In 1996 when I was still teaching at Eiko High School I joined the Japa Vietnam tour. To be honest, the 17 days I spent in Vietnam were a series of warm impressions, shocks and surprises.

I was deeply surprised to realize that, in spite of 20 years after the American War, I could still see with my eyes the remnants of that war. Several churches were using as a bell the huge outside cask of unexploded bombs dropped by American planes. In a rural area of Binh Thuan province we saw a land mine on a rice field near a farm. I was shocked because 20 years had elapsed and nobody seemed able to dispose of it.

Churches were always full, even during the early daily masses. I could feel the strong faith of the Vietnamese no matter the difficulties they meet with the socialist regime to express freely their faith.

Of course, poverty and the lack of infrastructures at various levels impressed me, but the over presence of security police was quite astonishing. Finally, we had a shocking experience with the mini hotel we stayed at in HCM City. We reserved ahead of time our rooms for a period of 10 days. Once we went to a rural area and stayed overnight there, but when we came back to the mini hotel in the city we were told that there were no more rooms available. We were forcibly transferred to a different uncomfortable place surrounded by high walls. Was it house arrest? Who knows? Seemingly a different group of foreigners had arrived to the mini hotel and had more money than us.

Vietnamese people have always wished peace and stability. I returned home for the first time in 1996 and 25 years had elapsed since the end of the war with the Americans. I realized that a new inhuman war had begun, i.e. the use of drugs and prostitution, and the spread of AIDS.

The Doi moi policies, taken 10 years ago, provoked new economic developments symbolized by the large numbers of hotels built in the cities. The youth is under the influence of modern fashions and many people attend religious services in churches and temples now. Nevertheless, there are many social unbalances. Education, medical and welfare services are clearly much outdated and people from rural areas come to the cities looking for survival. The number of street children has greatly increased, as well as prostitution. Thousands of young people have become drug addicts and according to some recent statistics there could be over 100,000 in Vietnam, now.

Thanks to the activities of Japa Vietnam I was able to know better my own country. I feel pity for many young people unable to receive a fair education and protection. I was blessed to be educated abroad and I want to help as many young individuals as possible. This will be nothing else than a drop in the ocean and although my efforts can not transform structures this is all I can do. I want to invite many to participate in helping Vietnamese children to save themselves. It is a difficult task but a bright hope lies ahead.

Takayama ( left ) with a minority woman of Cao Ban