Reunited after Nineteen Long Years

Hai and I were reunited after 19 long years.

Hai and Andy reunited after nineteen long years.

Hai was one of my students in P.F.A.C. Palawan. He immigrated to California in 1990. We lost contact.

Andy, Hai, his wife Hanh and daughter Isabel

Then in June 2008, I called Vinh Hao in California and we chatted for over an hour. During our long conversation, I casually I asked him if he knew where Hai was. (I knew they were best friends in the camp). To my amazement he said, "Oh Hai is in Canada. He moved to Canada many years ago." Surprised and exceedingly excited, I asked, "Where in Canada?" Hao identified the city (the same city where I live) but unfortunately, he didn't have Hai's phone number.

Andy, Hai, and Stephen

I then immediately searched Hai on the White Pages. There was no exact match but three people in Ontario had his last name. I phoned the one that was closest to where I live. A senior answered the phone and courteously said, "Hai has moved out. He doesn't live here anymore." I inquired, "Do you have his new phone number?" The senior, who luckily is Hai's father, gave me his new phone number after I spoke with him in Vietnamese and explained that I was Hai's teacher at the refugee camp. I called Hai's number immediately but no one answered the phone. After a couple of hours, I called his number one more time and I finally got hold of him. It was an emotional telephone conversation, to make the story short.

Andy, Hai, Stephen, and Van

After nineteen long years, I was talking to Hai again. Six months had passed after that conversation. And tonight, February 15, Hai and his family visited us.

Andy, Sarah, Hanh, Isabel, Hai, Stephen, and Van

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Wow! Nineteen years later and here we are. Reunited. Amazing indeed.

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