In January of 1968 Tom Treece was drafted into the United States Army.  For the next six months he was taught all the different ways to kill another human being, which - after being raised in a devout Christian family - was completely foreign to his persona. 

In June he was sent 14,000 miles to the other side of the planet where he served for the next 13 months with the Americal Division’s 11th Light Infantry Brigade in the Republic of Vietnam.  As often as possible during that time he borrowed a Jeep from the motor pool and drove to the nearby village of Duc Pho to visit the Catholic orphanage and play with the children.  Tom returned from war and for the next 30 years fought bitter and resentful feelings but never forgot the love he felt for those helpless, hapless children. 

In January 2000 a friend asked him to join a meeting of some Toledo area Vietnam veterans and Rotarians interested in doing humanitarian work in Vietnam; out of that meeting a group called the D.O.V.E. Fund (Development of Vietnam Endeavors) was born.

By 2001 the group had raised enough money to build five schools and one hospital in that war-torn nation and in the spring of that year Tom (reluctantly) and Renee joined a delegation of the group and flew to Vietnam to dedicate those facilities.  Tom had no idea of how that 10 day trip would change his and Renee’s lives forever.

Tom thought the Vietnamese people would hate him but found the opposite true. He also realized their goals in life were the same as most Americans: to be happy and take care of their families!

Upon his return Tom wrote his first book, “The Ghost Closet: Return to Vietnam on the Wings of D.O.V.E.,” all the profits from which he and Renee used to fund construction of the Pho Phong Elementary School in the heart of that village he regularly visited all those years ago.

In the spring of 2007 Tom and Renee traveled to Vietnam to break ground and begin construction of the school.  The following spring they returned, this time to cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially dedicate their “Spirit of Love” school.

Tom is humbled as he now realizes God has allowed him to turn the worst thing that ever happened to him into perhaps the most important accomplishment of his life.

In his personal testimony Tom shares, “Only God could change a man’s bitter and resentful heart left over from war to loving these people enough to build a school to educate 883 of their children, many of whom undoubtedly are the great grandchildren of those trying to kill me all those years ago.”

Tom & Renee are currently raising funds in order to add a new Kindergarten to the Pho Phong School. To learn more about the D.O.V.E. Fund, please go to www.dovefund.org or CLICK HERE.