Beryl flies to Vietnam to see sponsor child

Nov 29 2008 by Jon Tunney, The Journal

A LIBRARIAN who spent thousands on a young boy’s education travelled halfway across the world to meet him.

Kind-hearted Beryl Adamson, 49, of Ellwood Gardens, Low Fell, winged her way to Vietnam to meet Ha, the young boy she has supported to the tune of nearly £2,000 through charity Plan UK.

She said: “Although I felt I had already built up a close relationship with my sponsored child’s family by exchanging letters and photographs over the years, I was extremely excited to meet them face to face.”

After a decade of supporting Ha from the across the world, the mother-of-three decided she had to visit him.

Beryl bought gifts for her trip with donations from friends and family, but had to find the money herself to pay for the flights and hotels to eventually meet her protege at his school.

She said: “I was chatting to the headteacher in his office. Suddenly, the door flew open and in rushed Ha who flung his arms around me and chattered away in Vietnamese.

“The translator explained Ha was so happy to meet me at last and that he wanted me to return again soon.

“This was a very emotional moment as it was so spontaneous and demonstrated the genuine warmth and affection that can develop between a sponsor and their sponsored child.

“The visit exceeded all my expectations and left me with memories to treasure forever.”

Beryl also met village elders and volunteers who distribute gifts and letters to the sponsored children.

She said: “It was fantastic to see how the whole process works.

“It was fantastic to talk with the children and to sit at Ha’s desk with him. His friends at school whooped with delight as he had his photograph taken outside his classroom in his Newcastle United football strip.”