I met a girl 12 year-old in the streets of HCM City. She lost her father at a very early age. She was accepted in a small house for street children. The first impression I received when I met her was that she had a very strong character. She was a very shrewd person. Her father had been drug addict and treated her very rudely. The day I met her she was embracing with great care a ragged doll. She was very thin and her appearance looked much older than her age. Most probably that was the result of malnutrition and of walking the streets without any sandals. She said to me that there was nothing enjoyable in her life. She did not say, "I want to be happy". Most probably, she did not have in all her life any experience of happiness. The concept of happiness was never in her mind.

I joined the 1998 Vietnam tour. The year before the Japa Vietnam group had brought street children by boat, on an excursion, around HCM City. The children enjoyed it very much. This year we also chartered 4 big boats and brought about 60 street children around the Saigon River for half-a-day picnic.

The children were delighted, but some of them felt a little uneasy. In my boat 2 small girls began to distribute juice to their companions. As soon as the boat left the harbor one of the uncommunicative children sat next to one of the members of Japa Vietnam like seeking refuge there. One of the oldest boys came to my side and started to ask me questions in Vietnamese. Do you have a family? Don't you have it? Then, you must feel alone. Do you have a boy friend? Don't you have it? Then, you must feel very lonely. He kept repeating "lonely, lonely, very sad". He looked 14 years old, but he said he was 17 years old already.

Then he got excited and showed with his hand a place inland. "Over there is a swimming pool", he said. I, hardly, can understand Vietnamese, but I said, "all right. Yes, I understand". The real problem came after that. The boy wanted to go there to swim and play with all his friends, but I kept saying that it was impossible, that we did not have enough time. Then, they tried all means to make me say "OK, let's go together".

Later I heard the story about that boy. He had a past record of having been forced to practice prostitution and he is now under medical treatment, because of a contracted venereal disease. He was away from his family and all he spoke to me on the boat about a family, having a girl friend, loneliness, etc. expressed the inner feelings of his heart.

I really admire Mr. Phung of Tao Dan and wish him health and strength to continue together with his group of volunteers such wonderful service to the children on the streets.