Seeing Red

Just weeks after coming down with a bad case of measles, poor Thien Nhan got sick again -- this time with a fever and an angry red rash. Initially doctors thought he had the chicken pox but then changed their minds. Worried that whatever it was could be highly contagious, mom Mai Anh sent Thien Nhan's brothers, Big Minh and Little Minh, to stay with her parents.

When little Nhan's rash cleared and his big brothers came home Thien Nhan cried with happiness. "He was so happy to see them again. He missed them so much," reports Mai Anh. "Now they're all at school again and life is back to normal." For now...

The picture shows Thien Nhan, age 2, (right) getting a hug from his brother Hai Minh, 4.

Late New Year

Because Thien Nhan spent the Lunar New Year in hospital with measles, the kind folk at the Le Club in Hanoi are now throwing him a Late New Year's bash! All of Thien Nhan's friends are invited to join the festivities this Sunday, February 15th at 6pm to 9pm. The Le Club, which also hosted birthday and Mid-Autumn Festival parties for Thien Nhan, is located at 162 Phuong Liet Street, Hanoi. Chuc mung nam moi muon!

Generous Hearts

We can hardly believe it but -- thanks to your generosity -- the Thien Nhan Fund has now received over US$100,000 in donations! People all over the world have chipped in to help this brave toddler, with special thanks due to Singapore, home of our champion fundraiser cartoonist CC Lee.

(http://chewonitcomics.blogspot.com/)

Individual donations have ranged from VND50,000 (about $3) to US$5,000. Upon hearing of Thien Nhan's plight, many people who have little to spare have given him as much (or more) than they could afford. Elderly war widows, weary construction workers and struggling young parents have all opened their hearts to little Nhan.

We cannot thank all of you good people enough for working so hard to provide Thien Nhan with a decent chance in life!

A Rough Week

On the last day of the Year of the Rat Thien Nhan came down with a high fever and had to be rushed to the emergency ward. He developed a rash all over his body and was too sick to eat or drink, requiring him to be hospitalized for four nights. "He looked like a Tet peach tree," joked mom Mai Anh, referring to the angry red rash that covered poor Nhan's entire face and body.

His dad, Nghinh, fell ill too, and poor Mai Anh spent her New Year's holiday rushing back and forth between her home and the hospital. Luckily Thien Nhan's fever is now down, and while he remains tired and weak he is at home again.