We were instructed by Master to give US$10,000 to the IAVO organization to be distributed to the destitute people in Au Lac. Several initiates joined Mr. Ngo C. Dai, President of the IAVO organization, in the distribution of the donation to Au Lac. The three-week trip was really an unforgettable experience.

On July 11, our group, of several initiates, packed our bags and went for "a trip to our home country". After a long flight, the plane finally landed at the Hanoi Noi Bai Airport. Setting foot on our homeland after forty years, it is impossible to describe our apprehensive and restless feelings. I watched all the strange people, and the view on the road from the airport to the city. The Hanoi in my childhood memory had vanished. The elegant and refined young people of Hanoi, and the famous "thirty-six streets" no longer existed. Before our eyes was a crowded, worn out old city. Everywhere you could find shops displaying identical merchandise. The shopkeepers greatly outnumbered the customers.

Commencing our trip to comfort others, we first visited two orphanages and a disabled persons center at Thanh Tri county and Dong Anh county outside Hanoi. At Dong Anh county, the responsible authorities grouped the unfortunate children together and formed a "Loving Class". Besides reading and writing, the children also learned sewing as a skill so as to be able to earn their living later. The kids were learning diligently. We donated to them a box of milk powder, medicine and some money.

The next day, our group leader informed us that it would be a very long day. According to the schedule, there were many places we had to visit. The first stop was the Da Lieu Station in Hai Hung Province. The new friends we met here included disabled persons, lonely and sick elderly, orphans and widows, etc. from all walks of life, more than a hundred and fifty households. Hearing about the visit of an overseas group, they got together early in the morning waiting to greet us. After the routine of introducing our group, and socializing with the management personnel, we attained the permission to visit each household individually. We personally handed each of them the donated items: blankets, mosquito nets, several boxes of medicine, milk and an envelope enclosing Master's gift. All of them were so delighted, gifts in hand, murmuring grateful words. I knew that they all had much more to say, but they could not communicate their message fluently, because they were too excited and have a simple and cordial nature.

We continued with our trip after lunch to the second comforting point - the Kim Thi Hospital. The title "hospital" was an exaggeration. We found that the "hospital" was really primitive, lacking in everything. Some persons in our team could not help shedding tears. In each sick ward, there were only two iron beds covered by tattered mats, no blankets, no mosquito nets, no pillows. The facilities in the medical room were most insufficient. There was only a worn out table and medical instruments were old, filthy and most unsanitary. From the stethoscope to the IV catheters and syringe disinfecting tray, all looked as if they had been used for at least forty years.

With heavy hearts and sympathy for our blood compatriots, we left the hospital. I couldn't help praying intensely in my heart to be able to have some kind of almighty power, to comfort and minimize the loss and suffering inflicted upon our fellow countrymen. On the way to the next stop, we spontaneously closed our eyes and prayed Master would bless the places we had just visited.

The Phu Cuong Elementary School in Hai Hung Province was our next stop. Unfortunately, the area was submerged in water by the flood disaster of the Song Hong (Red River), due to the persistent heavy rain several days before. Even more unfortunate was that the Phu Cuong School was isolated in the middle of the river. We would need boat transportation to visit them, which was unfeasible at that time. We could only watch this unlucky school on the distant bank. After giving some money and gifts to the representative of the school, we proceeded on our way in a hurry to the next scheduled place.

We arrived at the Van Mon Lepers Center in Thai Binh Province at eight o'clock in the evening as the sky was getting dark. After greeting the host, the superintendent of the Leper Center took us to meet the leprosy patients there. With an area of twenty acres, the Van Mon Lepers Center was built during the French colonial period. Lepers from everywhere gather here for medical treatment. Being a specialized institute, the doctors are rich in experience. Their success in healing this hard to cure disease is very high. The patients live in specific areas, and can be sent to the individual houses in the vicinity. If their condition improves, and their limbs can still function, they can even plant vegetables and keep livestock to earn income. As it was already dark, we could not visit each area. The center staff gathered some patients in the dining hall, so that we could interview and talk with them, and give them gifts. The members of our team gave to these fellow countrymen milk, medicine, blankets, mosquito nets and a small package. Their eyes were shimmering with tears, their hands trembling. Words choked with sobs conveyed the touching and happy emotions of both the recipients and the givers.

