This is Huynh Tan Do and his Grandmother. He is a very sweet, friendly 19 year old Vietnamese young man who suffers from the lingering effects of Agent Orange, the defoliant used during the Vietnam War. The day Thao & I visited, he was having a bowl of rice on his porch in the rural area of Da Nang where the two of them live. Since we were visitors, his Grandmother coaxed him into putting it down since there were visitors. I said he could go ahead and finish his rice, but she insisted. In Vietnam, guests are treated with respect and courtesy, oftentimes given the best chair to sit in and served first when sharing a meal.

 

Do & his Grandmother need a cow. That's right. A cow.

 

Why a cow? Because in Vietnam, an animal that can pull a piece of farm equipment, can mean the difference between having the resources to grow food for yourself and your family and going without.  Having an animal means not only being able to grow food for your family, it also means maybe even having enough food left over to sell to others so that you have extra money to pay for other much real necessities. In our country, it's hard to imagine a cow making that kind of difference in a familiy's life. That's one way a cow can make a difference. The other way is  the way it will help Do & his Grandmother. By having an animal to raise to adulthood, owners are able to sell it, then use the money from the sale of the adult animal to buy another young animal to grow and sell, repeating the cycle to make money and provide a way of sustaining additional income.

 

In Vietnam, the cost of a fully grown calf is around $750.00USD -- a sum that is quite affordable with just a few small donations. If you'd like to join us in making a big difference in Do & his Grandmother's life, just click here to go to our donation page and make a secure contribution through Paypal in any amount. 100% of the net proceeds you donate through PayPal will go directly to this family and 100% of all proceeds mailed directly to us will be given to them. There is no minimum donation and no amount is too small. Everything counts and everything is appreciated.