Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by Finding Vu. I really do appreciate ALL of your support.
Last year I received troubling news concerning my sister, Thanh, who's been missing for twenty years. I found information that leads us to believe that when my sister was 12, my grandfather sold her. We have every hope that she is still alive somewhere and that we may be able to locate her. Finding Vu is dedicated to the search for my long lost sister. However, much more than that, it's a mission to heal a family's emotional scars and bring closure to a life long trauma. My mother and I are hoping to raise enough money to fund our journey to fill this empty hole in our family, as well as create a resource for others who have lost contact with loved ones during their journeys to freedom.
For the first time in my life, I examined my priorities, realized what was truly important, and stopped climbing corporate ladders to pursue this very important family matter. 100% of my time is now dedicated to Finding Vu. Our first mission is to find my sister. With experience gained from this (and hopefully success), I will help other Boat People reunite with their loved ones. I am extremely focused on this mission
I will be holding charity events like poker tournaments, karaoke nights, car washes and parties at venues such as the Playboy Mansion. I am looking forward to meeting everyone who supports our cause by attending these events. It is your support that will make all the difference! THANK YOU!
MISSION BLOG
October 21, 2008
It is that time! I am out of town and having major technical difficulties, so I could not do a video the drawing and upload it, but none the less, I did the drawing and have the winner's ticket in my hand!
But first, as you know, I am extremely thankful that you support FINDING VU and enjoy being part of my fun raffles to help raise funds for the charity.
Without further ado, the winning ticket is...
3-5-4-0-3-0
CONGRATULATIONS! You have 24 hours to claim your prize! Thank you all for participating!
Terin
October 7, 2008
Hi Everyone. Today is Vu Thi Kim Thanh's birthday. She would be 33 years old. Please take a moment with me to remember my sister. No matter what your religion, please pray with me that my sister is somewhere in this world safe and loved by whomever she is with. It breaks my heart that she cannot be with her family on her special day.
I once again thank you all for supporting my difficult task in finding my sister and spreading awareness on the displacement of Vietnamese Boat People. May all that are separated from their loved ones someday be reunited.
Finding Vu will continue our efforts in getting the Vietnamese community comfortable about our tragic past and giving them courage to speak out about our struggles and, eventually, hope in finding our displaced loved ones.
Please continue to help me in getting my story out to the world. Thank you!
"Happy birthday Chi Thanh.
We miss and love you very much."Terin
July 20, 2008
Hi Everyone! The moment is here! Here is the video announcement that I promised you. Watch the video to find out the winner of the raffle!
July 13, 2008
Hi Everyone!
Today marks the one year anniversary of me throwing myself headlong into my mission. I left my job exactly one year ago to find out what had happened to my sister back in 1987. I feel that so many things were accomplished, like having Finding Vu organized and having such an amazing Red Carpet event two weeks ago, but on the other hand, I have this lingering fear. The question I ask myself from time to time is: Am I breaking new ground or just retracing the steps of others?
When I first entered this blind search, it was purely personal and solely for my family, but when I was doing research on my past, it was surprisingly overwhelming to see that 3 million other Vietnamese people have suffered the same struggles as we did for freedom. My first reaction was to contact charities who were helping Vietnamese Boat People and offer my time. Charities like Boat People SOS help boat people that have made it to America with health care, education, and other subjects to help make the transition into this new world a smooth one. Others, like Friends of Hue, take care of children in orphanages in Vietnam. I was surprised that there were no charities that have a mission to relocate families that have been disconnected since the exodus from Vietnam. This was when I felt it was necessary to start Finding Vu, a place where Vietnamese Boat People can go to and tell stories about their families. Finding Vu can either help by providing a database of Vietnamese Boat People and/or help locate their lost family members. Our organization is still in its early stages and is taking baby steps towards our big goals of reuniting Vietnamese Boat People.
It is ironic that the name 'Finding Vu' has evolve into deeper significance to me than the obvious. Finding Vu is a search for my sister Thanh who has been missing since 1987. Finding Vu is a search for my family's story. Finding Vu is also a search for my culture's history. Finding Vu is a search for my people's struggles and, most paradoxically, Finding Vu is a search for me to find myself.
