Monday, March 20, 2017

March 20, 2017 Alaska Homestead Pre-Trip Info

Thanks to all the caring folks from varying regions of the U.S. (and even several from Norway!) who have joined with me by contributing to this rewarding endeavor. I am truly humbled by your heartfelt generosity.

Things are reasonably organized, with funds transferred for advance guarantee of chickens near Hue and piglets & writing tablets at Nhi Ha. Everything else I'll handle on a day to day basis. Plus, situations arise that evoke an urgency inside me to act spontaneously. To me, this entire effort isn't about charity, as such. Rather, it's an opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of disabled, impoverished, hard-working, and deserving villagers in Vietnam by providing them with the means (piglets, ducks, chickens) to support their families on an ongoing basis. It's about supplying school kids with writing tablets, cubbies, and such at the formerly blood-soaked, nightmarish killing field of Nhi Ha. It's about taking care of such men as Duong and Thua, who fought with my unit, the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. It's about fulfilling my promise to provide for Lady The, mother of the wounded little girl that I rescued in '68....Son. Really, it's about helping, healing, and building bridges.

As you'll recall, I initially had promised 5 piglets for Nhi Ha, but was really hoping to acquire adequate funding to supply 10. Well, thanks to a response from caring folks wishing to make this year's effort a landmark success, we are now in a position to supply 20 piglets! And, there will be 850 twenty-one-day-old chickens supplied to 17 families with disabilities at rural Vinh Phu!! Your response has "saved the day" and now I am confident that this trip is going to be simply stellar! I am honored to be your "grunt on the ground", as I was in 1968.

So, you have the blog address and can follow along. Daily entries are not always possible, but I'll try hard to keep you informed regularly. Thanks again to all who have contributed to helping and healing in Vietnam. The next transmission will be from Saigon, my arrival port. Back to 'Nam....
Neil aka "Kid" in '68

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