South Carolina General Assembly
120th Session, 2013-2014

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S. 1024

STATUS INFORMATION

Senate Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Cromer
Document Path: l:\council\bills\rm\1444ahb14.docx

Introduced in the Senate on February 18, 2014
Adopted by the Senate on February 18, 2014

Summary: Vets with a Mission

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   2/18/2014  Senate  Introduced and adopted (Senate Journal-page 9)

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/18/2014

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A SENATE RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR VETS WITH A MISSION (VWAM) FOR ITS OUTSTANDING WORK IN PROVIDING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SPIRITUAL MINISTRY TO VIETNAM'S POOR AND TO CONGRATULATE THIS FINE ORGANIZATION ON THE OCCASION OF ITS TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY.

Whereas, it is with great pleasure that the members of the South Carolina Senate honor individuals and organizations that freely give of their time and resources for the good of others, especially those who need it most; and

Whereas, since 1989, Vets With A Mission, composed of veterans of the Vietnam War and nonveteran friends, has proven itself an organization that truly cares about Vietnam's poor. In lending its financial, medical, and spiritual support to these needy people, VWAM has fulfilled its mission of promoting reconciliation between the people of the United States and Vietnam and their respective governments, reconciliation between veterans on both sides of the war, and reconciliation to God. In the process, VWAM also has contributed untold hours of praiseworthy service, both at home and in Vietnam, to bring its work to fruition; and

Whereas, under the leadership of Charles Ward, executive director, VWAM has sponsored numerous missions to Vietnam that have assisted the poor of that country in various ways. Among the projects VWAM has carried out are the building of thirty-two medical clinics, two health facilities, and one school; and

Whereas, in addition, VWAM has sponsored heart procedures for fifty-nine youngsters under its Children's Heart Surgery Program, and, representing more than nine hundred Vietnam veterans and one thousand four hundred nonveterans, the organization has taken nearly seventy medical mission teams to Vietnam to treat over eighty thousand of Vietnam's poor. Further, VWAM's Street Children's Program has placed hundreds of children in two orphanages, renovated those orphanages, and financially supported the children and orphanages; and

Whereas, VWAM has deployed two disaster relief teams to Vietnam after devastating typhoons and shipped thirty-six cargo containers of humanitarian relief supplies and medical equipment valued in excess of one million dollars; and

Whereas, in its spiritual ministry, the group works with local churches, providing Bibles and Christian literature, funding church repairs, and supporting their outreach efforts, including Christian medical teams who assist those without proper medical care. Through VWAM, these medical teams give hope to Vietnam's addicts and HIV/AIDS victims. VWAM's inspiration for Christian ministry is II Corinthians 5:18 (NIV), "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation"; and

Whereas, in 2000, Vets With A Mission moved its international headquarters to Newberry. Now an active member of the local chamber, VWAM has taken numerous Newberry residents to Vietnam on humanitarian missions; and

Whereas, grateful for the exemplary work accomplished by Vets With A Mission, the South Carolina Senate is proud to add its collective voice to the many warm expressions of praise so well deserved by this dedicated organization. With many felicitations on the occasion of VWAM's silver anniversary, the members wish the organization much continued success as it carries forward its mission to the people of Vietnam and the United States. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Vets With A Mission (VWAM) for its outstanding work in providing humanitarian assistance and spiritual ministry to Vietnam's poor and congratulate this fine organization on the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Charles Ward, executive director of Vets With A Mission.

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This web page was last updated on February 21, 2014 at 1:07 PM