So my fear: Am I breaking new ground or just retracing the steps of others? I have found that it is taboo for Vietnamese people to talk about the past. Vietnam was in a state of war for thousands of years. My mother grew up with dead bodies and gory murders every day. For a Vietnamese to talk about the past, they will be considered a person who is complaining and unappreciative of the opportunities that have here in America. The saying goes, "Everyone has a sad story, what makes you so special." Because of this mindset, I find it extremely challenging to get Vietnamese Boat People to open up about their stories.
There is hope. Over 60 percent of the population of Vietnamese living in Vietnam is under the age of 30. This is the very first generation of Vietnamese that has not seen war in our country. This could be a huge step to a new perspective for the Vietnamese culture. I believe that the young Vietnamese here in America will be the key to keeping the voices of Vietnamese Boat People alive.
So my fear is, will I be breaking new ground with the hope of our young generation, or is the reason that there are no charities like Finding Vu because others have tried and failed? I do not know. I only know that I will not ever back down or fail to give my all.
Thank you so much for allowing me to share a deeper side of me. Please know that I will continue to put 100% of my time towards the mission that Finding Vu was created to fulfill. I know that I cannot do it without you. Your support really does mean the world to me.
I thank you a thousand times.
Terin
June 13, 2008
Hi Everyone!
There are lots of things happening at Finding Vu that I wanted to let you all know about. As many of you have seen, there is a raffle to help benefit the non-profit. All entries get an autographed picture of their choice and the winner will accompany me to a bash at the famed Playboy Mansion. I wanted to do something that would allow people to help support our cause, while also allowing me to give a little something back in return.
I am also launching TerinTaylor.com with a June 26th Red Carpet bash at Opera in Hollywood, CA. Event producers Jin&Quinn have joined with us to produce what should be a memorable and magical night that includes notable stars from all fields of entertainment and culminates with a live performance by Brian McKnight! Stay tuned for more details as that event grows closer. It is hoped that the successful launch of TerinTaylor.com will help provide Finding Vu with the funding to move forward with all of its efforts...
Behind the scenes at Finding Vu, we are making progress towards assembling a database of families and their missing loved ones, as well as setting up support forums for helping people to cope with missing family members and allowing them to share information and resources on conducting successful missing person searches. We are also continuing to collect the stories of Boat People so that others can gain strength and hope from reading them...
Getting a non-profit, with all of its high aspirations and goals, off of the ground is a tremendous undertaking, and it is something that would not be happening at all without the financial and moral support of lots of wonderful people. I cannot thank our supporters enough for standing behind us and acting as the wind beneath our wings. Thank you all so much!
TerinCheck the Events Page for the flyer and more information about the raffle.
March 1, 2008
Hi Everyone! As promised, here is the awareness video that I shot for eXscape TV over the Chinese New Year holiday weekend...
February 9, 2008
What an amazing day! I went down to Garden Grove with eXscape TV to spread awareness. It was a pleasant surprise to see how receptive the Vietnamese people were to my cause. We passed out flyers and interviewed some young Vietnamese Americans. That video will be posted soon.
I want to thank Paul Bogaardt, Frank and Lillian, my little sister, for coming with me. The help is highly appreciated. The people around me may not have known it, but I was extremely nervous. This charity means the world to me and I always want things to be perfect.
There were moments during the day where I was at a loss for words. When I got home and got some rest, I realized why I was so overwhelmed. For the first time since I left my job back in July, I feel accomplished. It is so liberating to be able to go on the streets and speak to complete strangers who might have been in the same situation my family and I have been in. The most astonishing thing was that they were willing to share their stories with me. I feel now, with today's event, that there is legitimacy for Finding Vu.
There will be a lot of events coming up. I hope you find the time to come. I would like shake your hands and thank you in person for the support.
Until then, take care!
Terin
January 17, 2008
Hi Everyone!
Happy New Year! Chuc Mung Nam Moi!
Every time I write an entry, the first thing I want to say is THANK YOU! THANK YOU! There is not enough time in the world for me to express how much your support means to me. Just know that every word, every second and every penny from you makes a world of difference for this mission. Needless to say that this journey, even in its early stages, has been a life changing experience for me. I feel like a whole different person. I'm still as aggressive as ever in my goals, but I feel so much more alive!
Anyhow, I wanted to at least give you some updates. I am in the process of getting media exposure. Mailing, emailing, faxing and calling any media outlet to help me expose my sister's picture to the world. Please send me a note if you work in the industry and can help me with these contacts.
