March 8, 2007

Hanoi - Hai Phong, Vietnam

I'm in Vietnam and my teeth are chattering! The temperature in Haiphong is at least 30 degrees colder than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) was when we were there just a few days ago. What is up? Luckily, I brought one pair of pants and a fleece jacket for the cool airplane rides...but after three days in the same outfit, I'm ready to dig out my shorts again!

Haiphong is the third-largest city in Vietnam, located on the coast of the East Sea, east of Hanoi. It became Seattle's sister city in 1996. Over the past decade, leaders from both cities have talked trade, tourism, health care, technology and urban planning. Like Seattle, Haiphong serves as a major port. Some of its most important industries are shipbuilding and repairing. There are all sorts of heavy industries here, and city leaders say Haiphong offers great opportunity for investment and business. But if you just wanna have fun, come here as a tourist. (Although right now the weather feels very similar to winter in Seattle.) City leaders told me to invite you. Perhaps Haiphong's biggest draw is that it's a great jumping-off spot for boat trips to beautiful Cat Ba Island, just recognized by UNESCO as one of the world's biosphere reserves. To learn more, check out the Haiphong website, which Seattle leaders helped to develop: http://www.haiphong.gov.vn/en/front-end/index.asp

Now a word on a totally different subject, something that Son Michael Pham sadly refers to as "the gift that keeps on giving." We're talking about Agent Orange. The dioxin-based chemical was used by the U.S. military as a defoliant during the Vietnam war. (It earned that nickname because it was stored in bright orange containers.) Besides being sprayed from the air, countless barrels of Agent Orange were also left behind on our bases when American troops pulled out of Vietnam. Over time, the containers grew rusty and leaky, contaminating the soil and groundwater. The legacy of Agent Orange is a tragic one and unfortunately, is still unsolved. One of the facilities that's near and dear to Son Michael's heart is dedicated to helping Agent Orange victims. Thanh Xuan Peace Village in Hanoi is a government rehab center that primarily cares for children, providing therapy and vocational training. The director, Dr. Nguyen Phuong is a dedicated woman who helps explain this complex issue. She says dioxin targets the brain, Exposure to Agent Orange can result in a myriad of problems from stunted growth, to muscle deterioration, to devastating mental and physical birth defects. More than 70% though, suffer some type of brain damage. Many people may not know this, but Vietnam is now seeing a third generation of people affected by Agent Orange. Oddly enough, says Dr. Phuong, the generation born to those who are directly exposed see few problems, but then THEIR kids are affected. For reasons that are still not clear, it appears that Agent Orange's awful effects skip a generation in the middle. A look around the facility and you soon understand the heartbreak of Agent Orange. But the kids are also some of the sweetest little souls ever! Their smiles, their loving hugs, their happiness at just our being there is overwhelming. Son Michael makes sure I meet 15-year-old Huong who is quietly sitting on her bed in the back of the room. She has cerebral palsy-type symptoms. But the Peace Village is training her to do clerical work so perhaps one day, Huong can support herself. She grips my hand tightly and poses for several pictures. Her smile lights up the room.

Dioxin takes forever to break down in the environment. Vietnam can't afford to wait. The fix is also two-fold: you not only have to prevent exposure by getting people away from the hot spots, but also have to clean up the existing contamination so the cycle ends once and for all.

Dr. Phuong's eyes drop down, her voice gets softer. She is heartbroken because she believes the world has put this issue on the back burner. "It is forgotten," she says. IAn estimated 3 to 4 million people in Vietnam are directly affected by Agent Orange--and those numbers do NOT include the other people who feel the impact, such as parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters.

For now, Kids Without Borders is supporting the Peace Village by helping to connect it with others, especially Rotarians back in the states. Wheelchairs have been delivered, as well as school supplies, clothing, and medical equipment. Now Larry Symonds, who is on this trip with us, is going to ask his club in Queen Anne to buy a new water filtration system for the Peace Village. This help is so necessary because funding is meager. But......the question remains...will we just walk away from this problem because it's so overwhelming? The legal battles, the blame game, the settlements, etc., might seem insurmountable. But, again, the question remains... will we just turn our backs and walk away? Or will we square our shoulders, take courage and finally solve what many describe as the Vietnam War's worst legacy?