During my uni time,
whenever I had time, I would pack up and go on short trips to various places in
VN. These trips were really exciting and eye opening in every aspects of life
for me. In my fourth year at university, I was told if I would like to join a
group of doctors to go on a charity trip to Mekong delta, it was the first time
I joined this kind of activities.
After participating in some
charity missions organized by some people at the university, I soon came to
realize the huge gap and difference in living conditions and medical care
available for city and rural people. My heart ached even more when I once
visited the orphanage home or home for the aged homeless people in Binh
Dinh.
From there on, I became a
frequent member of this volunteer group. We had not only volunteered to provide
free dental care but also donated to charity on an individual basis, publicly or
anonymously. However, as an individual with limited resources and capabilities,
this was the only thing I could do as a student.
Later on, soon after university
graduation, I was given scholarship to go to Japan to further my study. My 4
years in Japan had widen my knowledge but also understanding what have been
lacking in Vietnam in terms of medical care, health policy, infrastructure for
providing basic standard medical care to people, health care system etc…I also
attended some charity activities in Japan as a VYSA (Vietnamese youths and
students association) members such as to visit and give some Vietnamese dance
performances to mental defect children. All of the activities were charity
activities but the mission was different in Japan and in Vietnam. I realized
that even the Japanese metal defect children got very good care in general but
also got a good dental care. I
started to wonder if I could do anything even little to help
improve medical/ dental care for the needy people in VN.
A year ago, after completing my
study in Japan, I came back to VN. I was introduced to Dr. Fujioka, president of
Japan Volunteer Dentist Organization. This charitable collaboration with Dr.
Fujioka was an important discovery that I could contribute more significant help
the needy in VN.
Through the work with Dr
Fujioka, I have seen the impact and significance, which we have brought to the
life of many needy people. I was able to see it more clearly and vividly in the
charity projects done with Dr Fujioka and his staffs, because it is team efforts
not only with sincere desire, love and faith for helping, but also in much
larger and more organized resources compared to what I did during my university
days.
I think volunteering is more than
free time. I believe in volunteering as the way to find the sense to life.
Perhaps the most fundamental value that I hold throughout all these volunteer
works is that knowledge and success both come with the responsibility to share
with others. That is why I am
passionate about teaching and volunteering.
I
look forward to successfully contributing my abilities to similar charitable
programs in the future.