Journey of Love

(Baonghean) - So, this new school year, Phuong Dung and Phuong Ngan will continue to go to school. Their books, clothes, and bicycles are ready; they are just waiting for the school bell to ring so they can begin a new journey filled with challenges but also with faith, love, and hope.

Open your heart

In early 2015, Nghe An Newspaper published an article titled "Compassion in a Small House," about the compassionate heart of Ms. Vuong Thi Que (born in 1964) in Kim Thanh hamlet, Vo Liet commune (Thanh Chuong district). Despite her extremely difficult family circumstances – her husband died early, leaving her to raise two children alone in a dilapidated thatched house with wooden walls – she still extended her heart to care for three children facing a cruel twist of fate: their father was in prison, their mother suffered from mental illness, leaving Hoang Phuong Dung (born in 2004), Hoang Phuong Ngan (born in 2006), and Hoang Trong Duc (born in 2013) orphaned, without care, and at risk of dropping out of school. Ms. Que took the three siblings in, even though she herself was struggling to make ends meet. Her actions were recognized and highly appreciated by her neighbors, community organizations, and local authorities.

Mrs. Vuong Thi Que and her grandson Hoang Trong Duc.

As the start of the school year approached, we went up to Vo Liet to see if Dung and Ngan would be able to continue attending school this year, and if so, how the preparations were progressing. Arriving at Kim Thanh hamlet, a pleasant surprise and joy greeted us: a small, newly built house, still smelling of fresh paint and mortar, stood before us. Welcoming us with a kind smile and a cheerful expression, Mrs. Vuong Thi Que shared: “After the newspaper published about our family’s situation and our care for the three children, a benefactor donated 60 million dong to build this house. The handover ceremony will be held soon. From now on, we won’t have to worry about the rain, wind, and storms like we did in our old thatched house.” The house, with its heat-resistant corrugated iron roof and tiled floor, measures 40 square meters. It may not be large, but it is filled with warmth and human kindness, and the laughter of children and the loving hearts of adults are always present. Little Hoang Trong Duc would roll around on the polished tile floor and then cling tightly to his grandmother, affectionately. For this two-year-old boy, and his two older sisters, Mrs. Que is like a second mother; she didn't give birth to them, but she nurtured them and embraced them during their difficult times, when they seemed to have no way out.

Ms. Vuong Thi Que still vividly remembers a day in October last year, returning home after working away for a while. She visited Ms. Dau Thi Van's (born in 1980) house and saw three children sobbing together. The root cause of this situation could be attributed to the husband's and father's sins. Ms. Van's husband, Hoang Trong Binh (born in 1973), had three children, but Binh refused to mend his ways, spending his days associating with bad company. Farming and childcare fell entirely on his frail, sickly wife. Then, one day, Ms. Van was devastated to receive news that her husband had been arrested by the police for drug trafficking. As a result, Binh received an 18-year prison sentence – a considerable length of time for a person. Due to her weak physical condition, Ms. Van could not withstand the immense emotional shock, and her illness worsened, leading to symptoms of mental illness. She wandered aimlessly, neglecting her work in the fields and at home, forgetting her maternal duties, and leaving her children to fend for themselves. Sometimes, this unfortunate woman would be gone for two or three days, forcing her relatives to search for her in all directions. Once, she was found in Dung Town (Thanh Chuong); another time, she wandered as far as Pho Chau Town (Huong Son - Ha Tinh). That day, she wandered again and hadn't returned for several days; it was said she took a bus to Vinh City. At home, her three young children were either hungry or thirsty for milk, lying around and crying loudly throughout the village. Hearing the news, Mrs. Que rushed to her house and couldn't hold back her tears; the 60-year-old woman's face was covered in tears. It seemed that even heaven took pity on the plight of the three children, and that day, torrential rain poured down on the fields. Not wanting to witness that scene for another moment, the kind-hearted woman decided to take Dung and her sister home to care for and support them. At that time, Duc was just learning to walk, but the little boy couldn't muster the strength to get up and take Mrs. Que's arms; he was fading away from hunger...

Strive for the sake of literacy.

