Opening Hearts

by Cindy Au

This year marks the third consecutive workcamp for my sister and me. Despite the busyness of life, we carve out this precious time each year for a shared experience that has become so integral to our lives and adulthood.

For me, workcamp is coming home to the country where I was born. It’s a journey to learn more about my motherland—its past, present, and future—through the people who have also called it home and are now shaping its destiny.

One thing I deeply appreciate about Sunflower Mission workcamps is the exposure to the rich diversity of landscapes, communities, and people that make up our S-shaped country. From young children growing up in rural Vietnam to American-born executives of other heritages, we all share a common humanistic desire to care for our families and make the world a better place. 

More often than not, I find myself feeling a deep sense of kinship with the locals and children in the places we serve. Sunflower Mission trips and the people we meet along the way provide an annual reminder on the privilege I have received being born into a different circumstance, receiving the educational and professional opportunities I have had. I, therefore, must have a responsibility to succeed and give back. 

Through education and these shared experience, Sunflower Mission and our workcamps help nurture generations of compassionate leaders and thriving communities in my motherland. Few things have opened and warmed my heart more than being part of this journey.