Amerasians – World Outreach- Thuy Smith Outreach

June 18, 2015 Thuy Smith Outreach International Amerasians, Stories

Children of Asian Immigrants Share About the Sacrifices of Their Parents

With Father’s Day coming up, I am not only thankful for the sacrifices my Asian mother made, but to my American born (caucasian) father who returned to Vietnam for my mother and me after his time in the American War in Vietnam. From the racism I experienced from others, I had to learn how to work through my own internalized racism. Today, I am no longer ashamed, but proud of my Asian Heritage and I am most definitely proud of my Asian Immigrant mother. She left in the middle of war to follow her heart and the man she loved. She had to leave her parents and all of her family in Vietnam behind. (My reflection I wrote to my mother below video clip).

Hear more reflections from other children of Asian immigrants about the gratitude for the sacrifices made by their immigrant parents in the video clip below. Some day I will share more of my experience and reflections.

letter to mom (c) — Reflection I wrote to my mother -Thuy Smith (C) 2015

October 23, 2013October 23, 2013 Thuy Smith Outreach International Amerasians

Psychological lense-Speaking through my camera to my new friends in Vietnam

(Written by Vietnam Veteran who met Amerasians in Vietnam after one of our return trips

As I zoom lensed my camera into their eyes in my best photography, I saw these thoughts as I independently photographed these asking people: ~Did my dead father die on the battlefields of Vietnam?~Would I be loved by the American people?

~How can I escape the life that I love?

~Will my mother come with me if I leave my homeland?

~How can I be sure these strangers are sincere?

~I do not want to beg for a chance in life, but I am

~Is my God their God?

~I feel hope & happiness.

~Stay strong, don’t let them see fear in my eyes.

I put down my camera, my psychological zoom lens. The photographs forever stay in my mind. We wave, hug, shake hands, say goodbye, but not forever.

Past Practice
The Hmong of America marched through my mind each step of the way. The way to another land after post 1975 is not easy.

Vietnam Veteran meeting Amerasians with Thuy in Vietnam

See other reflection (Lost Children of Asia) and our (Website).

Please help share this story in trying to help reunite an Amerasian with her Vietnam veteran father (One woman’s search for her father)

Founder’s Reflections (Healing my wounds of war)

October 23, 2013October 23, 2013 Thuy Smith Outreach International Amerasians

Lost Children of Asia- Poem Veteran writes after meeting Amerasians in Vietnam

January 11th, 23:13 (Written by Vietnam Vet after he met Amerasians in Vietnam on one of our return trips)

So I said to my new-found friends when I saw them, “Who are you?”.

And they say, “I’m not sure”.

So I said to my new friends, “Where are you going?”

And they say, “I’m not sure”.

So I said to my new friends, “Where have you been?”

And they say, “Looking for you”.

So I said to my new friends, “Is that I that I see in you?”

And they say, “I’m sure”.

So I said to my new friends, “What can I do for you?”

And they say, ‘I’m not sure”.

So I said to my new friends, “You are my family”.

And they said, “yes”.

So I said to my family, “I love you”.

And they said, “I’m not sure”.

Be sure my friends and family I love you. You are my family now & always will be.

Meeting Amerasians with Thuy on return trip to Vietnam (Second Reflection- Psychological Lense- Speaking through my camera to my new friends in Vietnam) and our (website)

Please help us spread the word about this father we are trying to reunite with his Amerasian Daughter (A Daughter longs for her father)

Healing my wounds of war (An Amerasian Daughter’s Reflections- poems)

October 21, 2013January 22, 2014 Thuy Smith Outreach International Amerasians

A Vietnam Vet reflects on the abandonment of Vietnam and America’s children

A Vietnam Veteran’s thoughts on meeting Amerasians with Thuy

Vietnam trip with Thuy 2010

Daughters and Sons of servicemen, what country abandons its own children?

Meeting Amerasians, men and women, and family members today was a deeply moving experience. It somehow connected one deeply to that other reality of 40 years ago. I could see in the faces of the men, the young men, the young soldier. It was a haunting experience to see their faces, as if the past was somehow once again real.

I also became aware of basic thought patterns which I held about the fathers of these Amerasians. One thought pattern which I became aware of as being false is that the men abandoned the women here in Vietnam and abandoned their offspring.

Today I saw the faces of young men who maybe died here a few weeks or days after their liaison or who were medevac to the U.S with body parts missing, or mentally or psychologically crippled. No judgement and no understanding of our individual situations is possible. Who can find fault with a young man knowing he may never see his next birthday to take comfort & escape with a willing tender partner?

If government policy is a reflection of the morals and values of the society as a whole, then surely that society which deliberately turns it’s back on these people, the sons and daughters of its own service men, then that society surely is heartless and cruel.

That same society sent its young men into the situation which must assuredly produce the results that we encountered today. It is therefore the society’s responsibility which created this eventually to acknowledge and support these sons and daughters just as it does any son or daughter born to a serviceman within the borders of the U.S.A. What country, what society abandons its own children?

*TSIO does acknowledge that although there were many Veterans who were not aware of having a child, the fact is that some children and their mothers were also abandoned. This was only one Veteran’s reflections.

October 18, 2013January 8, 2014 Thuy Smith Outreach International Amerasians

Healing My Wounds of War-from pain to forgiveness

page1 reflections — (c) Thuy Smith International Outreach, All Rights Reserved

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It starts with Thuy’s reflection as a child growing up, to an Amerasian experience / perspective, about her parent’s relationship, returning to Vietnam for the first time, and finding healing, identity, and forgiveness. (Website)