Visiting Quang Ngai Villages

For two days, we stayed in Quang Ngai City, which is south of Danang, one of the main bases of operation for the American military in the Viet Nam War. This region saw extensive warfare, especially in the late 1960s. Our friend Do, who grew up in a local village, spoke of fleeing from one hamlet to another during his childhood years, as major portions of the province were destroyed by American soldiers trying to ferret out the Viet Cong. It is in Quang Ngai Province that the hamlet of My Lai is located, and it is here that the Madison Quakers, under the leadership of "Mr. Mike," has developed a micro-loan program for local women. They also have built a park and an elementary school. The two days were not pleasant, but we met many wonderful people and were greatly impressed by the project.