i'm here

Arrived in HCM late last night, got ripped off by a cab but got a room with a good A/C . That is sometimes all that matters. I will enjoy an air conditioner as long as I can because there may not be many in my future. Met with Quang today, who works for Peacetrees. They clear land mines and have land mine education centers in the Cental area and in Cambodia. He is a great friend and really helps with the work in Kon Tum, especially the leper village. He told me of another leper village and orphanage near Pleiku that recieves no help from anyone. I am very ineterested in going there. Nice to be in HCM...walked around all day, ran into my little friend who sells postcards on the street. He has gotten so tall. He is around 12 yrs. old. I met him on my first visit to Vietnam and have been watching him grow. Each time I come here I find him in about the same area. I bought a pizza for him from an american-ish place today. He ate it fast and seemed happy. He is a skinny kid and needs food. I asked him about school, why he was not in school, even though I know the answer and his reply was that "school costs money". He works, of course, to help support his family. He is very smart and speaks english well. He told me he heard that the Catholic church near Don Khoi St. had a free school but if he were in school, his little brothers would not have enough to eat. I walked up to the church because I thought I could talk to them but the gate was closed. I am going to go back up there in awhile to see if I can find anyone. It would be amazing if he could go to school. He really is just the sweetest and brightest kid. 

I leave in the a.m. for Da Nang and I look forward to meeting up with the others. Have a little jet- lag but overall not too bad. Getting a little used to the heat and humidity but you never REALLY get used to it. I start walking in 2 days.