Father Khoi Tran, a Chaplain priest in the United States Air Force, was visiting the sisters of the Missionaries of Christ’s Charity in Saigon, Vietnam, when something unexpected happened.
Orphans found an abandoned baby near a dumpster outside the sisters’ orphanage. The crying baby was soiled and covered in ant bites.
The sisters quickly cleaned him, contacted authorities, and called Father Khoi so he could bless the baby. The sisters named the baby after his patron saint, Saint Francis Xavier.
Father Khoi spoke with ChurchPOP and told the story:
“Around 7:00 p.m. local time (Saigon), two of the orphans took out trash after dinner and heard a crying baby voice. One of them walked around to see what was happening and discovered a baby lying on the ground close to the dumpster by an orphanage run by the Missionaries of Christ’s Charity sisters. The baby was found soiled and with ant bites all over him.
“The sisters quickly tried to clean him up and contacted local authorities to begin the process of receiving him into their care. The sisters called me early the next morning so I could visit and bless the baby and asked if they could name the baby after my patron saint (Saint Francis Xavier) and take my name… to which I happily obliged. The sisters have orphanages and homes to care for the elderly and destitute, and I have been supporting them for a while. It has been an honor to cooperate and work with them to care for the poorest of the poor.”
Here are photos depicting what happened:
Father Khoi also published photos on Instagram with this caption:
“It was an emotional day… we found a baby boy abandoned close to a dumpster by an orphanage cared by the sisters! By the grace of God, one of the orphans found the baby, and we were able to save him. The sisters graciously named him after me… so now I have another child to care for and pray for each day. Thank you, Lord, for an unexpected and grace-filled opportunity!”