About Vietnam: At the invitation of the Quang Ngai People’s Committee, Vietnam Community Service participants live for a month in the commune of Tinh Hoa which is a few kilometers from My Lai. During the Vietnam War, American forces, suspecting My Lai villagers of supplying food and shelter to the Viet Cong, decided to “teach them a lesson.” Despite meeting no resistance, U.S. troops burned and destroyed entire communities, shooting and bayoneting fleeing villagers and raping women and young girls. Despite this unspeakable history, local people are as friendly, kind, curious, and welcoming as any on earth. Set among rice paddies, flowing rivers, rolling hills, and miles of deserted sand beaches bordering the South China Sea, these communities of rural farmers and fishermen are among the poorest in Vietnam, with a per capita income of about $80 US per year.

The Project: Many residents live in simple shacks with mud floors that flood frequently. The focus of the group’s work is the construction of three new homes for families chosen by community leaders because of their particular need. Working alongside skilled local craftsmen, participants divide into work crews, removing the old homes and erecting new structures. A portion of participants’ tuition underwrites the cost of each new home. Students also teach English in the community and undertake other projects identified by local leaders. After work each day, there is time to play soccer, volleyball, and other sports with Vietnamese friends, to swim at the beaches, and to explore nearby villages. In our fifth year as the first American organization to be granted permission to undertake such a project in central Vietnam, participants have a special responsibility to reach out to local people who are completely unfamiliar with Western life. The group lives in simple accommodations, enjoying healthy and delicious Vietnamese food cooked by local women.

Weekends & Excursions: The program begins with two days in lively Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) where students explore the War Remnants Museum, and begin to learn the basics of Vietnamese culture. While based in Tinh Hoa, the group travels to the small, historic coastal city of Hoi An (famous for its Chinese architecture, handmade clothing, and beaches) for an extended weekend. The program ends with a visit to Hanoi, and a three day kayak excursion (no experience necessary) on the calm waters of spectacular Ha Long Bay.

Putney is deeply indebted to our friends Roy “Mike” Boehm, founder of My Lai Peace Park (www.mylaipeacepark. org), and Phan Van Do, who has dedicated his life to helping the poorest residents of his home province of Quang Ngai. Do’s many childhood friends, who now hold key positions in various sectors of government, have made this pioneering project possible. We hope that our group’s efforts will be one small step in promoting peace.