Noble by Name - Noble by Nature,
Australian Senior Citizens
1996 January, Vol. 19, No. 4

Christina Noble has achieved more in the last four years than most people could imagine achieving in a lifetime.

Arriving in Ho Chih Minh City in 1989 with no education, no money, no experience, unable to speak the language and not having nay idea of how or where to begin, Christina has single-handedly been the driving force in setting up a medical and social centre for thousands of street children in Vietnam.

Since opening in July 1991, more than 40,000 people have been treated at the centre which includes a hospital, intensive care unit, Sunshine School Education Program, day nursery, a dental program, shelters for street children and special projects which organise overseas treatment for malformed and injured babies.

And her work is still growing, with plans to build a laboratory for diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as hepatitis A, B, C and HIV, a physiotherapy room and more shelters.

Gigantic achievements for a woman who came from a background of severe poverty and neglect, physical, mental emotional and sexual abuse, and a life she considered "devoid of accomplishment".

Born in the Liberties, the slum area of south-west Dublin in Ireland, Christina's childhood was one she describes as "pain and betrayal".

Her mother died when she was 10 years old, and her father, a violent and hopeless alcoholic, was incapable of supporting and caring for Christina and her three younger siblings. As the eldest child at home, she soon became the "man" of the family.

It wasn't long before the authorities intervened and the children had to face their greatest fear - being split up.

The children were sent to different orphanages and not allowed to contact each other.

After suffering physical and mental abuse and being told that the rest of her family was dead, Christina escaped (breaking her leg in the process) and went on to spend several years on the streets scavenging for food and literally living in a hole in the ground in a park.

And if this existence wasn't bad enough, she also suffered sexual abuse from a family friend and was dragged into a car and gang raped by four men with this ordeal leaving her pregnant.

At age 18 Christina went to England to be with one of her brothers and start a new life. There she married an unfaithful and violent man and the cycle of abuse continued. She was regularly beaten, suffered a miscarriage and was later forced to undertake shock treatment for a mental breakdown and depression.

Christina's experiences would crush the strongest spirit; yet her courage in the face of loneliness and despair, her ability to see past the impossible, her indomitable personality, her positive outlook and sense of humour all contribute to making her a most remarkable woman.

Overcoming her past is quite some achievement in itself, but the 52-year-old doesn't stop there as she relentlessly pushes forward in her work helping the street children of Vietnam with a wealth of compassion born from first-hand experience.

But why Vietnam? In her book "Bridge Across My Sorrows", published by Transworld Publishers, Christina explains:

"I came to Vietnam because of a dream I had almost 20 years ago. The dream told me to work with the street children of this poor, jangled, disease-ridden country. You might laugh at that. You might say it was nothing but a dream and only someone who is Irish would act on a dream as if it were a message from God. And you could be right. After all, my coming here was not anything I could explain then or anything I can explain today. I had a dream - a vision, if you will - that ordered me to Vietnam. That is all."

Mosman Rotary is sponsoring Christina Noble to Sydney as their guest speaker in March.

As a result of more and more people becoming aware of her work, The Christina Noble Children's Foundation's Australian link in Sydney is rapidly outgrowing its spare room facilities.

Christina, who lives like the local poor in Vietnam, is determined that the foundation keep all administrative costs to a bare minimum. This will ensure that all donations will be used where they are intended - directly for the children.

Consequently, the foundation is hoping that office space, office equipment and volunteer help be donated from people wishing to offer their support. If you can help, contact Jan Davenport on (02) 9398-8633 (evenings or weekends only).