Mai Am Phan Sinh (Francis Shelter), located at Tay Lac An Chu, Bắc Sơn, Trảng Bom, Đồng Nai, Vietnam, houses about 40 children and 330 adults, mostly with mental disabilities. The center was founded and run by a catholic deacon (click here for more pics).

It was Donate For Children (DFC) first visit to this shelter. The DFC Team, consisted of a small group of volunteers around 12 people and led by DFC CEO Hai Tran, arrived at the center around 11 am on that visiting day. The group was greeted by Phan Sinh representative. On behalf of the DFC Team, V.P. Marsha Tran presented to Phan Sinh representative some treats for the children in the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival, and a cash donation of two thousand dollars.

Special Note: A sincere appreciation to the St. Peregrine Prayers Group, USA, and its members for all of the generous donations that made this visit possible. DFC and Mai Am Phan Sinh were truly grateful for the meaningful support.  

VAN NGUYEN, Saigon, Vietnam (Translated by Thuy Tien, USA)

I would like to open this passage with my sincere appreciation to Donate For Children (DFC) for the formation of such enriched humanitarian programs that allowed me the opportunity to participate and add hands to this meaningful visit. It was my very emotional day. I quickly learned the needs and  struggles of the unfortunate, especially those young children. We were told the shelter did not receive financial support from the government, and the main source of the shelter's revenues were from donors, mostly from the US. 

Led by a member of Phan Sinh reception team, we visited one sleeping quarter after another. There were too many elder laid in beds, with most men without wearing a shirt. When we arrived the children's sleeping quarter, I was at first disappointed to see many children with arms and ankles chained to their beds, but after learning that the shelter had done so in order to protect the mentally disabled children from being harmed by their own behaviors.  I could not hold in my tears.  At the same moment, I realized I was not alone -- I saw another volunteer quickly walked out of the room.

On the way going back, my mind was fully occupied with mixed emotions; my heart was saddened when thinking about the living conditions of those unfortunate: the crowded sleeping quarters, the dark rooms, the hot weather... My perception about life started to change as I could then fully understand the meaning of being the less-fortunate. I felt very compassionate for the struggles of these individuals, and at the same time, being thankful and admiring those workers who have sacrificed their lives taking care and assisting the disabled. Thank you so much to those who care for the unfortunate's well-beings.

For one thing, I could realize that not only DFC programs carried the true value of humanities, they also brought an uplifting spirit to the needy individuals who were looking for a light of hope. The visit was ended, but my experience with Mai Am Phan Sinh will never be forgotten. I look forward to join DFC as a volunteer again very soon. I am ready to contribute my time at the center in anyway I can.