After I settled in Minneapolis during Christmas 1992, I decided to focus and study to be a scientist. However, I wouldn’t forget to give back good things to Americans who gave chances for my family and me to have new, better lives. I had no money or materials for donations, but I had my time and my good heart. Therefore, at the end of 1993, I started to volunteer and work with 1st - 5th grade kids after school at Philips Neighborhood in Minneapolis. Also, I volunteered to work with seniors at a nursing home in Minneapolis in summer 1994. From 1995 to 1997 I volunteered to work with K-7 for young kids in the Alan Page Program. Since 1998, I have been regularly going back and visiting Vietnam with gifts for poor children and seniors.

HAPPY HEART

Since 2002, my friend John Belcher and I have been visiting Vietnam at least once every year. We have been back to Vietnam nine times. Each time we pool our money and others together for charity in Vietnam. We have been giving the money to poor families and seniors in the Mekong Delta region, including both Vietnamese and Cambodian families living in Cao Lanh, Vinh Long and Tam Binh. We have used the money to buy and donate food, medicine, clothes and school supplies. This charity, named “Happy Heart” by Lola Levoy in 2007, is a nonprofit organization. All of the donated money goes directly to people from our hands. John Belcher and I pay for all our travel expenses with our own money.

We went to elementary schools to meet poor and good students from the first to fifth grades to directly give them school supplies including: uniforms, book bags, notebooks, pens and some good ole American candy!

The local governments were very supportive and helped us pass out the gifts to people smoothly. The families and students were very appreciative of our good hearts. Sometimes, they waited for us 3-4 hours to receive the gifts because we had been late because of traffic. Usually we gave school supplies for 50-150 students and food, medicine and money for 80- 200 poor families and seniors.

"One bird cannot make a pretty Spring, and without our support, we cannot make miracle things happen." Although they are small gifts from the happy and good hearts of Americans, they are very big and special gifts for Vietnamese students and families.

There was a period in my life that I won’t forget when I was living in a poor family. I know what it feels like to be poor. No breakfast; no new shoes; and only one new set of clothes for the New Year. A big lesson I learned from my parents when I was a boy was to share more things with others when we were poor.

In my thoughts I remember myself in my old times when I would dream and hope that my parents would pay more attention to me while they raised 9 children in our family. Now, when I look at these poor children in Vietnam, I see myself before. I feel my soul, my spirit, and my dreams inside of these kids. They are me when I was young. I know what they dream of. They dream about having food in their stomach when they are in school and at home. They dream about their parents and others having time to pay more attention to them and help them to become good people. They are proud of themselves when they get better and make their parents and teachers happy about them.

I am sure that these kids eagerly wait for the date when we come and give them the gifts. They are always very excited and wear their best clothes they have to meet us - those who come all the way from the USA to see them. Specifically, John Belcher, an American who gave them gifts and touched them. They felt that they were lucky persons who had been chosen by Americans for this special event. And they were proud of themselves that others paid attention to them. These special gifts from us inspire these kids to create new ideas for better lives. It’s a foundation and incentive for them to study and work harder to be successful. They are our future for love and peace in our world.

I am so happy for doing that to help others. I love that. If I have any chance, I would love to meet and help other unlucky children and people in the USA and other countries in the world.

Please take time to look these charity pictures taken in Vietnam.

I want to thank Kathy Belcher and Joe Thompson, Lola Levoy for donating money for poor, unlucky students and families in Vietnam in 2006-2007. I want to give a very special thanks to John Belcher, who not only gave money, but also has visited the villages and helped pass out the food, money, gifts and love to kids, seniors and families since 2002.


Lovely,

Jimmy Q Dinh