A Letter from VAYA's 2008 Miss Vietnam of San Diego

This past summer I have had the opportunity to board the USNS Mercy to participate in a multi partner nations humanitarian mission in Southeast Asia. Vietnam was one of the destinations. For the first time in 12 years, I came back not only to visit my homeland but also with a meaningful purpose and that was to provide health care to the underserved Vietnamese. Along with the Navy personnel, I also welcomed the opportunity to work with Operation Smile International, Project HOPE, International Medical Relief Team, and doctors from all over the world.

Despite the fact that Vietnam is one of the fastest growing countries in Asia for the past decade, it is undoubtedly still one of the poorest in the world. The Vietnamese deserve and are in desperate needs of basic healthcare especially those in the suburban areas. Being born and raised in Vietnam until 9 years old, I was proud to be back and help the people in my country. What else connects healthcare providers with their patients better than words of encouragement and compassion? It is exactly what I did in Vietnam. My job as a translator in Vietnam proved to be extremely helpful as I was able to break the language barrier between doctors and patients. Being able to speak the language allowed me to have better interactions with the patients. Many Vietnamese though receiving healthcare for free, are nevertheless afraid of the sophisticated machines and the technology that the US Navy is providing. I made sure the patient understands their conditions as well as their options before they opt for surgery. Communication was imperative for this mission because without effective communication between patients and doctors, the mission would not have been as successful. Being able to communicate in the same language, I got the chance to meet people who touched my heart deeply.

When I was at Dien Son clinic, bac Sau, an 88 years old woman whom had lost one eye to cataract, came in with a broken pair of glasses tied together by a string. The glasses were badly broken in the middle with yellow stained on the rims. Bac Sau was a nice and mellow lady and was so poor that she could not even afford a pair of sandals. I liked her instantly because she reminded me of my dear grand mother whom I had the chance to visit a few days earlier before the mission started. The daughter took her to the clinic hoping to get a pair of glasses so her mother can see better. After the exam, the optometrist gave the proper prescription and despite needing this new pair of glasses more than anyone, Bac Sau declined with a simple explanation, "My daughter has been asking me to come and get new glasses for free even after I repeatedly declined. I know it's almost my time, please save it for someone else who needs more than I do. I've been using this broken pair of glasses for the past 10 years, so it makes no difference whether it's broken or not." I stood there feeling heartbroken as tears swelled up in my eyes. I began to realize how lucky we are to be living in the United States. Basic healthcares some of which are taken for granted such as removing a decayed tooth, glasses, medicines... are a luxury for these poor people.

I left Vietnam with a promise to myself to come back on more humanitarian missions in the future not only as a translator but a dentist as well.

Having gone to Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Micronesia, I choose to focus on Vietnam because I felt it made the greatest impact on me in terms of patients' interactions and also my role in Vietnam as a translator was unique. My responsibility in each country was different whether it's renovating schools and hospital in Micronesia, and putting fluoride varnish on the Timorese children in Baucau, assisting in extracting root tips in betel nuts land (PNG). I personally learned they all had one thing in common and that was just lending a hand to a stranger in need of help halfway across the world is very satisfying and rewarding.

Overall, the ship provided health care for over 90,000 patients, 1,600 surgeries, 14,500 dental works, in a five months long mission in 5 different countries. However, this once-in-a-life time experience would not have been possible without my family, U.S. Navy, UCSD Pre-Dental Society, and Miss Vietnam of San Diego hosted by VAYA. During last year's Miss Vietnam of San Diego, part of the top 5 question asked, "What would you do after you win the pageant?" I will be joining the US Navy on a humanitarian mission this summer in Southeast Asia and will be providing healthcare and dental work for the underserved," I answered with confidence. Today I am proud to say that having participated in Miss Vietnam of San Diego provided me the opportunity to fulfill my dream and look at the world from a different perspective. I would like to share my gratitude to VAYA and I hope the next Miss Vietnam of San Diego winners will continue this tradition by doing something meaningful regardless of how big or small it is.

About the Author: Van Nguyen was the winner for VAYA's 2008 Miss Vietnam of San Diego.