We departed Hong Kong late last night after a two day stay in what can only be described as a remarkable city. However, we are short about five hundred Voyagers, as most are currently on trips to mainland China and will be meeting the rest of us in Shanghai in a few days.
I wanted to backtrack a little though and share an incredible story that Pamela Werner, one of our lifelong learners shared with me the other day. Twelve years ago, Pamela and her husband Michael traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to meet the newest member of their family, Tami, an 8 year old Vietnamese girl they had chosen to adopt.
The Werners already had four children at home but Pamela explained to me that she and her husband saw the hardships that people around the world endured and while they knew they could not help everybody, “we just wanted to reach out and help one [child]…and we were blessed to have gotten Tami.”
Today, Tami is about 20 years old and is in her sophomore year at a university in her home state of Florida. It was a long and difficult journey to get where she is today though. It was the warm embrace, love, and support that Tami received from her new family that allowed her to adjust and flourish in her new home.
Pamela explained how tough those first weeks were when everything was so new to Tami. She could barely speak any English, which only compounded all of the difficulties she faced in her new environment. Tami’s self-chosen guide through this period was her new sister, Hannah. Two years younger than Tami, Pamela described her as Tami’s “medium.” When Tami wanted something but couldn’t find the English words, Hannah was the one who understood what her sister wanted. “There’s just something about children, they know each other,” Pamela said. “Hannah also shared her room, clothes, games, books, toys, and friends,” with Tami.
America became Tami’s new home and the Werners became her family. However, the move had separated Tami from her birth family. Her closest relative was her sister Tu, who is five years older than Tami. For twelve years, they did not speak or have any contact with one another.
When Pamela saw her itinerary for her upcoming Semester at Sea voyage, she contacted the adoption agency that she had used to find Tami to see if it would be possible to contact Tu. Within days, she was provided with all of the information she needed. Pamela was able to reach Tu once our voyage began and they made arrangements to meet when the MV Explorer arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tu, now 25 years old, traveled over 12 hours by bus with her husband, 4 year old son, and grandmother to meet Pamela when she arrived in Vietnam. There was absolute joy when they were finally together. “They treated me like I was a queen,” Pamela told me. She continued that the family could not show enough thanks and gratitude to both her and Michael for giving Tami a home and raising her as one of their own.
Pamela (center) with Tami's Vietnamese family. To her immediate left is Tu and to her immediate right is Tami's grandmother.
As wonderful as it was for Pamela to meet Tu and her family though, the rest of the Werners, including Tami, wanted to see and talk to them. I’m just going to say right here that you have to love technology. Pamela and Michael were able to set up webcams on opposite ends of the world and after twelve years, Tami and Tu were finally able to look into each other's eyes, see the other's face, and talk to one another.
According to Pamela, Tami was lectured to quite extensively by all of her Vietnamese relatives to be a good daughter and keep up with her studies. Tu also threw in some elderly-sister dating advice. The two sisters loved talking with one another and have made a commitment to keep their relationship going and growing.
Tami no longer speaks Vietnamese and Tu does not speak English (everyone spoke through a translator who was with Pamela) so each of them is taking lessons in the other’s language, and they will be able to put their new linguistic skills to use in June when Tami travels to Vietnam to spend the summer with her sister.
Pictured are Tu (left), her son (center) and Tami (right).
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