On the week of Chinese New Year (February 7- 10) I will be spreading awareness on the plight of the Vietnamese Boat People with Exscape TV. I'll post specifics soon.
Also, I am working on raising money for the charity. A new website will be up and running soon, www.terintaylor.com (that's my modeling name). On this site, 8X10 pictures and other donated items will be sold and the proceeds will go towards Finding Vu. I'm always looking for ways to keep the non-profit going strong and also give back a little something...
Please stay tuned!
Terin
December 12, 2007
I feel so blessed. Many of you have offered to help, so I made a list. Here are some ways that you can help:
1. Monetary Donations: Any amount will help us in our search and help to keep our non-profit organization (Finding Vu) operating.
2. Goodsearch: Finding Vu will get funds from your internet searches and online shopping. Please set this URL as your homepage: http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=854610
3. Spread the Word: Please place our Finding Vu banner on your MySpace page(s) and internet webpage(s). The banner will direct people to www.FINDINGVU.com
4. Press: Media coverage could be the most powerful tool for me to tell my story and spread my mission. If you are in the industry, please help me to appear on or connect with news stations, talk or radio shows, newspapers, magazines, etc… Contact info for talk shows or radio shows would also be very useful
5. Vietnamese Boat Stories: If you are from a Boat family and looking for a displaced family member (or know someone who is), please email me. I want to help.
6. Names of Vietnamese Boat People: There were close to 3 million people who were seeking freedom after the fall of Vietnam in 1975. Please help me build a database for those brave souls.
7. People Search: I need people who have experience conducting people searches, especially international ones.
8. Immigration/Naturalization: I need help from people who can obtain immigration or naturalization records, especially in these countries: USA, Canada, England, Australia, Hong Kong and Philippines.
9. Aged-Progressed Portrait: I need a picture of what my sister could look like today. In the most recent pictures that we have of her, she is 10-11 years old. Her current age is 32.
10. Military Access: I need access to the military information like overseas marriage licenses and military personnel assigned to Vietnam from the years 1984-1987. Please help me reach people that might have seen my sister. That info can also help us in the search for others.
11. Marriage Licenses: I need someone who knows how to search the database of marriage licenses in all states. My sister could have been sold to someone who brought her here to the states, or other circumstances could have caused her to end up here. Those same databases could also help in the search for others.If you can come up with anything else that could help me, please email me at terin@findingvu.com.
Thank you so much for support! Your help means the world to me!
Terin Vu
November 20, 2007
New Video Blog summary of the trip:
November 7, 2007
I gathered up some energy to write.
Things are still really cloudy for me. As a 30 year-old woman I saw first hand how evil my grandfather is. Not only my own memories of him for the first six years of my life, but all the things the family say about him, is true. He is just as malicious at 87 years old than when he was in his prime. Without going into any further details, I do not trust a thing that comes out of this man's mouth. Propaganda was not just used by the Viet Cong, but my grandfather had mastered it as well. As a Vietnamese originally from the North, he still possessed his roots.
The only hope was that he gave us the location of the family who owned the boat that supposedly my sister went on. The story is that this family lost four family members in the 37 seven that was on the boat. He told me to go talk to them. Warning me, of course, that they might not know what I am talking about.
After going through his phone book, we got a hold of the woman, named Thao, that was living with my grandfather while my sister was there. She came to see us two days ago and told us that the family lost three family members in the forty something people that was on the boat. She promised to bring her journal to see details of those years and bring us to that family who owned the boat on Sunday.
My mother and Six Aunt insists that she is lying. They have solid reasons and I trust them because they know Thao better than I do.
Here is where I feel conflicted. If Thao is lying, I have no other leads to find my sister. If Thao is telling the truth, my sister is most likely dead. As you can see, I am not in good spirits.
I will write when there is new information.
Terin
November 4, 2007
I got back from my grandfather's house two days ago. The information I'm getting is a little too much for me to handle right now. I feel sick in every way. I will write when I feel better.
Terin
October 28, 2007
Yesterday was a little exciting for me. My mother worked up the courage (with my Six Aunt's encouragement) to call my grandfather. She had him speaker. The first sound of his voice got my heart racing 1000 times faster! He sounded exactly the same, even at 88 years old. He has trouble hearing so he was irritated not knowing who he was speaking to. But when he finally knew who it was, he yelled out a joyful word of suprise. The conversation was a little difficult. My mom was trying to get his address and directions and get off the phone as fast as possible but yelling because he is losing his hearing, but my Ong Noi was trying to talk as much as possible and ask all the questions he wanted to ask worrying that my mom will hang up.
