julie & xander dehart - team July 2014

Greetings from Wisconsin!

We are Julie and Xander (8) DeHart from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (a small town along the Mississippi River).

Just to give you a bit of background info on us, I, Julie, was adopted from Vietnam as an infant by a farming family in Minnesota - the Knutson’s. I have a wicked Norwegian accent which throws everyone for a loop, so beware! By profession, I am a Pediatric Registered Nurse. This will be my 4th (I think it is) medical mission trip, and each one has been incredible.

My son, Xander, will be my traveling companion this year. Three years ago, my oldest son, Spencer, went on the trip and had a fabulous time. Xander loves to play soccer, swim, and play football. He also enjoys wrestling with his two brothers and dressing up as a Clone Trooper (Star Wars).

We look forward to meeting you all in Hanoi when you arrive. We are leaving on July 13th to teach at Go Vap. We wish you all safe travels and keep healthy!

~Julie and Xander 

phyllis robins - team july 2014

Hello. My name is Phyllis Robins. I am a retired Utah State Purchasing Agent and live in Woods Cross Utah. I was born and raised in Nevada. After graduating from high school, I moved to Salt Lake City to  go to beauty school. I met and married my husband Ted Robins after finishing school. We have two children. A son, Grant, who lives in Texas and a daughter, Jennifer, who lives in Woods Cross. I have four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

After retirement my husband became ill and passed away from cancer. After that, I knew I wanted to do something worthwhile with my free time. I had volunteered with the Winter Olympics and loved it. With nothing but time on my hands I joined the Bountiful Soroptimists, a women’s service organization that helps women and girls. 

At my first conference I heard about Children of Peace and the wonderful work it does. Binh is a sister Soroptimist. I hoped that some day I could go to Vietnam to help with the work in person. Our club had its 40^th Anniversary this year and to mark it, I was chosen to represent them in Vietnam. Terry Willis, a former COPI team member and Soroptimist, told me it was an experience I would totally enjoy. I am excited to be a part of the COPI team and look forward to doing all that I can to help.

terry gesulga - team july 2014

My name is Terry Gesulga MSN, RN, CNS, PNP (guess-soul-gah) - I am half Filipino, Native American Indian (Tlingit- Alaskan), Spanish & Chinese.  My family lives just outside San Francisco in Marin County – near the Golden Gate Bridge. 

I have been an RN for 36 years:  Medsurg , ICU/SICU, Pediatrics, Director of RN Programs, RN educator-mostly with training as a cardiopulmonary clinical specialist (1984) and a pediatric nurse practitioner (2001).  I just retired from being a Director of Nursing (again) and from being the Interim Dean of Health Sciences at College of Marin (community college) supervising RN, Dental Assisting, EMT, Medical Assisting programs.  I still teach Pediatric nursing part-time as needed and I look forward to retiring to focus on our home and family more.  As I back off in teaching and taking care of children in the hospital, I truly enjoyed caring for the children and adults of Vietnam via COPI Missions. 

I care for each person as if they were my family by being compassionate, quick, efficient, and painless as possible.  This will be our fourth trip with the group.  My husband, George Harris, will not join us again, and we have a son, Brian in college (23yo).  Our daughter, Maya is excited to be going on the mission again.   Maya (15.5 yo), was adopted at 6 months old from Good Shepherd Orphanage in Saigon in 1999 with Co Binh's help and blessings.  She is the inspiration and motivation for being a team member.  She wants to help and she wants to be connected with the Vietnamese people.

lara czajkowski higgins - team july 2014

Greetings.  I am Lara Czajkowski Higgins. I am married to a wonderful husband,  Michael,  and have three lovely,  fortunate children: James Logan (age 9), Tessa (age 6), and Kye (age 3). 

We live in southwest Wisconsin along the beautiful Mississippi River and enjoy many outdoor activities. I am an avid gardener, kayaker,  cyclist and weight lifter.

I work as an attorney and practice in a variety of areas but primarily in litigation. In my limited spare time I coach youth basketball and help with my kids' soccer program. I also am a member of the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club and chair the club's international projects committee,  so I am always looking for new projects.

I was introduced to COPI by my friend and our mission teammate Julie DeHart. After hearing about the organization and the mission, I was drawn to the trip. I had some health problems last year, which thankfully have resolved. The experience taught me the value of each day and to live each day with purpose. It is for that reason that I have joined the team. I truly look forward to getting to know each of  you well and to serving with you.

