| Today we had a very special visitor, Oanh Rieder [neé Do Thi Oanh], a 16 year old girl who was adopted by a Swiss family, the Rieders, when she was a just a baby. Born premature and orphaned at birth, Oahn spent the first year of her life in our care at the Sunshine Centre. This visit was her first time back to Vietnam since being adopted. Oahn came to visit us with her brother, sister and parents and spent the morning playing with the children in the Centre. |  Baby Oahn with carer Minh Thanh circa 2000 |
Although quiet, she bonded immediately with the children and by the end of her visit was was surrounded by a dozen babies.
The highlight for her though was seeing Minh Thanh. Minh was one of her former carers, who helped care for her when she was a baby. Minh actually retired in November but by chance is back in the Centre temporarily to help out for a couple of months, so it was an unexpected but wonderful reunion.
It was clearly an emotional experience for everyone and such an important moment for Oanh and her family. Minh Thanh was also delighted to see how Oanh has grown up, to meet her family and to hear about Oanh’s life, telling her that she was such a lucky girl to have been adopted into a loving family.
Oanh also spent some time learning more about the Foundation as she is planning to use this in her end of year research project at school.
It is always heartwarming when we have a chance to see children return and for the carers and staff to hear about their lives.
The Rieders have three adopted children, two from Vietnam and one from the Philippines and both work as teachers.
The highlight for her though was seeing Minh Thanh. Minh was one of her former carers, who helped care for her when she was a baby. Minh actually retired in November but by chance is back in the Centre temporarily to help out for a couple of months, so it was an unexpected but wonderful reunion.
It was clearly an emotional experience for everyone and such an important moment for Oanh and her family. Minh Thanh was also delighted to see how Oanh has grown up, to meet her family and to hear about Oanh’s life, telling her that she was such a lucky girl to have been adopted into a loving family.
Oanh also spent some time learning more about the Foundation as she is planning to use this in her end of year research project at school.
It is always heartwarming when we have a chance to see children return and for the carers and staff to hear about their lives.
The Rieders have three adopted children, two from Vietnam and one from the Philippines and both work as teachers.
