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Epoch Times
September 18 – October 1, 2015 25
All photos courtesy of Michael Ong
psychological well-being of local Hanoian communities. “Currently, we have a counselling room and a community library. The flagship programme at CoRE is the ‘Let’s Talk’ programme, where we train para-counsellors to reach out to their friends, neighbours and family members. The slogan is - When life hurts, let us help!” explains Michael.
The Spark to Serve the Vietnamese
you know why Michael doesn’t go to Vietnam?’ I said, ‘Why?’ ‘It is because of you.’ I was scared after hearing this,” she says. When Jacqueline woke up from her dream, she realised she should not be deterring Michael from serving the Vietnamese. That was when Jacqueline made a decision: she supported Michael’s aspiration, and together with their two-year-old daughter, they left for Vietnam in 2001. However, the decision to relocate to Vietnam was tough. “Even Vietnamese friends thought that I was crazy and that I was just joking about relocating to Hanoi. Not everyone was supportive of my move,” says Michael. But he found courage in God. “The courage come from first defining my core beliefs, my purpose and mission in life. To me, it’s simple - My life is God’s gift to me. What I make of my life is my gift to God,” he shares. His motto in life is to “dream and make those dreams come true”. Having the privilege to heal people’s pain and to bring hope to people in need is Michael’s biggest dream. “I dreamt of being a social worker and I am now a social worker. I dreamt of having a café where young people can find hope, experience love, and garner faith to live life to their fullest. Now, Tea Talk is a reality and CoRE is functioning as a channel of hope to many young lives,” he says.
In 1995, Michael visited Vietnam. Seeing many children and disabled people begging on the streets pained him. He was heartbroken and made a promise to return to Vietnam one day – to serve the Vietnamese. “That is the beginning of my discovery of Vietnam. When I came to Vietnam, I saw the poverty. I was very conflicted at that time to see so many children on the road begging for money. I saw a lot of people with disabilities, moving around on the floor with a trolley, pushing. I told myself that one day, I would like to come to Vietnam and serve the Vietnamese people,” he recalls. Though Vietnam’s economic reform has brought about rapid growth in its Gross Domestic Product and modernisation in the last decade, public and mental health issues are a rising concern, particularly among young Vietnamese, according to Michael. In a survey of 2,591 secondary school students conducted in North Vietnam in 2006, the Making a Difference in proportion of students who have Michael Ong, Founder Someone’s Life experienced emotional abuse of Social Enterprise - Tea Michael believes that everywas 39.5%; physical abuse stood Talk & CoRE one needs a listening ear, and at 47.5%, sexual abuse at 19.7% sometimes, by simply listening and neglect at 29.3%. to them, it can make a difference in their life. “However, such issues are sensitive and “We all need a listening ear – someone not openly discussed in Vietnamese society who listens and not pass judgement or adas the discussion of emotions is associated vice. I learn that by simply listening actively with shame and weakness. Hence, the lack to others, lives start to change for the better of openness to discuss such issues leads to for many of these people. Start with the simsilence, perpetuating social stigma and exple things; let the impact take momentum,” clusion of victims in such predicaments,” he asserts. shares Michael. Launched by Michael, CoRE (Centre A Dream for Counselling, Research & Empowering However, Michael did not return to VietCommunity) aspires to help young people nam until he and his wife – Jacqueline – discover who they are and what they are each had a dream which changed their lives. meant to do; it also seeks to inspire them to “One night, in my dream, I invited five pursue their dreams and not to fear failure. Vietnamese friends to my home. But they In addition, it trains and equips young invited their friends, and their friends inVietnamese with professional social work vited their friends. Why are they coming to and counselling skills who will in turn help my home? I only have energy to have good other underprivileged Vietnamese. friendship with five. I don’t have time for all One of the beneficiaries of CoRE’s social of them, but they kept coming,” he says. work is Ms Hien. He continues, “And there was a voice Ms Hien was living in trauma and despeaking to me who said, ‘Michael, look pression until one day, a CoRE counsellor into the eyes of these people.’ I began to knocked on the door of her empty soul. observe them, and discover there was this Her parents were separated and she had person who was very lonely, and another struggled on with her life alone. To make person who was being abused. And anothmatters worse, she was sexually abused by er, a drug addict, and another, a depressed her stepfather. person. And I kept looking into the eyes She was married with two children, but of every single person that came in, and I she received little financial and emotional started crying in the dream.” support from her husband and his family. Coincidentally, his wife had a dream too. She was apathetic and unable to communi“I dreamt that one day, I was dead and in cate with people normally. heaven. And in heaven, God asked me, ‘Do She reveals, “I could not work and my fam-
I love my work because I have the privilege to heal people. I bring hope to one’s cry for help simply by being present with the person.
ily lost the largest source of income. I lost faith in myself. I thought I could not move on anymore.” CoRE showed her a way out of her pain. “The counsellor empathised with my pain and persuaded me to seek medical help. CoRE took care of my children’s needs,” and also brought job opportunities to support her husband and family. Ms Hien worked as a cook at Tea Talk Café for almost two years before joining her cousin in a small business selling dessert in a university canteen. “My encounter with CoRE was a short half-year. Yet, it felt like a long journey. I’m a stronger woman now. CoRE has helped me to find my smile again,” she says. Ms Hien hopes for Michael’s and CoRE’s dream to come true – to shower those in need of support with great care and counsel.
Michael Ong with his wife, Jacqueline, and daughter, Grace
Beneficiary of CoRE Ms Hien