On a rain-soaked night in 1985, under cover of darkness, deep within a Vietnamese jungle a frightened 15 year old girl began a 22 year journey that would lead her ultimately to 1223 E 16th Street and a Habitat house she and her children would call their home.
Fleeing the persecution that dogged her family as a result of her father’s employment with US forces during the war, Dao and her three brothers joined the boat exodus that was the first leg of her amazing journey.
Six days at sea, accompanied by constant prayer, led to rescue by an American ship and deliverance to a Malaysian refugee camp. During a year there and in the Philippines Dao maintained her hope for a better life in America. She faced the terrible realization that she had said goodbye forever to her dear mother and father.
At 17 Dao and her brothers made their way to Massachusetts. Staying with an uncle while Dao completed her High School education. As time went by she began to make a life for herself in Massachusetts, securing a job and a place of her own.
In 1995, taking the advice of friends, she made a visit to Iowa not at all convinced she would be staying. But the Iowa way of life and the possiblity of employment opportunities led Dao to relocate and take employment at a Perry meat packing plant as a translator. Later she moved to Des Moines finding even more employment choices. But the challenges that had so often followed Dao returned in 2000 as her third child was born with serious health issues, forcing her to work only part time, if at all, while seeing him through to health.
Less than a year later, his recovery complete Dao began work at Citigroup, where she continues to work today. Although enrolled in the Iowa Saves program, Dao soon realized that she couldn't afford a home for her four children. And she knew that the 800 square foot home they rented did not provide them the space to grow and study. After hearing of the Habitat program on TV and inquiring at the Greater Des Moines office, Dao attended an information meeting, and made application.
When the news finally came that they had been accepted into the program Dao and family were overjoyed. “I was so excited that night, I couldn’t sleep. I knew that this would help my kids be more successful. I knew that this made the price I paid to get here all worthwhile," Dao declared.
“Without Habitat I would have never owned a home for my kids, " said Dao. Dao, Ngoc (14), Nickie (11), Samuel (6) and Diana's (4) hopes will rise this April with the roof rafters of their new home in the shadow of the Iowa Statehouse. Volunteers from banks across Iowa will join the Dinh family in building their home and brightening the future of four young Americans while bringing one woman’s long journey to an end.