems and a spectacular amusement park that everyone had
heard about through the media daily. But is is also pretty expensive
for most Vietnamese people with low incomes and most are unable to
afford to go there. The children with HIV and their relatives who are
living in difficult circumstances, told us this was a place where
they dreamed of coming to. So when they knew we were organizing a
trip there, everyone was excited. One grandmother of a little girl
who was sick in the hospital gained permission for her to be
discharged from the hospital to join us. Our group also had a
70-year-old grandmother of a little girl with us. To save costs and
provide better care for the children, we prepared some nutritious
food and some essential items: milk, bread, fruit, drinks, and even
some medical devices as needed. We also hired a bus and made hotel
reservations...
At 6:30 am, the bus picked us and our things up at the
office. Then we went to Vinh Dien and Da Năng to pick up the
children and their relatives. After I checked the number of
participants, we went to Ba Na. While sitting on the bus, they talked
and exchanged information with each other. Everyone was very excited.
Although it was Monday, there were so many tourist there. An, Hayley
and I had much trouble organizing 20 people who had never been there
before! After we got the tickets for the cables, we had to wait for a
long time as the long queue moved very slowly to get to the cables. I
can not describe the excitement and pleasure of even touching of them
while they sit on the cable car.
Especially the children, they were
so excited. They were also slightly worried when sitting up there
hundreds of meters high. We walked to the sightseeing mountain
pagodas. The children were very excited to get photographed together.
Then we went to the big amusement park on the mountain. It was a
paradise for children. There are many exciting games and most are
free. So the kids were excited and played, appearing virtually
tireless. The adults had to follow them to wait their turn to
participate in all the games that they have never been part of
before. There are also many games for the adult that relatives of
children eagerly to participate, even grandmother of a little girl
played the adventure game. She seemed very interested. We laughed
when she told us that. The elderly grandmother of a little girl, who
was carrying a plastic basket (something that housewives used to go
to the market) for clothes and other things, was too tired to go
follow her niece.
So Hayley had to help her bring the plastic basket,
took the little girl to attend the games. She loved Hayley and just
wanted to go with Hayley throughout the trip. At night we stayed on
the mountain hotel. We booked 7 rooms for 23 people. As each room has
2 beds. But many kids just wanted to stay together. It was the first
time they had stayed in a hotel. So everything was new to them. They
did not know how to use hot water, showers and other things. Even a
grandma and her granddaughter felt afraid to be in separate rooms. So
I had to stay with them.
We had a really delicious dinner after a day
of fun. After dinner, people lingered at the restaurant and the kids
were singing and dancing together. The atmosphere was very cozy and
happy. Morning on the mountain is great, with people enjoying a
shroud of mist and the cold air of winter. Very different with the
hot weather below. After breakfast, while I, An and Hayley walked,
the kids to ask their relatives led to the amusement park. They
almost never get tired of playing. After lunch, we got into the bus
to back home. On the way home, the kids still regretted not being
able to stay there longer. They also asked that next time, where we
will go? We discussed the places they want to see as Hue, Da Lat...if
we have a budget for next time.
Any way, we had a meaningful trip
that is not only a trip, but it also helps everyone closer, loving
each other. It was wonderful to watch the children and their carers
form friendships over the two days. That is a beautiful memory that
everyone can not forget. We took group photos that we will be sending
to all the people who came on the trip with us.
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