the Vietnamese branch

I had no idea bout the service project until Sister James, one of the senior missionaries, mentioned it to me at choir rehearsal 2 days before.
And that was lucky. Botevy was coming home from the hospital that day. 
I made sure Yaya knew about it.  I talked to her about what we wanted the volunteers to do.
Nobody was really sure.
Oh, we'll have them move this.
Oh, maybe they can paint that.

Well it's a Saturday afternoon.  1pm, right when it gets hot.
I'm there, waiting.  Ready to help out and direct people as I know we'll need.
I had no idea who was coming.  All I heard was that it was missionaries.

They were the Vietnamese speaking missionaries.   Along with the YSA of the Vietnamese branch.
They got lost on the way a little bit, figured it out.
I got along right off with a Sister from Michigan. She's a red-head.  Love it.

You know.  Vietnam is really close to Cambodia.
Look at Thai: สวัสดี
And then look at Khmer:  ជំរាបសួរ

Just at a glance, you'd think they have the same alphabet and that they can read eachother's language.  Kinda how you can read Spanish if you can read this.
That's not how it is.   (both of those say 'Hello'.  Thai is 'Saawatdee' and Khmer is 'Jiom riab sur')

Well, Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet!!!!  (if you can read this, so do you)
 But when missionaries get to Vietnam, they get Vietnamese names.  Cool?  Ch-yea.

Anyway, we had them clear out the weeds and grass and garbage out of half of the area where...really nothing much happens.  Chickens roam.  Laundry is hung.  Kids play.  There are plots of groomed gardens in the area but they're taken care of. (so I guess a lot happens there- but it's like your living room, it serves whatever purpose it needs)

Some of the members were a little sad that the kids weren't there.  Most of them were at school.  All of the little ones were at school for at least part of the time.  A couple were done before the project was over, but for the most part they didn't get to play with kids very much.  Unfortunate.  We love to play.

Resae tried to make a basket with the little rubber ball...and then ended up kicking it around until it got into some muck.  When we were all done...or had worked long enough...we stood in a circle and sang I am a Child of God.