Sarah Lou hopes she can find her Vietnamese birth parents
Despite being abandoned as a baby, Sarah Lou holds no resentment towards her Vietnamese birth parents, believing they were simply victims of hardship.
She came across a post in a French online group by a Dantri/Dtinews reporter helping a Vietnamese mother search for her daughter who had been lost in France. Although the post was not about her, it inspired Sarah to look through her documents and send a message, hoping her story might also be shared.
"I was adopted and brought to France at the age of two. For a long time, I've wanted to speak out but didn't know where to begin. After researching online, I discovered Dantri was a reputable Vietnamese newspaper, so I decided to reach out, hoping my dream could come true," Sarah said.
A photo of Sarah Lou when small
Among the documents Sarah shared with Dantri was a birth certificate stating her Vietnamese name as Bui Thi Hoa, born on January 22, 2003, at Lam Thao Hospital in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam.
Her birth certificate lists her father as Bui Minh Son, born in 1958, and her mother as Hoang Thi Cai, born in 1964, from Thanh Dinh Commune, Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province (now known as Hy Cuong Commune).
She also provided a handwritten letter from her biological mother, written when the child was placed in a local orphanage. In the letter, the mother explained that she and her husband had five children and were too poor and in ill health to care for another. As a result, they had no choice but to place their daughter in care.
At the age of two, Sarah was adopted by a French couple and taken to Paris, where she was given the name Sarah Lou.
"My adoptive parents told me they loved Vietnamese culture and chose to adopt a girl from Vietnam. They never had children of their own and gave me their full love and care," Sarah said. "They never hid the fact that I was adopted. Their affection made me feel secure and never alone."
Sarah said she began to think more deeply about her origins when she entered high school, especially during the Covid-19 lockdowns. She was overwhelmed with unanswered questions, "Do I look like my parents? What do they look like?"
"At that time, I felt I'd grown up enough to begin searching for my biological parents, to fill that emotional gap," she said.
Although she longed to start the search, Sarah said she was unsure how to proceed while still in school and financially dependent on her parents. She also hesitated to share her wish with her adoptive parents out of fear of hurting them after all they had done for her.
"This journey is something I've kept to myself," she said.
Sarah said she has never blamed her biological parents. Instead, she is grateful for the painful choice they made, which ultimately gave her a good life.
"Every time I read the letter my mother wrote, I cry. I feel deeply for their situation. I was lucky to be protected and raised in a loving family in France," she said.
Sarah hopes the detailed birth certificate will help her find her parents in Vietnam and make her dream of reunion come true.
"That moment when I find out who my birth parents are will be incredibly emotional and meaningful. I have so many unanswered questions about my family in Vietnam," she said.
Sarah Lou is about to graduate from university in France. This September, she will begin a master's degree in communications.
Anyone with information about Sarah Lou's biological family is encouraged to contact Dantri/Dtinews through the following hotline or email:
Hotline Hanoi: 0973-567-567
Hotline Ho Chi Minh City: 0974-567-567
Email: info@dantri.com.vn