1975.July.vol.8.v6.Buckner Innercom

8/9/2019 1975.July.vol.8.v6.Buckner Innercom

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BUCKNER BAPTIST BENEVOLENCES

Public Relations

P. 0. Box 18267, Dallas, Texas 75278

Official Employee Publication of Buckner Baptist Benevolences P. 0. Box 18267 Dallas, Texas 75218 R. C. Campbell, President

THE MIRACLE OF CAM RANH CITY CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGE...

Thursday, June 12, dawned clear in Dallas. By early afternoon, the sun burned brightly from a brilliant, cloudless sky,over the gathering of employees, children and press representatives milling around in front of Pires dormitory. At about2:15, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, someone shouted, "They're coming!" Immediately Buckner children were

running from all directions to be in their places when the buses pulled up. It was a memorable day in the history ofBuckner Children's Home, Dallas the culmination of a miracle -- a"first of a kind" experience, and onethat was certainly not likely tohappen again.

An entire Vietnamese orphanage --69 orphans, 13 staff members, andtheir 13 children arrived to live atthe Dallas Home. It was the end ofa journey of thousands of miles,from Cam Ranh, to Saigon, toSingapore, to Switzerland, NewYork, Ft. Chaffee, Arkansas, andthen to Houston. Earlier thatmorning they had left the ranch ofMr. and Mrs. Paul Martin, nearHouston, where they had beenstaying about 2 weeks. TheMartins, members of WestMemorial Baptist Church, Houston,had the help of other church

members in feeding and caring for thechildren.

As the two Continental Trailways buses rolled up, Administrator Harold Hime was at the door of the first bus togreet the newcomers. First off was the director of Cam Ranh City Christian Orphanage, Nguyen Xuan Ha.Following him came the smaller children, at first hesitant and bewildered by the sight of such a large welcomingaudience, and cameras aimed at them from all directions. Then as staff members and several adults from WestMemorial Church began to leave the bus, they gently urged the children up the sidewalk toward the front of thebuilding, where a brief welcoming ceremony was to take place.

Children on the second bus waited until the first one was emptied, then they streamed off. These were the olderones. Boys came first, then the girls, according Vietnamese custom. Single-file, they marched toward the building.

All of them stood patiently under the hot sun, listening to welcomes from Dr. Campbell, and from Buckner teenagerAlice Guzzy. Their words were translated into Vietnamese by Mr. Ha. Flowers were presented by Mrs. Campbellto Mrs. Ha, and by Mrs. Hime to Mrs. Tam (wife of the assistant director). After a closing prayer by Chaplain CoyleStephenson, carefully translated for the children, they were ushered into their new home to enjoy some cool,refreshing punch. Newspaper and television cameramen followed. Some of the Vietnamese children smiled or

!INNERCOMCommunication is the key to understanding


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clowned for the cameras. Others, still a littleovercome by the occasion, could only stare,reluctant to display much emotion until theyknew a little more about what was happening tothem.

Meanwhile, Buckner teenage boys were carrying

69 identical boxes into the dormitory. The nightbefore they had been carefully packed with eachchild's clothing and other belongings, and hisname lettered on the side. They were lined upalong the first floor hallway. Later, as thechildren received their room assignments, theybegan searching for their boxes.

Finally some of the tension eased and they began torelax. Excited Vietnamese chatter and shouts filled theair as they ran up and down the hallways and stairways,looking into rooms, locating friends, and becomingaccustomed to their new home.

The children and all their Vietnamese staff are living

together in Pires. For six days and nights previously,

many from the Children's Home staff, and some of the

older children had worked to get the building ready. The

children living there were first moved into otherdormitories. Then the crew of volunteer workers set

about cleaning, painting, washing windows, sweeping,

and scrubbing floors. The building was completely

repainted inside. Next came the task of setting up 95

beds (many had to be brought from other places on the

campus), getting together enough linens and bedspreads, making up beds, hanging curtains and shades, and

then adding the final touch of a few pictures and stuffed animals.

