New Project: Diabetes Nutrition

Agape Fish Fund supports low-income Vietnamese diabetic patients in California by providing diabetes-appropriate meals and Christian accountability.

Support for Diabetic Vietnamese

​Unmanaged diabetes in the Vietnamese community is a potentially life-threatening issue that needs to be addressed. ​A 2015 study found that about 1 in 17 Vietnamese adults (1 in 15 men and 1 in 20 women) has diabetes. The World Health Organization said that the prevalence of diabetes in Vietnam has almost doubled in the past 10 years, and across the population there is a lack of awareness about diabetes.

​When diabetic patients are unaware of how to manage their diabetes, the disease can threaten their lives. There is a dire need for the low-income, diabetic Vietnamese population in California to have practical support in managing their diabetes.

Spiritual and PHysical Well-Being

​We will partner with Vietnamese churches to implement a Diabetes Nutrition Program that serves the community and provides natural opportunities for outreach. The pilot program will start in Westminster, Vietnam. We will select diabetic patients that have these characteristics:

• Low-income (high financial need)
  We will check the family’s income and see if they are on any government aid programs.
• Severe diabetes (high medical need)
  The family lacks awareness on diabetes management, so the disease is becoming more life-threatening.
• Nonbelievers or new believers (high spiritual need)
  ​The family doesn’t know about Jesus or they have recently become Christians, so they will benefit from Christian outreach.

​Oftentimes diabetic patients eat the same food as the rest of their family members, which is detrimental to their health, especially since Vietnamese families tend to eat a lot of white rice and other starchy/sugary foods. We will provide daily meals made specifically for diabetics so they can learn how to eat properly to manage their diabetes. During the meal pickup, the church will provide accountability and discipleship. 

​On a spiritual and relational level, the ministry program enables the Vietnamese church to provide a support system and develop a natural friendship with diabetic families in the community for evangelism and discipleship. On a practical healthcare level, the program builds in accountability and enforces a strict diet, both of which are keys to managing diabetes.