Mai’s Story

‘I was born in Hue in central Vietnam. I have three brothers: two are older and one younger. When I was five years old, my parents took me to the local monastery and left me there.

‘I haven’t seen my parents or my brothers since that day. I’m not sure why I was given away; maybe they just couldn’t afford to raise me or maybe it was because I was a girl.

‘Two years later a French couple came to visit the monastery. I met them briefly, then months later they adopted me and took me to France. I now have an older sister and a younger brother, whom I love dearly. Each year my adopted parents send money to the monastery to give to my family in Hue. They don’t have to, of course, they just want to.