To Vietnam I go. Wow. It’s a place both revered in it’s beauty and reviled in it’s history. The only experience I have had so far has been in movies. Bloody movies. Those are now part of history and by all accounts Vietnam is a budding tourist destination. Even more trendy than Thailand.
I am going along with 23 other people on an adventure. An adventure that will open our eyes. Warm our hearts. All of us are paying our own way, and bringing with us a really big gift. Not like the candies and crayons you usually bring to Cuba for the kids. This one comes in a 1 tonne container, loaded on a ship, truck delivered to a hand picked place. I don’t know much about where it is going, but let me fill you in on what I do know. It’s in a community called Hoi An. Google tells me it’s a beautiful place. An UNESCO heritage site. On the coast south of the bustling city of DaNang. The centre of Hoi An looks stunning. A lot of tourists flock there. Enjoy the fresh food. The French-influenced baked goods. The cheap beer.
But no city, no matter how beautiful, is perfect. There are always the people who can’t afford the lifestyle of perfection. And that’s where this playground is going. In an outlying neighbourhood. A poor neighbourhood. At the site of an upcoming community centre. So, an old Spruce Grove playground that was no longer enough for our kids…will find new life here.
