Happy Birthday, David!

Today was the kindergarten dedication, and it was fabulous.

We drove Highway 8 to Khe Sanh then continued on small roads another 45 minutes up into the hills. The area is populated by Montagnards, the ethnic minority mountain peoples. Landscape, faces and clothing look different. Homes do, too: instead of the ubiquitous turquoise- or yellow-painted concrete of the lowlands and urban areas, these are usually built on stilts (with storage under the building) and have woven mat walls. A few more affluent structures had wood-planked walls, and occasionally we'd see one with a satellite dish - incongruous, to say the least.

As we got closer to the school we passed through a cloud of yellow butterflies, then - there it was! The little building is just beautiful. They did a great job on construction and painting, the pint-sized chairs and tables are nicely made, and the kids already have posters and artwork on the walls and shelves. The kids themselves are oh-my-gosh-the-cutest-things-I've-ever-seen, ages three to six with bright faces and heart-melting smiles.

An official dedication ceremony was held inside the classroom with the kids, teachers, DoFA and Women's Union representatives, and our PeaceTrees delegation. After the obligatory speeches we listened to songs by the children, then presented the teacher with a CD/cassette player, the keyboard, a box fan (it gets very hot in the summer) and a wall clock for the classroom.

Our delegation concluded the ceremony by singing the "Yellow Butterfly" song in Vietnamese and were met with very bemused looks, whether due to our language skills or the fact that the kids don't speak Vietnamese, I'm not sure. Then the party started: we gave out gifts, helped dress the little ones in their brand-new uniforms, and posed for group photos in front of the school.

When I gave my brief speech this morning I explained that although I'm the kindergarten sponsor, that in fact there are many people involved in the project. I explained that I was speaking on behalf of everyone who had helped to support and build the school. I shared a large, framed photo of the Wenatchee kindergarten kids and the audio cassette tape they'd recorded ("America," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and "This Land is Your Land"), and told the children that they now have friends in America. I gave them a photo book documenting the David Warner Kindergarten construction and first day of school; it also has a photo of David and our Warner family. Finally I told them that on behalf of ALL their American friends, we wished the children and the teacher success, happiness, and good learning.

Once the ceremonial festivities were over we planted trees in the schoolyard. These were the dedication trees; it's a wonderful feeling to have the little school surrounded by a memorial grove. Our delegation includes five veterans, three sisters of men lost in the war, three high school kids, several educators, a future US Air Force pilot, and people from all ends of the political spectrum. We were focused on the common task of planting, and we dug and staked and tamped together along with people from the local community, placing memorial cards at the base of every tree and photographing each one. There was lots of love and lots of healing planted in the schoolyard today.

Incidentally, I was elated to learn that based on my go-ahead a few weeks ago, PeaceTrees has built the kitchen! They are also in the process of putting up the fence. Lunches are in, buffalo are out, trees and children are growing. There is much to celebrate today; my heart is full. Thank you, one and all.