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was in December 1980 and still no decision has been made whether these boys will go to USA or not.
These children have been out of Vietnam for nearly two years. One fifth of their life time has been spent living in the YMCA-UNHCR Argyle 4 Transit Centre. They have seen countless thousands of refugees - some unaccompanied minors - come and go. Since February this year they have seen approximately 7,500 refugees leave the Centre bound for USA. In a situation like this it is not surprising that these children no longer have any desire to make new friends, already too many people have flitted in and out of their lives. They no longer trust many people and see no purpose or have any motivation to study for them there is no future. Their lives are very much like their journey across the South China Sea. Tin, Nghiep and Nguyen had no control over their destinies when they found they were on their way to Hong Kong they were at the mercy of the young men who stole the boat, also the mercy of the sea. Now they are at the mercy of administrators sitting at some distant desks - who seem to be reluctant to make a decision.
During the past year I have been very much involved with these boys. I have loved them as my own. I have sat up all night with Nguyen trying to comfort him when he had nightmares and thought he was going to be sent back to Viet- nam. Nghiep is a very clever boy but recently his long wait is beginning to affect him - he goes into long silences and will not speak. Tin, I worry about, although a nice natured boy and very loving, sometimes he takes off and gets a casual job and uses his earnings to buy beer and stays out late. One of my great frustrations is I have had to stand by and watch these fairly well-balanced boys change drastically over the last year because they have been victims of circumstances.
July 1981
May Campbell
Deputy Centre Manager
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