Nanaste.

maya harris - team july 2014

Hi Everyone! I'm Maya Harris, Terry Gesulga's daughter. I'm 15 years old and i'm going to be a sophomore at Redwood High school in Marin County, California which is near San Francisco. I was adopted from the Good Shepard orphanage in Ho Chi MInh City when I was six months old and have been on three mission trips before. I am a flyer on my high schools cheerleading team and I am also on the diving team. I really love to paint and i'm also learning how to play the ukulele. 

These past few years with Copi have really changed my life and changed my perspective on the world. It's a lot of hard work but it's an amazing experience and you get to see Vietnam in a different way rather than just touring around. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you! :)

Bà Gay and cô bình

Gay: I am a retired senior - my husband and I spend eight months in Henderson, NV (by Las Vegas) and four months in Jackson Hole, WY.  We really do have the best of both worlds.

I am very active - love tennis, hiking, Frisbee golf and I work out daily with weights and treadmill.  I have three adult daughters and two grandchildren that are 20 and 22 years.  This trip to Vietnam will be my 10th mission and my niece Heather will return for her 2^nd mission with me as well. 

Over the years I have come to love both the people of Vietnam and the beautiful country.  And of course Children of Peace is so very close to my heart.  What our "leader", binh rybacki does for the people of Vietnam is so amazing.  She is so deliberate and so hands-on with how the organization is operated - that is truly the most efficient "non-profit" that I have ever been involved with, and believe me - I have been involved with 40 years of volunteering in Jackson Hole and have even been employed by non-profits, and Children of Peace is the best!  And that is why I just keep going back each year and had decided to join COPI board of directors in 2012.

I look forward to meeting all of you very soon - I will see some of you in Seattle airport and the rest of you in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Bà gay (means Mrs. Gay in Vietnamese)

Binh and I have grown very close over the years - the photo I have submitted is of binh and I at her son's wedding in August 2009.

binh – I am binh rybacki, Founder and Executive Director for Children of Peace International.  This year marks 21th years we are serving Vietnamese children and people in need.  My husband, Jack and I live in Loveland, Colorado.  Our oldest son, Preston and his wife, Shannon are working and living in Saigon (they will not be in Saigon this summer), they are representing COPI in Vietnam as volunteers.  Our youngest son, Spencer is working and living in Chicago. 

Children of Peace International is an USA-based volunteered organization serving over 7,500 children presently.  We have a wonderful "army" of volunteers from both USA and Vietnam.  We are grateful for every hand that joined us to lift the children and people in our care out of poverty and oppression.  

Joining this mission from Vietnam are our beloved medical and dental doctors, 3 COPI employees and supporters.  Also joining this team are the children whom we had raised from toddler or children who have been receiving COPIs scholarship for many years.  They are all in college and ready to join us to "pay it forward".  We are very proud of our Vietnamese "family" and we know you will love them as well.

We can't wait to serve side by side with you. 

Peace Be our Journey (cool running in Jamaican)

binh (bing) aka cô bình (aunt binh) of the children in Việt Nam 

Phuong Thao Quan team july 2014

Hi everyone! I am medical student, currently living in NY. I enjoy watching dramas and soccer games in my free time. I love to play badminton, swim, and snowboard. My favorite pastime is to cook and bake for my family. Baking is also a way for me to release stress and escape from my studies. 

I feel very blessed and honor to be a part of this mission. Vietnam has given me a wonderful childhood. It was where I was born and raised for 11 years. No matter where I am, I have always wanted to go back Vietnam and help the people in need. I am excited to embark on this new journey and am looking forward to meeting everyone!

First clinic completed March 2014

We had our first clinic at the school for handicapped children in Viet Tri in North Vietnam. The school has children with all types of disabilities, mostly deafness and blindness. We saw 100 patients and hopefully learned something on how to improve for our next 2 clinics in Sapa which will be 300 children at each clinic. Things went pretty smoothly. (First 3 pictures.)

We took an overnight train ride to Lao Cai. The 4th picture is one from the window of our train. It was breathtaking beautiful after the sun came up. After getting off the train we took a short ride to wave to China across the river. Then we rode in a bus up the mountain to get to Sapa. It has apparently been raining here for weeks, but the sun came out for us! The last picture shows us having no fun at all. We were drinking tea at a store that sold dried mushrooms and all kinds of medicinal teas. I did not include the pictures of the dried lizard on a stick that apparently helps with kidney problems. I will save that for your private viewing if you desire.

We will be very busy the next 2 days at our clinics to the indigenous children of this area. We are looking forward to serving!