April 15: Arrived in Meo Vac in the afternoon…We are very close to the China border. The mountains are magnificent! The most beautiful, most vast, almost hallucinating natural wonder I have ever seen. 

 The people are so beautiful. 

In the evening , new friends from Plan International took me on motorbike to the "Loving Market." 

This festival is a one of the very few traditions of the tribal people here that are still in practice. The tradition began with a story about two lovers who were not able to be married to each other. The young man were killed by the girl's family, and the girl cried herself to death, or killed herself.( I got several versions). So the "Loving Market" is for people who could not marry those they loved to have a chance to see each other at that market once a year and their spouse would not be jealous...

About 9pm, in the dark, on motorcycles to the market, we wove our ways on a narrow path snake around the mountain with 200 meter drop on one side, among cars, motorbikes, bikes, pedestrians, and even a Hmong grandmother coaxing her little black pig to walk ahead of her. Her little grandchild follow close behind. Maybe, they just bought the pig at the market, and on their way home.

Almost certain that I would not be able to get to Hop Tien this time as I would need more time to schedule to visit this village. So bummed! and began to think I should leave this beautiful place sooner than I had planned.

April 11:Emailed several people about Hop Tien again. People still suggested to take a tour bus. Got discouraged.

Midday, I got a phone call from an old friend of an old friend who I had contacted before my trip to inquire about Hop Tien...

"Let's meet. I am not sure if I can help you, but let's get together this afternoon," Thu Ba told me.

We met later at a cafe (She ordered fresh pressed guava juice, and me carrot juice).

AND I've found a kindred friend. We share our love for the people in the highland. What a wonderful time we had!

Thu Ba has been working in the Vietnam highlands bringing projects to improve the lives, health and education to these areas. (BTW, she told me it is very vast). In addition, Thu Ba and her colleagues have began a new project to help the tribal people, especially children and women, in a tangible way.

I love their blog.

http://vuikhoeamno.wordpress.com/
The stories are in Vietnamese, and the photos are great to tell the stories that are very touching from providing a buffalo (that they will have to carry up the mountains), a bed and beddings to two young brothers who live with their elderly grandfather, to a beautiful story of a high school student who live with her mother and little sister and determines to continue with her education in spite of her family's poverty.

Thu Ba called a colleague immediately to ask about Hop Tien. "This friend is working on a thesis about the culture and history of the highland. He may know...", Thu Ba told me.

The friend didn't know, but would check around for me...

April 14: 10:52 pm: TB called: "Can you pack and get ready to go to Ha Giang tomorrow. And you will be gone for a week."

"Of course, I will be ready..." I thanked her profusely. At this point, I still don't know how to get to Hop Tien yet...

April 10: left tranquil Nha Trang for the fast, furious and fascinating Hanoi.
Hanoi was hot and humid, but I always love it here. It inspired me!
Asked around about Hop Tien, but no one heard of it... Meanwhile, I will just enjoy this wonderful city.

I am thankful for Chi Binh for giving me her sweet home in walking distance to the old quarters, my favorite parts of Hanoi. She made sure I had all my favorite food: whatever I want!!!! Here is a photo of one of them: xoi, or steamed rice with coconut and roasted sesame seeds.

There are so many more cars. Have you seen a bicycle being transported by a motorbike?

Visit a few galleries. Made new friends. Ate lots of pho, and banh cuon, com via he (food sold on the side walk)..and more. Clothes got too tight!!

April 8: Celebrated Easter at a protestant church in Nha Trang, and in the evening went to an Easter outreach... The church was empty at 6:50pm, but at 7:00 when the service started, it was completely packed.

No leads about Hop Tien, but cousin Thanh's wonderful food slowed down my plan to go to Hanoi. She introduced me to durian fruit... I am now addicted to this "stinky" fruit that has a wonderful fragrance.

We went to Lousiane Club for a drink... Life is good here in Nha Trang!

April 3, 5 a.m.: Left Providence, RI.

April 4: Arrived Ho Chi Minh City at 1 am.. Slept in a taxi cab in an alley waiting for the train station to open. My train was scheduled to leave at 6am.

April 5: Took the train to Nha Trang as a side trip to consult with my cousin Tuan who visited Vietnam highland several years ago. He didn't know where Hop Tien is, but suggested to take a tour bus to Ha Giang, a tourist favorite, then hire a "xe om" (translation: hugging motorcycle, you sit on the back and hug the driver, no seat belt required) to take me to the village, given he knows where it is.

Nha Trang beaches are absolutely beautiful. 

On my early morning walk along the beach, a caravan of fishing boats returned to the village. The women in the village would sell my cousin Thanh their fresh catch a few hours later. Have you had freshly caught fish and squids? Amazing stuff. I gained two kilos in one week. Thanh's being a great cook didn't help.

Emailed people to ask about Hop Tien....

Philip emailed people, too.

The journey began with a NY Times article...

" Over a decade ago, human traffickers descended on this seemingly forgotten slice of soaring limestone crags and lush valleys to snatch up women and children and sell them over the border in China, less than four miles away...

....the Vietnamese authorities collaborated with Chinese officials to find the women and, remarkably, bring them home.

But residents’ elation lurched to horror at the realization that two of the women were pregnant. News quickly spread that the others, too, had been made sex workers, and even those who did not bear the signs of the trade paid its price.

Fearful that a fallen woman would cast shame on the whole family, several households quickly disowned their kidnapped daughters. Some of the girls built makeshift tents, blue specks that can still be seen tucked high into the mountainside, a wide distance from town.

They were outcasts, without food, income or hope.

That is when Vang Thi Mai, a short woman with work-worn hands and a round, beaming face, took them in, and changed their lives and the fortunes of the entire village...."
" http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/world/asia/17vietnam.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all



August 2012, in my light-filled loft in Providence, RI, USA, I read this article and felt my heart tugged toward the blue specks on the green hills where the young women called home. I felt I should just go there even though I didn't know exactly where they were, how to get to them, or how I could be of help for them, and Mrs. Mai.

I wrote several groups and people that were mentioned in the article, but got no answer. With much prayer, and lots of encouragement from my family and close friends, at the end of March 2012, without a clue how to reach the village, except this love, and peace, in my heart, I made the decision to travel to Vietnam.

So my journey began....