"The meeting point" of compassion

Plastic pigs"full"savings, the portion of income carefully saved after a day's work.,or hidden envelopesnamesilently delivering...they have together created a"meeting point”of compassion in the homelandincense of Uncle Ho.

On the afternoon of June 12th, while the summer sun was still sweltering, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Ha from Vinh Phu ward brought her two daughters to the filming location of the "Vietnamese Family Home" program at Ho Chi Minh Square. The three of them arrived around 1:30 PM, before the program began. When asked why, Ms. Ha smiled and said that she came early because her two daughters really liked MC Khanh Vy and hoped to meet and take pictures with their idol in person.

However, that wasn't the most important purpose of the trip. In their hands, the two sisters, An Nhien and An Nhi, held a plastic piggy bank that they had been "saving" for months with their Lunar New Year money, academic awards, birthday gifts, and Children's Day presents. Before arriving at the square, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Ha and her husband had talked with their children, and the whole family agreed to donate all of their savings to a needy family participating in the program.

Ms. Hoang Ha shared: "I want my children to personally deliver this money to support the cause. The amount isn't much, but I hope they understand that when they see others in need, they can share what they have, and that they don't have to wait until they're rich to do charity."

During the filming of the "Vietnamese Family Home" program in Nghe An, it wasn't uncommon to see families like Ms. Hoang Ha bringing their young children along. Many parents brought their children not simply to watch a television program or meet celebrities. They saw it as an opportunity for their children to experience real-life stories of pain, loss, resilience, and warm human kindness; to understand that there are still less fortunate people in society who need the community's help.

Among the various stories presented during the filming, the tale of Vu Dinh Hao, a 10th-grade student from Van Lam hamlet, Tan Chau commune, moved many viewers to tears. Stepping onto the stage alone, Hao was without any family members accompanying him, unlike many of the other featured individuals. His father died in a traffic accident, and his mother has suffered from mental illness for many years, leaving their lives dependent on the support of relatives and neighbors.

The 16-year-old student had only one simple wish: to finish high school, find a stable job, and be able to take care of his mother. This wish wasn't filled with the far-fetched dreams of adolescence, nor was it tied to glamorous professions. It was simply a desire to grow up quickly and become a pillar of support for his mother, who was no longer able to care for herself.

Seeing Hao standing silently on the stage, his eyes filled with sadness, many people couldn't hold back their tears. Among the thousands present that day, that thin student seemed to have touched the hearts of many with his resilience and maturity, showing a maturity beyond his years.

Driven by empathy for a peer facing difficult circumstances, Bui Van Minh Sang – the son of Bui Van Cong, a rice business owner in Thanh Vinh ward – decided to donate the entire sum of 9 million VND to Vu Dinh Hao. This was a reward from relatives and friends for Sang's successful admission to his first-choice school in the recent 10th-grade entrance exam. Without hesitation, the young student chose to share his joy with a friend who was facing challenges in life.

Amidst the crowd watching the program on June 13th, Nguyen Van Bao, a ride-hailing driver, took a moment to stop by the square while waiting for a ride. After watching the interaction with the families, he decided to dedicate an entire day's income to supporting a needy family. He was rather reserved when sharing his decision, simply saying that he wasn't well-off himself, but seeing children orphaned at such a young age, having to shoulder the burden of an entire family before turning 16, he felt he was still much luckier than many others.

According to the organizers, after three days of filming, the total amount of support for disadvantaged families exceeded 6 billion VND. This is one of the filming locations that has received record support from the community throughout the four-year journey of "Vietnamese Family Shelter".

That figure is the result of support from various sources, including the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels, thousands of citizens present at the filming sessions, and anonymous benefactors. In addition, the event's reach is also evident on social media. Images of the program are constantly shared, and many posts attract thousands of interactions and comments.

In particular, the return of many artists and celebrities from Nghe An province added beautiful gestures to the program. Singer Huong Tram was repeatedly moved when listening to stories about children who had suffered many hardships but still strived to overcome them in life. Sharing in the difficulties that people in her hometown often face during the rainy and stormy season, the female singer donated 1,000 life vests, worth 200 million VND, through the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province. The gift not only represents material support but also demonstrates the affection and responsibility of a son of Nghe An towards his homeland.

Returning to Nghe An on this occasion, MC Khanh Vy couldn't hide her emotion at the difficult circumstances of the children in her hometown. Besides participating in the program's activities, the female MC also awarded many scholarships to support the children on their educational journey. Throughout the filming, Khanh Vy's words of encouragement, delivered in her simple Nghe An accent, received much affection from the audience.

Perhaps it is these authentic stories of resilience in overcoming adversity that create such profound empathy. The distance between artists and audiences seems to be erased; they listen to the same story, are moved by the same circumstances, and share the desire to contribute a small part to give underprivileged children a better chance to move forward on their path.

This resonance partly reflects a beautiful cultural aspect of life in Nghe An. People from Nghe An have long been known for their resilience, frugality, and hard work, but alongside this is a tradition of sharing and mutual support deeply ingrained in the community's mindset. In a region frequently facing harsh weather conditions, this spirit of mutual support is evident in the habit of helping each other overcome difficulties, in contributing rice, money, and labor, and in the fundraising campaigns that take place whenever villages, offices, schools, or online communities need to join hands to help those in need.

Therefore, the charity filming sessions at Ho Chi Minh Square serve as a meeting point for values ​​already present in the community, just waiting for an opportunity to be expressed. Everyone understands that the family's difficulties cannot be fully resolved by a single donation, but the support of the community has given them renewed faith and motivation. Many participants shared that what moved them was not only the money received but also the affection shown by strangers.

Three days of filming have come to an end, but the children's piggy banks, the quietly given envelopes, and the comforting handshakes and hugs between strangers will forever leave a lasting impression of compassion. These are also beautiful images of the spirit of sharing that is always present in the lives of the people of Nghe An.