I live in the countryside and was asked by Huyen, a friend of mine who teaches at CDS, to arrange a field trip. The goal was for the students to learn about farming and get hands-on experience.

The first requirement was to find tasks suitable for children ages 8-18. Secondly, I had to find a location that was close enough to the school for a field trip. Lastly, I had to find farmers that were ready to harvest their crops to give the students a great experience. We set the date for April 17, 2023.

The staff and students had to wake up early to arrive at school by 5:45 a.m.  After a 45-minute drive, the busyness of city life had faded away, and rice fields and farmland began to appear.  When they arrived at my house, each student politely shook my hand, bowing to greet me. I immediately knew that in addition to a good education, these students were well cared for and taught manners.

We went out to the fields together. The students were divided into small groups to join in different jobs. Some students picked corn from stalks and placed them into piles. Others began shucking the corn and putting them in bags. I was surprised at their hard work. When they finished watching and learning about one part of the process, they moved on to another part. After hours of observing, learning, and working, it was time to stop. Before leaving, the students politely thanked the owner of the field.

The staff and students came back to my house and even gave me gifts. One was a sketch of me taken from a profile picture. I was amazed at the student’s skill. I took a picture of the sketch and posted it on my Facebook page. It was well received as I was sent hundreds of compliments.

This was a great experience for me as well as for the children. These students are precious and talented. As they were leaving, I could see their hands waving goodbye from the van. I hope that I can see them again in the near future and watch them continue to grow in the talents that God has given them.

Mr. Nguyen Vinh – Quang Nam, Vietnam