Sunflower

It is 11:30 p.m., and you are in a bar in Saigon, drinking a Tiger Beer and listening to music with your friends, when you feel a tug on your sleeve. You look down at your elbow and see an adorable five-year-old girl selling cigarettes and lighters. Your first thought is to shoo her away, but after a moment of reflection you think, “Why isn’t she home in bed at 11:30 on a school night?” The answer? She doesn’t have a bed, and there is no school.

Nestled in a poor neighborhood in southern Saigon, Sunflower Children’s House gives shelter and love to 30 young girls, age 5 to 15. These girls were all found on the street, struggling to survive in a third-world country with no support network. They have no family in the traditional sense of the word. Some are orphans, some have parents with mental instabilities, and some come from brutally broken homes. Some begged on the street, some stole food, and some were forced to prostitute themselves to survive. All of them deserve better.

Julius, a caring man from Holland, decided to do something about it, so he built a three story house, hired a couple of educators and a cook, and created a safe house for these kids. They now have food, shelter, safety, education, support, and most of all, opportunity.

With our Dutch friends, Edith and Maarten, we visited Sunflower Children’s House to provide a little support, both financial and moral, and to meet these miraculous survivors. Although we went to Sunflower with the intention of giving, we received more in return than we ever could have dreamed. These kids gave us inspiration and hope, and a profound sense that there is some goodness in this world.

Enjoy the Sunflower Children’s House Photo Gallery.

Enjoy the Sunflower movies:
Dutch Lesson.
Hokey Pokey.