Lunar New Year (Quy Mao 2023) Fundraising Events Raised $23,651

Contributor: Khoa Hoang

Editor: Joseph Hoang

On a frigid, windy and rainy weekend of January 7th and 8th of 2023, the religious sisters and a few lay volunteers braved the weather to sell items and flower vases made by the poor in Vietnam and by the Sisters. Standing outside Trung Tam Cong Giao and Our Lady of Refuge Church getting ready to sell these handmade items during this Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the sisters and volunteers are reminded that our Loving God avails Himself to all of us, the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor, the beautiful and those with beautiful souls -- all of us.

And we are reminded that once we know Him, we all must go home using a different path, just as the three magi (or wise men) were instructed to do. This 'different' path that we are guided to take, encourages each and every one of us to share our gifts with our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ. In this spirit, and with our Lord's help, a total of $12,485 was raised.

The following weekend, the Sisters and these few lay volunteers once again faced the freezing weather and raised another $9,356 outside Most Holy Trinity Church and Our Lady of Refuge Church.

And finally, during the Lunar New Year (or Tet) weekend, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in San Jose, $1,810 were raised by selling these gift items.

In total, $23,651 were raised ($12,485 + $9,356 + $1,810).

Thanks be to God.

What is most beautiful of all, is how this money has been distributed to help others. Thank you to all the generous customers and donors.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40.

Please refer to the 'Financials' tab for how the raised funds were used.