Letter from the Gulf Coast; San Jose Vietnamese lend a helping hand

Here is an e-mail letter from making the rounds in New Saigon -- San Jose, California. It is a report of a Vietnamese group who traveled to the Gulf Coast to aid Vietnamese who had settled there and were victims of Hurricane Katrina.


Dear Friends,

As I sit here on the plane with my two other Viet-ACF members departing from Dallas back to San Jose to attend a family’s funeral, my heart aches for not doing enough for all the poor souls that we have met the last 4 days in Houston. These Hurricane Katrina victims have had their lives disrupted horribly since the Hurricane Katrina swooped down on them and took everything they own. My mind kept racing back to particular hard luck stories that consumed me, my team and the volunteers as if we have witnessed the disaster first hand. We need to come back and do more…one more FEMA application, one more phone call to the Red Cross, one more visit to the local hotels and apartments to explain the benefits of taking in a Katrina victims for temporary housing, one more hand holding session to tell the victims that it’s okay, help is on the way and we love them.

The Federal and State government have done their best under the circumstances, but they have totally neglected the Vietnamese part of town and have made us, as a community, rely on ourselves during this crisis. The Houston Astrodome, when visited by a local Vietnamese media reporter for Dep Magazine, was a site to behold. Yes, the living conditions were deplorable and the spirit was down. But our cub reporter was actually turned away as a volunteer because there is already one volunteer/social worker per household. That is one individual guiding the family through the FEMA application process and advising them of all the available services provided by all the agencies. There are social workers, foods- 3 meals a day, phone lines set up, American Red Cross as well as all available resources at the victims’ disposal. Housing assistance and advocates are there to place the victims into good apartments, homes and families. Family reunification and relocation services are indeterminately available……

On the other part of town, a Vietnamese Mall named Hong Kong V Mall at 11205 Bellaire Blvd; a new boat story chapter begins. Thousands from all parts of Louisiana poured in and congregate inside the hallway of this mall with small plastic bags of their belongings as if this mall is their boat of freedom. They hope that this boat would be the shelter and a promise of a new beginning from the horrible storm that has turned their lives upside down. Interrupted violently by this mass exodus, the Houston Vietnamese Community rose like a sleepy dragon awakens from its nap and roars with the spirit of courage and independence. Co Ha, "Princess Diana" as she is lovingly referred to by the victims, opened up her mall and her heart. Since Friday until the time I left today, Wednesday, makeshift "camps" are set up in front of her grocery store, Hong Kong Foodmart Houston. Here is a snap shot of all the Katrina camps:

* Camp Hong Kong Foodmart - Sandwiches, fried rice, hot food, cups of noodles, bottled water, snacks, and food coupons are being distributed and poured into shopping carts by the ton along with a compassionate smile from the tireless volunteer handing them out.

* Camp Katrina Care – Chinese-Vietnamese set up handouts, literatures, phone numbers, foods, and friendly chats and advice for Chinese speaking as well as Vietnamese victims.

* Camp Louisiana - This is a unique story in itself. The President of the Vietnamese American in Louisiana for 11 years, Mr. Quan Hong Huynh is leading his troops into combat. He may have lost the battle, but he must win the war. His small armies of volunteers are signing up people for FEMA assistance online, guiding them through the grueling task of starting over with unemployment, food stamps, reunification, medical help, temporary housings and shelter for the night. Not once did he mention his circumstances, unless he is trying to comfort victims, that he is one of them or an advocate for their help. He himself is a Katrina victim. He is also separated from his family- he sends them away before the storm and stayed behind to help. Well, his house according to his dry humor, still have 5 feet of space left. The five feet of roof above water with all his belonging below water. Yet, this De-Facto Mayor of the town he left behind and vowing to return someday, fights on with all the courage we see in our parents when they left Vietnam and landed in America. The fight continues, the war is not over…..

* Camp Vietnamese Veterans – dressed in their former military uniforms, the former military men sign and assist victims with food stamp, medical and other benefits while sharing a few war stories with their new comrades.

* Camp "Macy" – Clothing of all kinds are scattered everywhere and volunteers as well as a lone Buddhist monk sort them into neat piles of pants, shirts, shoes, children’s clothes using shopping carts as makeshift clothing bins.