Leaving Van Mon, we turned around and headed back to Hanoi. Once more, we were on a rough road paved with crushed stones, full of pits of various sizes. Occasionally, the bouncing would throw us up into the air bumping our heads against the car roof. However, I didn't feel the pain or discomfort, because I was being tortured by another kind of agony from within. Why are painful sufferings still found everywhere in our home country?

We rested for one day, and then went to visit Ha Long Bay - an outstanding sight in our homeland. Returning from Ha Long Bay, our next scheduled visit was to retirement homes and charity groups in town. We then bid farewell to the responsible authorities, expressing our gratitude for their guidance in helping us with our work in the north these few days. Immediately, we set off for the central region.

On the trip we found the northern area needed more help than the other areas. Since this place was still suffering from the 30 years of rule under a very restrictive socialistic government, the whole area was behind the rest of the country. The visits in the north needed disciples from the north for easy communication with the local residents.

Compared to twenty years ago, this visit to the ancient capital Hue gave us a different feeling. The sacred capital was still as fascinating as a dream. The places we intended to visit were the Hue Hospital and a social care center. The residents there included orphans, disabled people and helpless elderly. The Hue Hospital was very well equipped, so the children being treated there were more fortunate. The social care center had just been renovated. The boarding places were neat and tidy. We felt less worried than when we were visiting the north. Nonetheless, the gifts distributed still well represent the love and concern of the overseas Au Lac people for the compatriots living in their homeland. That evening, a lady in the group invited us on a cruise tour, to enjoy the wonderful view of the Huong River and the Ngu Mountains. We even sang together. At that moment, I suddenly realized how blessed we would be to have a peaceful homeland without the roaring guns.

The next day, we visited several historical spots in the sacred ancient capital, remembering the courageous events of the Au Lac people's history. Then we returned to pack our luggage preparing to fly to Saigon the next day. I could see that life had not changed much in this place, now called Ho Chi Minh City. It is still crowded, busy and disorderly. On a fresh and cool morning, we visited the Binh Thanh Deaf and Dumb Center. There were twenty young persons aging from two to eighteen attending classes according to their ability level. We personally handed to the children in need ten sets of hearing aids donated by Master. We also gave to the headmistress some money donated by the team members. We were also invited to tour around the campus, visit the classes and the children. Unfortunately, this conversation was not very fluent, because we were not used to conversing with disabled children. However, we could observe their cordialness toward our group from the way they eagerly received our candies. The blurred words they uttered were sufficient to show us their delight and gratitude within.

When we arrived at the Nguyen Dinh Chieu School for the blind, we discovered they were all on summer vacation. There were only a few students on campus. However, some boarding students came out to greet us, and accepted our gifts and biscuits.

According to the schedule of the tour group, we should have gone directly south to Ca Mau. As I had work to do in Saigon, I could not follow the group there. I wish I could have the chance next time to visit the most southern part of our motherland, to see with my own eyes the most spectacular sight of our country.

From the moment I stepped onto the plane back to the United States until now, when I am writing this article, my mind has been occupied with the sights of the places I visited. Warfare has ceased in our home country, but she is wrecked and poor. Our people may be destitute but they are not grieving this loss. The spirit of our fellow countrymen appears to be: stable, peaceful and persevering. In my heart, I thank Master for giving me this opportunity to broaden my vision, physically putting into action the word "love". I hope everyone can make the same trip. Then, each of us would manifest as Master's sample booklets, being distributed to our folks in our motherland.

A fellow initiate had given this money together with the distribution proposal to the president of IAVO on July 1st. We accompanied this group to help them distribute and to learn. The President Ngo C. Dai promised to give us all the receipts from the local receivers. While following the group to visit various places, we took notes on moneys donated to each center. (See Appendix 1)

IAVO had distributed approximately US$6,473 and had on hand 10 hearing-aid machines valued at US$1,450. These machines were at the office of IAVO in Hanoi and would be distributed later to those who need them.

The figure above is an unofficial figure. There are some places that received donations, but their accurate amounts are not in the record.