After nearly 20 days of dedicated care from Mrs. Que, the three unfortunate children gradually regained their strength, and their sadness and grief lessened somewhat. At this time, Mrs. Que went to the commune's People's Committee, meeting with various departments to inform them of the situation and express her wish to adopt the three young children of Ms. Dau Thi Van. This wish was supported by everyone, and various organizations allocated funds to help the children. Since their mother left, the two sisters, Phuong Dung and Phuong Ngan, had been out of school for about a month. Mrs. Vuong Thi Que rushed through the rain to meet with the teachers, asking them to create conditions for the children to return to class and continue their education, so that they could have a better future. The school agreed to facilitate Dung and Ngan's return to school, and the teachers helped by dedicating extra time to fill the knowledge and skill gaps. Upon hearing the news that they could continue attending school, Dung and Ngan were overjoyed. But then, the two children suddenly looked pensive. When asked, the older one replied, "Grandma's family is so poor, we're afraid that if we go to school, Grandma will have to work even harder!" Tears streamed down the face of the kind-hearted woman. Mrs. Que cried because Dung and Ngan, though young, had already understood the things around them, understood the circumstances and the kindness of the person who was caring for and raising them. She cried because she believed that these children would soon grow up, and that her efforts and kindness would not be in vain; these tears contained both joy and hope. Even more joyful, since returning to school to continue their studies, Dung and Ngan studied until late every night, doing math and literature homework, never going to bed before 11 PM. And even more joyful, at the end of the school year, both Dung and Ngan received the title of "Outstanding Student." When I brought the children to the year-end ceremony, the teachers kept holding my hand and offering endless congratulations: "That's the achievement of you—the one who has nurtured and cared for these children!"

The joy of Hoàng Phương Dung and Hoàng Phương Ngân upon receiving new books and stationery.

Both host and guest were engrossed in conversation when suddenly a voice greeted them: "Hello, Grandma! I'm home from school! Hello, Uncle!" It was almost noon, and Dung and Ngan had just returned from school, their schoolbags bulging with books and school supplies. That day, they had brought their books to class for the school to check. When asked, "Do you have all your books and supplies?", Dung quickly replied, "Aunt Duyen bought us all the books, and Grandma just bought the notebooks yesterday!" Duyen is Mrs. Que's daughter, married and living in the neighboring village. Whenever she has free time, she often visits and helps her mother raise the three children of the neighboring family. To buy two sets of textbooks for Dung and Ngan, Duyen had to sell several tens of kilograms of recently harvested mung beans, knowing how hard her mother was working and struggling. Mrs. Que also had to sell four chickens to buy enough notebooks for her two grandchildren, not wanting them to feel left out because they didn't have enough books when they went to school.

This new school year, Hoang Phuong Ngan is entering 4th grade, and Hoang Phuong Dung has moved up to 6th grade. Watching the children's faces and eyes as they rearrange their new books and notebooks, we can feel the joy and excitement welling up in their hearts. The neatly folded books, still smelling of fresh ink, and the intact notebooks hold promises of interesting and useful things that will help them confidently navigate life. This also reflects the kind, benevolent, and selfless heart of Mrs. Vuong Thi Que and her children. Currently, the children's father is serving his sentence in prison; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will not be able to return to normal life for more than 10 years. The mother is receiving treatment for a mental illness at a charity facility, and it is uncertain when she will regain her senses and return to her children. For now, the responsibility of caring for these unfortunate children still rests with the kindheartedness of their neighbor. “The higher the education level, the more expensive it becomes, so I have to work harder to cultivate my rice paddies and raise dozens of chickens to provide for the children. In a few years, Duc will be old enough to go to school, and I'll have to worry about another expense. I just hope I have enough health and don't get sick so I can take care of these poor children. Recently, the school guided us on how to apply for fee waivers for the children, but I've been too busy these past few days, so I haven't been able to do it yet,” Mrs. Que shared. According to her, Vo Liet is a studious rural area, and most families, no matter how poor, try their best to provide for their children's education. Despite her difficult circumstances and the fact that these children are not her blood relatives, Mrs. Que is determined to raise them and provide for their education. Because more than anyone else, having lived in poverty for so many years, she understands the value of literacy and education. Once, she took the three children to Vo Liet communal house, considered the “Temple of Literature” of Thanh Chuong district. She showed them the stone tablets inscribed with the names of those who had passed the examinations, whose names were recorded in history, bringing glory to their homeland's traditions. Then she advised them to study hard so that they would have more hope in life...

The school bell has rung, and many children are happily skipping to school, dressed in new clothes and carrying new books, as their parents lead them to school. Due to circumstances, these underprivileged children in Kim Thanh village cannot be escorted to class by their parents, but they receive the love and kindness of Ms. Vuong Thi Que, as well as the care and support of the school, community, and organizations. This will undoubtedly guide them on their path to a brighter future.

Cong Kien