Inspirational Journal

Entry 1: The BeginningIn our travels through SE Asia we both had an interest in visiting orphanages and children’s organizations because of our background in social work and volunteering. We thought it was a great way of seeing the land and also meeting the people. Prior to visiting our first orphanage we chatted over spring rolls about how excited we were for our journey. We drank tea, caught up with each other, and planned our next few weeks of travels.Entry 2: The Reality…We received information about a place in Cambodia called Lighthouse Orphanage. Michelle connected with a man named Paul Underwood who gave us information on an orphanage in Phnom Penh. He raises funding to educate children at the orphanage. We knew this is where our first visit would be.We arranged to have a tuk-tuk driver take us to the orphanage. On the way there we bought a large bag of rice to donate. Upon arriving through the gates a very enthusiastic little boy greeted our tuk-tuk. He was so happy to have new visitors. We then met caretakers and staff who gave us information on the orphanage. The children eagerly gave us personal tours shortly after. We spent the day playing games with the children and learning about there daily routine.Entry 3: The Enlightenment…We couldn’t stop talking about the children we just met. The ride back to the guest house went so much quicker than the ride to the orphanage. The kids were so great and so appreciative of new visitors. We can’t say enough of how much joy that day brought us.Entry 4: The Inspiration…The girl with a hole in her tooth. “Michelle, did you see that little girl with a hole in her front tooth? You could see right through it!” said HM. “Yeah, it’s unfortunate to know that probably could have been avoided by proper dental hygiene” Michelle replied. The little girl that both of us saw was 11 years old. We also noticed she may have been insecure because she always smiled with her mouth closed.Entry 5: The Impact…“Wouldn’t it be cool if we could help these kids out in some way?” was the theme for the rest of the trip. We were pumped after seeing how great all the children were at our first orphanage and knew it was going to be just as inspiring at the next children’s organization. We were motivated to find ways to help. In our conversations about the orphanage our focus always came back to “the girl with a hole in her tooth”.Entry 6: Our First Mission…Today we were off to visit another children’s organization called Agape Children’s Home. This is a place that Michelle had already been volunteering her time to teach English. Beforehand, we stopped by a local Vietnamese grocery story to buy the kids some dental supplies. We thought it would be a good idea to teach a lesson on oral health. The toothbrushes were a hit! We saw that even with limited resources we were able to make an enormous and positive impact. The value of a gift is appreciated by these kids, and they were eager to learn about keeping their mouths healthy.After our lesson the caretaker, Sang, spoke with us about the needs of oral health education in Vietnam. He mentioned there were people he knew living in the countryside that have never heard of a toothbrush or toothpaste. He also referred back to the lesson, and said it is hard for many families to replenish a toothbrush every 3 months. This is something that saddened us. A toothbrush should be a basic necessity. After our conversation with Sang and our lesson with the children, we were even more inspired to do something.Entry 7: The Birth:The idea becomes an organization. Over lunch at a local restaurant in Da Nang, Vietnam our first official meeting was declared. Our mission is to provide dental care and education to underprivileged children. We are filled with ideas and filled with hope. We feel every child deserves a healthy smile. We know this is going to be an amazing journey and we will save smiles worldwide.