Sow kindness through simple acts.
Without grand gestures or flashy appeals, Le Van Hoa (born in 1990) from Kim Lien commune is spreading the spirit of a beautiful life through simple acts: caring for the martyrs' cemetery, patching potholes on the road, cleaning up trash at historical sites, and assisting forest firefighting forces... What is even more valuable is that from these small actions, he has awakened a sense of responsibility and encouraged many others to join hands for the community.
Thanh Phuc - Hoai Thu |Design:Huu Quan• July 3, 2026
Without grand gestures or flashy appeals, Le Van Hoa (born in 1990) from Kim Lien commune is spreading the spirit of a beautiful life through simple acts: caring for the martyrs' cemetery, patching potholes on the road, cleaning up trash at historical sites, and assisting forest firefighting forces... What is even more valuable is that from these small actions, he has awakened a sense of responsibility and encouraged many others to join hands for the community.
On a July afternoon, after the first summer shower, the Martyrs' Cemetery in Kim Lien commune was covered in a refreshing green of freshly washed trees. Amidst this tranquil space, nearly twenty children in martial arts uniforms silently spread out among the graves. Some wiped the inscriptions on the tombstones, others trimmed branches obscuring the writing, and still others bent down to pull out weeds growing around the graves. There was no laughter, no admonition, and certainly no shouts of encouragement typical of collective labor sessions.
Walking among the martial arts students was Le Van Hoa. He didn't stand aside observing, nor did he give orders. After bending down to wipe a dusty corner of a tombstone, he gently adjusted the cloth in a boy's hand and reminded him to change the cloudy water in the basin.
Even those small gestures were enough to show that this was not simply a cleaning session. Dieu Hoa was guiding her students not towards labor skills, but towards respecting history and those who fell for the nation's independence.
Perhaps that's why people call Hoa "teacher," not just because he teaches martial arts. In the classes of this young man born in 1990, martial arts techniques always take a backseat to lessons on life skills. Every year, nearly a hundred students come not only to learn how to improve their health or self-defense, but also to participate in community-oriented activities such as caring for the Martyrs' Cemetery, sweeping village roads, and cleaning historical sites. For Hoa, martial arts only truly has meaning when it helps people live more disciplined lives, love their homeland, appreciate the past, and use their strength to do good.
That difference is most clearly felt by his students. After nearly a year of martial arts training, Nguyen Hoang Nhat Anh doesn't remember how many forms he learned, but he vividly remembers helping his teacher clean the memorial plaques at the Martyrs' Cemetery, sweeping the village roads, or participating in road repairs with the older students.
"The teacher taught us how to live well, to live beautifully, and to do kind things within our capabilities," the young student said concisely. As for Ms. Hoang Thi Tam, the parent of Nhat Anh, she said that initially she only hoped her son would learn martial arts to become healthier, but what reassured her most was the change in his awareness and behavior. "With Teacher Hoa's dedication to character development, the family feels very reassured," Ms. Tam shared.
Few people know that creating that special class marked a turning point in the life of this young man from Kim Lien. After graduating from high school, Hoa went to South Korea to work but returned due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023, he continued to complete his application for overseas employment, but at the last minute decided to cancel the trip and stay in Hanoi to find work. This seemingly ordinary decision opened a different path. Outside of work, Hoa participates in charitable activities with a group of Buddhists from Phap Van Pagoda.
It was also here that he met a teacher who greatly influenced his thinking and way of life. Besides teaching martial arts, this teacher also instilled in him patriotism, solidarity, gratitude, and love for humanity. These lessons weren't just words; they were extended through volunteer work. It was through these experiences that Hoa realized that sharing and helping others makes life much more meaningful.
Returning to his hometown in 2025, Hoa opened a martial arts class, bringing with him everything he had learned to pass on to his students. Therefore, in addition to training sessions, the students also listen to their teacher tell stories about the history of their homeland, about gratitude, about responsibility to the community, and directly participate in charitable activities.
Hoa didn't want the children to just learn how to throw a stronger punch, but more importantly, to know when to clench their fists to overcome difficulties and when to open their hands to help others... It was these simple acts that sowed gratitude and a spirit of sharing in the children's hearts. And from that seed, kindness will continue to grow over the years…
While in martial arts classes, Le Van Hoa instills gratitude in his students through simple lessons, in real life, he chooses to nurture those values through his own actions. What's remarkable is that Hoa's actions don't stem from grand plans, nor do they aim to create a prominent personal image. He's simply a member of the Vien Quang Buddhist group, a group of ordinary people who quietly dedicate their time after work to contributing to community service. It is this very simplicity that makes their actions more persuasive than any appeal.
