Bishop Moore Grads Team Up to Help Orphans
Instead of heading off to college or the military, three Bishop Moore graduates embarked on a mission to improve the lives of the children and adults of the Thiên Bình Orphanage, located on the outskirts of Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam.
James Nguyen, Jacob Carbonelle, and Daniel Gomez supported the orphanage run by a group of 21 religious sisters. It is home to 179 children, 29 seniors, and 25 people with severe disabilities. The Nguyen family, including mom, Kim, and her siblings, have supported the orphanage for more than six years. When a spring storm ripped through the area and destroyed several buildings, the family knew they needed to make an extra effort.
That’s when James stepped in. Still, the story doesn’t begin here. Rather, it starts four years ago, when the trio were students at three different Catholic schools — James from Annunciation Catholic Academy, Jacob from St. James Cathedral School, and Daniel from Good Shepherd Catholic School — met as freshmen on the Bishop Moore wrestling team.
During their high school years, the boys bonded not only as teammates, but also as brothers. So, when James announced during their senior year in high school that he was taking a gap year to volunteer at an orphanage in Vietnam, Jacob and Daniel did not hesitate to join him in his efforts.
“I have always wanted to help people and learn a new culture. So when the opportunity presented itself, it was a very easy decision for me,” Jacob said. The trio departed the U.S. on Aug. 7, and after spending a few days getting acclimated to Vietnam, they arrived at the orphanage and got to work.
For the next three-and-a-half months, the men worked the land, demolishing and clearing the most severely damaged building, and preparing the foundation for its replacement. They also taught the children English and helped clean and maintain the compound and gardens.
They worked 16 hours a day, six days a week, all while continuing to raise money for their efforts. On Sunday, their only day off, they would go to Mass at 5 a.m. and spend the rest of the day with James’ relatives and explore the city.
Jacob and Daniel returned to the United States Nov. 11, while James continues to serve the community. He will come home late spring or early summer 2020. The three admit while the physical work was taxing and there were challenges adapting to the lifestyle, they wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
“There are so many people in this world who are less fortunate than me,” James said. “These kids have so little and yet have a big heart. So just being able to give them something has helped me grow into a better person. … These are experiences that you just can’t get from going to school or college.”
Daniel agreed. “I hope to leave a lasting impact on the orphanage and the kids I built relationships with. I have spent six days a week with these kids for the past two and a half months,” he said. “I feel Jacob, James, and I have done the best work we can do.”
James and Daniel plan to go to college next year, while Jacob will serve in the U.S. Navy.
For more than 50 years, Catholic schools in Orlando have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today. To learn more about Wrestlers for Orphans and how you can help, visit wrestlers4orphans.org/.