“THE DAY WE GAVE A SMALL DREAM — A DOORWAY TO THE WORLD”
Because love is not only about giving, but about helping others feel, dare to dream, and believe they are worthy.
There are days that stay in your heart forever — days that remind us why compassion is priceless, and why education, when touched by love, can transform a life.
The second charity journey of Opportunity For The Future (OFTF) brought us to Phu Quang Pagoda, a small temple nestled in Ninh Ich Village, on the outskirts of Nha Trang City. There, over twenty orphaned and abandoned children are lovingly raised by Venerable Thich Nu Dieu Nhu (Dharma name: Dieu An) — a young Buddhist nun who has dedicated her life to nurturing not only bodies, but minds and hearts.
Born in Ho Chi Minh City and once a student in Switzerland, Venerable Dieu Nhu returned to Vietnam not to seek comfort, but to give her life to those the world had forgotten. Fluent in English and Russian, she teaches her children not only languages, but also about cultures, values, and the beauty of human kindness — showing them that the world is vast, and love is real.
That day, our OFTF team — Ruby Truong, Dung Le, Phung Phan, Thanh Luu Truong, Pham Huynh Minh Tuan, Nguyen Thi Giang, and young volunteers — came to visit the temple with open hearts and humble gifts.
We didn’t bring much — only a few boxes of milk, some toys, and school supplies — but what we brought filled the day with joy, laughter, and dreams reborn.
For one precious day, we became their parents.
We took the children to choose their own pairs of shoes —
a simple act that for many of us is ordinary,
but for them, it was a dream once thought impossible.
Their eyes lit up as they picked their favorite colors —
for the first time, they had the right to choose.
We then took them to eat fried chicken at KFC — a meal that felt like a feast.
Amid laughter and warm bites, we shared the story of Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC — a story of failure, resilience, and rebirth:
“He failed over a thousand times before he succeeded.
He didn’t start KFC until he was 65.
All his life, he kept going, never gave up, because he believed: ‘It’s never too late to start again.’”
The children listened quietly, eyes wide and bright.
Then I told them:
“If a man at 65 could start over and change his life,
then you — with all your youth and courage — can do anything.”
From that humble meal, we learned that success doesn’t come from luck — it comes from faith and persistence.
Next, we visited TONO English Center in Nha Trang, where laughter filled the classroom walls. For many of these children, it was the first time they had ever stepped inside an English center — a place that once seemed unreachable.
I remembered myself as a little girl — a child who once stayed up late studying by a kerosene lamp, never daring to dream of sitting in a bright classroom like this.
Each child stood up and introduced themselves, one by one, in English — shy at first, then glowing with pride:
“My name is Hoa. I want to be a police officer.”
“My name is Bánh Mì. I want to be a YouTuber.”
“My name is Minh. I want to be a teacher.”
“My name is Phuc. I want to be a therapist — to help sad people smile again.”
“My name is Thang. I want to fly.”
“My name is Nho!” — one little boy shouted, and everyone burst out laughing.
The room overflowed with laughter — but behind those smiles was something sacred: the courage to speak, to dream, and to believe that their dreams mattered.
For many, it was the first time anyone had ever asked them,
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
And for the first time, someone truly listened.
In the afternoon, we took them to the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography — where they saw the sea for the very first time.
Corals shimmered, sea turtles drifted gently, fish danced in waves of light.
One little boy whispered:
“I’ve never seen the ocean before. I’ll study hard so I can travel far one day.”
After that, we went down to the beach, where the children joyfully picked up trash and learned to care for nature — a lesson about responsibility, gratitude, and respect for Mother Earth.
Under the golden sunset, their small hands picked up each piece of litter, their laughter mixing with the sound of the waves — a quiet reminder that love often begins with the simplest actions.
When we brought the children back to the pagoda, dusk had fallen.
They hugged us tightly, promising to study hard and “go far” like they dreamed.
We knew their dreams were still small — but within them, hope had awakened.
And with faith and love, OFTF will return — to follow their journeys, to nurture their growth, and to help their dreams take flight.
“That day, we didn’t just bring milk,” said Ruby Truong, Founder of OFTF.
“We brought them the world — a world of love, of trust, and of limitless dreams.”
For OFTF, charity is not about relief — it is about rebirth.
We believe that education and experience are the greatest gifts we can offer —for knowledge opens the mind, and experience opens the heart.
✨ A better world begins with children who are educated, and mothers who are wise, compassionate, and guided by love and intellect.
Opportunity For The Future (OFTF)
August 26th – Nha Trang, Vietnam 2025
#OFTF #OpportunityForTheFuture #RubyTruong #LearningToDream #KindnessInAction #EducationForAll #EmpowerChildren #BecauseLoveCreatesChange #HopeInAction