In the conversation, I can hear how joyful my grandfather was to hear from my mom. I do not know if he is happy that he can make things right with my mother and us girls or he has a family member that will bring him presents and money. He was expressing how unhappy he was of my dad. My grandfather disapproves of his new girlfriend and he is not listening to my Ong Noi's requests to leave her. When he asked which granddaughter wanted to see him and found out it was me, you can almost hear him cry as he is laughing with joy.
We agreed that we will visit him sometime next week. He lives three hours from Hanoi and promised to have a car waiting for us when we get there.
It's a little too much for me to put things into perspective. A part of me want to hope that he did good with my sister and has a really good reason for not telling us. I want to hope that he changed into a good man and there could be a possibilty of a reconciliation. But according to my Six Aunt, he has an manipulative-evil heart. He cannot be trusted. He has many tricks up his sleeves and we should have our guard up at all times.
I will let you all know what happens next Wednesday.
Terin
October 26, 2007
It's our second day here and I'm loving it! It's 6:30PM here and it's been raining on and off. The thunder storms are a little scary because it's loud. My mom and I got a hotel a block from my aunt's house. My cousins are really cool. If I mention a fruit that I want to eat, the next day they will have it on the table waiting for me. I am so happy to be around family.
We got to talking about Thanh yesterday. My cousin Thu was telling me how she remembered when Thanh used to come over to visit. She remembered Thanh was always sad. Thanh would always say how she missed my mom. After about a year, my grandfather would denied contact with Thanh. When my Six Aunt would come over, Ong Noi (grandfather) would say that Thanh was either away at church or school. In 1986, Ong Noi told my aunt that he already sent her off to America. We knew that was a lie because we found a letter written by my sister in 1987.
Another development was that in the the letter written on March 4, 1987, my sister mentioned that my grandfather changed her name to Vu Thi Lien Phuong with a birthday of March 3, 1974. I believe this information will be really helpful. Any purchase made for her can be trackable.
My mother's family is superstitious. Their father was a well known numerologist respected by everyone in Vinh Long. They also believe in callings. A calling is when a spirit gives someone the ability to read into the future. The calling can last one day up to a person's lifetime.
Today we got good news. A woman here in Saigon has been finding a lot of people's family members dead or alive. My mom and I went to see her today at 11:40AM. She said that Thanh is ALIVE! She said she lives a stable life in a country far from Vietnam. She is an owner of a business and she has two children, a boy and a girl. She said she will help the reunion and it will happen within 21 days. I know I cannot take this information as fact, but it is good news for my mom. It gives me hope.
Terin
October 21, 2007
Hi! Hope everyone's having a great Sunday. Here's the new Video Trailer for Finding Vu:
October 17, 2007
I cannot believe that it is time. I'm going back to Vietnam! This is my first time back since escaping that communist country in 1983. My mother, oldest sister and I finally arrived in California on August 16, 1984. We reunited with my father who arrived in 1979. It was still a sad reunion because we were still missing a member of the family.
My middle sister, Thanh was held behind by my grandfather. He wanted money from us and if we proved our loyalty to him after two years, he was supposed to send her to us. Throughout the 24 months, he had raised his demand to 20 thousand dollars, that we financially could not provide.
A couple of months later, we received a letter that we assumed as the truth for the next twenty years. My grandfather claimed to have sent Thanh on a boat to America. We were frustrated because we now had the power to receive her by plane. Thanh did not have to endure the struggles of death, murder, Thailand pirates and many more obstacles during the escape on a boat. Feeling powerless, all we could do was hope that she survived.
Unfortunately, that was the last that we heard of her. She disappeared.
With the information we got from my grandfather since his visit to America, we believe that instead of sending Thanh on a boat, he sold her into the Thailand sex trade. We have all hope that she is alive. This is the reason for my trip to Vietnam. With all odds against me, I am going to trace the steps and find my sister, Thanh.
My mom and I are leaving on October 23rd. Any monetary amount will help us on this trip. Please make a donation...
Thank you for your support!
Terin