One of their well-known activities is filling potholes on local roads. Since the end of June, as many roads in Kim Lien have deteriorated after heavy rains, Hoa's group has been continuously present on the road leading to Sao Market, the road past Kim Lien High School, the road to Cau Market, and many other sections to repair damaged areas, contributing to reducing traffic safety risks. It's not the work of the transportation department, nor do they receive any funding, but for them, each pothole filled means one less worry for residents on their way home.
Following the group during a night of road repair reveals the hardship of the work that takes place when most people are asleep. Around 10 PM, the air on the road surface was still stiflingly hot after a day of intense sunshine. From home, Hoa loaded the prepared buckets of asphalt onto his vehicle, along with a compactor, pickaxe, and shovel, before heading to the meeting point with the group members. The section of road leading to Sao Market appeared under the car's headlights, riddled with dozens of potholes of varying sizes. This was also the location where many residents had complained on social media and directly called the group for assistance.
Without any elaborate division of labor, each person quickly took on their assigned task. Some erected warning barriers, others swept away the sand and dirt from potholes, some transported materials, and others leveled the asphalt. Hoa was responsible for compacting the road surface and using a blowtorch to treat the patched edges to increase adhesion. The operations were performed skillfully, but achieving that proficiency was the result of self-learning. "We're not road construction workers. To patch the road smoothly and durably, we have to learn by searching online, studying little by little, and gaining experience as we go," Hoa said with a gentle smile, sweat still trickling down his face, which was dotted with asphalt dust.
Mr. Dinh Van Hien, a resident of Kim Lien commune who frequently travels the road to Sao Market, said that previously this section of road was full of potholes, forcing many people to constantly swerve to avoid them, and numerous accidents occurred. After the volunteer group repaired the road surface, travel has become more convenient and safer.
"The children are doing this work completely voluntarily, so everyone appreciates them. The road is better, and people can travel more safely, which is something to be grateful for," Mr. Hien shared.
But road repair is just one part of the series of activities that Hoa and the members of the Vien Quang Buddhist group have persistently carried out over the years. When roads are littered with trash after community events, they are there to collect it. When sand covers the roads after storms, they work together to clear it. At many historical sites in the area, the image of the volunteer group quietly weeding, sweeping, and maintaining the landscape has become familiar. During the forest fire in Thien Nhan commune, they became a logistical force, collecting drinking water and food and directly transporting them to firefighting points to support officials, soldiers, and other forces on duty.
"What moved me most was the image of the soldiers and firefighters staying up all night, covered in smoke and dust, sometimes exhausted and only managing to snatch a few moments of sleep on the ashes after controlling the fire. Compared to their sacrifice, what we do is so small. We only hope to contribute a little so that they can focus on their duties," Hoa confided.
Perhaps what Hoa didn't expect was that these quiet acts of kindness would begin to spread. Initially, all activities were confined to Kim Lien and a few neighboring communes.
Later, to preserve memories and share positive things, Hoa taught himself how to shoot and edit videos and post them on social media. He was initially worried about being misunderstood as "showing off," but as more and more people messaged him to join, reported damaged roads, and offered to contribute materials, water, and labor, he understood that what was being spread wasn't the image of an individual, but the spirit of willingness to work together for the community. "Since posting the videos, every time the group announces the time and location of an activity, more volunteers come to help. Some bring just a few bottles of water, some help with asphalt, and some dedicate an entire evening to working together. I feel happy not because the videos get many views, but because after each good deed, more people want to join me in doing something kind," Hoa shared.
That's also what Nguyen Canh The, Secretary of the Kim Chung Hamlet Youth Union, noted when speaking about this Youth Union member. According to The, Hoa's volunteer activities not only bring practical value to the community but also contribute to inspiring a pioneering spirit among local Youth Union members and young people. Through the ripple effect of these concrete actions, many young people have proactively participated in volunteer activities, choosing a more positive and responsible lifestyle towards their homeland.
To spend nights repairing roads until nearly midnight or afternoons dedicated to volunteer work, Hoa had to sacrifice a significant amount of his personal time. During the day, he still worked to earn a living and support his family; community work could only be done in the evenings or on his days off. What reassured him most was the quiet support he had behind him. His wife not only understood his late nights but also helped prepare the tools and carry buckets of asphalt onto the truck before each road repair session. His two young children also joined their father in cleaning the Martyrs' Cemetery whenever there was an event.
On a July afternoon, bidding farewell to Hoa and the martial arts students, we quietly left the Martyrs' Cemetery in Kim Lien commune. Behind them, the tombstones were now clean of the dust of time; in front, the seeds of gratitude and kindness had just been sown in a new generation…
