Ten years ago, we were present at the "ghost" area, a nameless small community, that many people called that way because they lived in a graveyard. They were poor people coming here from everywhere, who set up their shelters in the cemetery and gradually they were so crowded that they would become a community.

We began there activities for children such as small classes, embroidery classes, picnics. Thanks to these activities, I got to know Japa Vietnam that was very far from here but had as its objective to support poor people in VN. After some friendly visits of Japa Vietnam, Miss Akimi let us know that Japa Vietnam would support our activities for poor people.

Japa Vietnam friends, during one of their visits to Vietnam, met with us and with the street children at the Zoo garden in HCMC. Street children earn their living along the streets and we had some recreation programs for them at a little bridge in the Zoo. Those activities were quite exciting for them.

Many of the children, after having spent their lives on the streets with much risk hoped to have a house to rest. So, we rented a small house in a poor community for them to live. I remember, I, once, took Mr. Ando to the area by motorbike. The area is full of winding lanes and it took us quite a lot of time to arrive at our small house.

Working in the streets, we often encounter not only street children, but also sex workers and drug users. As a result, our activities have increased to outreach them for HIV/AIDS prevention. Our Japa Vietnam friends have met them on the streets of District 5. Sex workers are naturally happy in contacting friendly Japanese people who are willing to talk with them.

After visiting streets, we returned to slums again, where street children, sex workers and drug users were living. We make friends with all of them so as to inform them about HIV/AIDS, help them in reducing the harm done by drugs, especially to sex workers. We try to support them with knowledge to know how to save money, to entertain themselves, to go and see the doctor when they were sick, to sit down together for group discussion, etc.

When the AIDS disease affects them seriously, the poor people infected with HIV have got strong suffering. When death gets nearer to them, it's time for them to live lonely and homeless, waiting in despair for death in the streets. We are present together with them, sharing their miserable life right at the moment of dying. During the past 10 years, we have gone here and there to poor communities, to the streets, in order to support poor people, so that they can have a better life. Japa Vietnam always goes together with us. Better than friendship they have brought spiritual support.