These children and their staff had been through some unbelievably rough experiences since leaving theirorphanage in Cam Ranh on.... April 29th, 1975 (date added by LK)

(Continued on page 7)

(I DONT HAVE PAGE 7 ~ LoiBeth King (aka Loi Nguyen)


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BUCKNER STAFF AND CHILDREN

IN DALLAS HELP GET READY

FOR VIETNAMESE CHILDREN

From the President's Desk

TO COMMEND ALL WHO

HELPED...

AND ARE CONTINUING TO HELP!

Our Buckner staff and friends in Dallas marvelously confronted the unique opportunity presented them through

the recent arrival of our newest residents, from the Cam Banh City Christian Orphanage. As far as we know,

there was nothing but a positive spirit and attitude as we prepared, on short notice, to receive these 95 new

friends. Many worked late Into the night, after finishing their regular daytime jobs, helping to repaint the

dormitory and get it ready.

Needless to say, I am extremely proud and grateful for the way everyone responded to this very

worthwhile endeavor. I believe it has played an important part in helping our Vietnamese friends make a good

adjustment to their new surroundings and our different way of life.

Actually, the endeavor has just begun. There is still a long way to go, and so much to do. But, again, I am

seeing a continuing positive response to the needs of these people, and it means so much. There are many

Buckner personnel caught up in the care of these newcomers, and in the cultural orientation we are trying to provide

for them. There are those working in the kitchen; those who are helping with clothing needs; some are seeing to

medical and dental care; some are helping involve the children in recreation; others are arranging and coordinating

the English classes now being taught; still others are helping the children in orientation to Sunday worship services.

And the thing that pleases me most is that, even in addition to the extra activity, our staff is being careful to see that

their program for the other children continues without interruption or neglect.

Future planning is still to come, and will involve yet others in making crucial, lifetime decisions for these

children. All who are involved with the children need our prayers, but especially do we need to ask for God's

guidance and wisdom for those who will have the important responsibility of making future plans for them.

The challenge that we faced with the addition of a whole orphanage into our program, and especially

one we knew little about, was somewhat frightening at first. But we soon found our fears were

unnecessary. As we have come to know Director Ha, his staff, and the children, we have nothing but

the highest praise for all of them. They are beautiful Christian people, both inside and out, and it is a

blessing and a privilege to count them among our Buckner family.

--RCC

Life is a splendid gift. There is nothing small in it. For the greatest grow by God's law outof the smallest. But to live your life you must discipline it. You must not fritter it away . . .

but make your thoughts, your words, your acts, all work to the same end; that end notself, but God. That is what we call character.

--Florence Nightingale


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For about a week prior to the arrival of the Vietnamese children, manyfrom the Buckner staff aided by some of the older children, worked dayand night getting Pires Dormitory ready.

Employees from the Children's Home staff who put in time wereHarold Hime and his wife, Pat; Chaplain Coyle Stephenson, and his

wife, Guianna; Harold Moye and wife, Ann; Ross and Ola Mae Ward;Mrs. Gladys Turner; Paul Gray; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Ashley, and VanMcGuire, all of the house staff; and caseworker! Charles Ledbetterand Ken Fults. Others who helped were Kenneth Sewell, the only"official" painter among the bunch, Otis McKee, Earl Hunt and Elmer

Laird. Mr. Laird even worked on his day off! Mr. Stanphill, Pete Cope andthe rest of the Central Services staff were very helpful in getting togetherthe necessary linens, bedspreads and other supplies. Those from otherBuckner areas who worked were: Dean Willis, Mary Francis McKenzie,Dorothy Myers and Kevin Paszaiek from the administrative offices; BillBaker, Director of Special Projects, and hisson,John, and Mrs. R. C.Campbell.

There is no middle ground in crises. Crises bring out the best andworst in human behavior.

A crisis is recognized as an opportunity by discerning, stable persons.

These are all the people our "informants" could think of. If you worked, and your name is not included, a

special "thank you" to you, and to all the others named above.

Documents

1975.July.vol.8.v6.Buckner Innercom