Pity the 90-year-old mother who sells water to raise two disabled children

Following the “billionaire” village road of Dien Thap commune, we came to the family of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Cu (born in 1930). The damp two-room charity house, with mossy and peeling walls over time, nestled among high-rise buildings, is the shelter of Mrs. Cu and her two disabled children. Inside the house there are no valuable items except for two rickety beds placed in the corner of the house.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Cu still has to take care of her two disabled children every day. Photo: Thu Hien

In this village, everyone knows about the difficult situation of Cu's family. Although he is nearly 90 years old, he still has to go to the market to sell water to support his two disabled children. However, the day I visited, Cu was at home. It was because he was sick and could not go to the market. Although selling water only earns him a few tens of thousands of dong a day, this is how he measures out butter and rice, buys bunches of vegetables or small fish for his children to eat every day. On the days he is sick, his two children also have to go hungry.

The house of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Cu. Photo: Thu Hien

Squinting her dim eyes, Cu said that she had suffered since childhood, because her family had no land or garden, so she had to work for others to make ends meet. At that time, she coincidentally met a local boy and they got married, having five children together. The joy was short-lived, her husband died suddenly, leaving her and five young children. Two of her children were married, but their lives were not much better, one died at a young age, and two were born with paralysis and had abnormal brain development.

At his old age, Cu still has to work hard to make a living. Photo: Thu Hien

Life seems to have no luck for the mother who is near death. Day after day, Cu lives in constant fear because she worries about her two disabled children. During her youth and her whole life, Cu worked tirelessly to earn money to raise her children. Now on the slope, there is not a single moment without worry.

“Unfortunately, my two children were born disabled. Even as long as I have breath, I try to take care of them and not let them go hungry."-toolJust wipe away the dry tears and look at the disabled child and say.

Cu and his congenitally disabled son. Photo: Thu Hien

Regarding Cu Cu's two disabled children, Mr. Chu Van Dao (born in 1957), the eldest son, can only lie in one place and cannot move. All activities, eating, and hygiene take place on a rickety bed in the corner of the house. Mr. Chu Van Hoe (born in 1966) can only walk a few steps around the yard or sit listlessly on the porch. Both of them are mentally disabled.

Old age is like a candle in the wind, and perhaps thinking that he will not be with his children for much longer, Mr. Cu always looks at them with eyes filled with both love and bitter sadness. "Old age tears are like dew. One day when mother is gone, who will lead the way?" - Mr. Cu suddenly said distantly, sounding very sad.