* Camp Boat People SOS - The lines wrap around the office to the left and to the right with people sitting, standing, filling out applications, calling on cell phones to check on love ones, conversing with each other and sharing their lives…Frustration, sadness and uncertainties painted on their faces as they patiently wait for their turn. Volunteers inside filled up every available room with laptops and computers to process FEMA applications. One room to the left is used as a temporary clinic and another as victim advocate. In a small corner, several American volunteers call local housings and hotels to reserve spots for their clients. By Tuesday, they have gotten most of the Hong Kong Mall victims registered with FEMA, which is remarkable considering the 45 minutes application process it takes per family. Most volunteers as well as their staff attorney are in their 20s yet speak as best as they could in their broken Vietnamese to their elder clients.

* Camp Fundraiser: Mr. Tam Tran and his wife, Kim runs the local Dep magazine and is the Houston biggest fundraiser for Vietnamese events. He is organizing a one of kind concert that unite all factions of Vietnamese community organization the coming week to supplement the victims with "starting over" money so they can move forward with their lives. Local Houston residents come up to them and handed them checks, cash and envelopes all for the Katrina victims.

* Camp Gas cards – With proof of a Louisiana driver’s license, you get a $20 CISGO gas card to drive to and from the shelter while waiting for FEMA to show up.

* Camp Relocation - Volunteers take down information of loved ones and announce on Radio Saigon to their listeners to help relocate displaced families.

* Camp Legal Aids – Attorney Tammy Tran and her staff assist and answer all they know regarding legal issues, insurance claims and housing.

* Camp Entertainment – A tall young man that is not shy with the microphone kept the action going similar to a live auction. He announces job availability at Hong Kong markets in Texas, lost child, housing information, food stamps and the weather itself if you let him. All in loud English. A shorter, older man follows up with the Vietnamese version.

Other astounding "boats" navigating the rough water for our fellow Vietnamese "boat people" are local temples, churches, convent, and the homes of the generous Vietnamese people of Houston.

* Chua Vietnam (Vietnam Temple) - 60 people sleeping in the dining area with makeshift bed out of sleeping blankets. They are dropped off during daylight hours at the Hong Kong Mall to apply for assistance and to eat what is given to them free.

* Da Minh Convent - The sleeping conditions might be tight, but the food is great and the love these Catholic nuns showered on their 200 plus patrons it makes them forget their sorrow for a few hours a day.

* La Vang Church - The father showed the remarkable poise of a drill sergeant having dealt with crisis like this many times over. It is this quiet confidence that calms the victims and allow the largely Catholic victims the solace that they are seeking right now.

These uncharted waters are filled with unknowns. Unknowns that can only be solved in the coming days, weeks, months by FEMA, insurance companies, state and federal benefits and grants, jobs and the prospect of returning one day back to their homes. We need to actively bring our federal and state government to our "boatpeople’s" doorsteps by any means necessary. Call or write to your newspapers, congressmen, senators, politicians…Tell them to recognize us and our Vietnamese community. We have contributed the last 30 years and deserve the same rights and entitlements as our neighbors at other affected areas. Get them to send someone from FEMA, anyone from the federal and state level to tour, to assess the needs and to give, NOW.

All in all, this tragedy hits home where we live. We were these victims not that long ago. Just like before when we were in various resettlement camps in unfamiliar cities and spoke not one word of English, some remarkable person became our surrogate brother or sister and stood up for us. That person enveloped us with love and care and told us that it was OK when we were frightened of the future and when we cry. For some, it is that caring social worker, for others it is various charities, churches and that particularly kind American that we spoke years later lovingly as our second family. They gave without asking anything in return. Our welfare is their welfare. We could not have made it this far in America without them and we promised ourselves we would repay their kindness one day.

That repayment time is now. Please help. Find it in your heart to help in any ways you can. Sign up to volunteer. Do fundraising events. Send donation. If you are an adventurous soul, bring your wireless laptops to affected areas and fight this war together. Your brothers and sisters in the trenches appreciate you and welcome you with open arms as they did with us the last four days. Be a translator or counselor for FEMA and other agencies. Get our "family" all available temporary relief including the $2,000 FEMA debit card. Set up sponsorship program in your state to welcome victims that want to relocate. Learn as much as you can and educate the victims about their rights and benefits. Professionals are urgently needed right now. Doctors, lawyers, insurance agents or professional, social workers, please help. Let’s fill out FEMA and insurance claim forms, apply for food stamps, MediCal and unemployment, interact with all governmental agencies on our brothers’ and sisters’ behalf, locate housing anyway possible, help our young one with school, relocate them where it’s suitable, apply for emergency disaster relief grant and SBA loan, locate jobs, counseling, ………or simply hold their hands and assure them their lives will be normal once again. We need to fight for these victims during their weakest hours and stand up for them when they cannot…

Please help….

THANK YOU

Viet-American Cultural Foundation- Viet-ACF