When the country needs you...

(Baonghean)During the spring days, young people across the country are excited and eager to enlist in the army. The young men are eager to leave, each with their own circumstances. Many have families facing difficulties, with sick fathers, frail mothers, and young siblings, but they all share one thing in common: a willingness to set aside personal feelings and fulfill their sacred duty to the Fatherland...

The Vinh City delegation visits and presents gifts to new recruit Nguyen Van Tien in Trung Tien village, Hung Dong commune. Photo: Phong Quang.

In the chilly drizzle, following officers from the Vinh City Military Command, we had the opportunity to visit the families of several new recruits before their departure. Our first stop was the C6 apartment complex, in Block 8, Quang Trung Ward. This building, constructed during the subsidy era, is decades old and now bears the marks of time, seemingly out of place amidst a city with many modern structures. On the second floor is the apartment of Ms. Ong Thi Binh, the mother whose only son is enlisting this time. Ms. Binh's son, Le Truong Sinh (1994), is a tall, gentle, and rather reserved young man. We visited on the day Ms. Binh was holding a memorial service for her husband; incense smoke billowed from the altar. She confided, "Actually, tomorrow is the memorial service for Sinh's father, but tomorrow is also the day he leaves for military service. I decided to hold the service a day early. Sinh's father passed away when he was only 3 years old, 17 years ago now..."

After her husband passed away prematurely, Ms. Binh decided to remain a widow. She toiled tirelessly, carrying goods and selling them along the streets and in the markets, saving every penny to raise her son. Fortunately, Sinh was very well-behaved and obedient to his mother. Out of love for his mother, Sinh studied diligently and, after school, often helped his mother with cooking and shopping. Like many ambitious young people, Le Truong Sinh dreamed of graduating from high school and attending university, so he could find a job and support his mother in her old age. The two were living peacefully when tragedy struck. Ms. Binh felt pain and, upon examination, received a diagnosis of cancer. Their already impoverished family became even poorer, and all their savings and valuable possessions were gradually sold off. To this day, after six rounds of radiation therapy in Hanoi, Ms. Binh's illness has not improved. While his mother was hospitalized for treatment, Sinh began his university entrance exams. So he had to put aside his dream of attending university to take care of his mother's medication and meals at the hospital every day. The family's money is now gone, and Ms. Binh still has to borrow money to pay for monthly treatment at the Nghe An Oncology Hospital. For a long time, she has survived thanks to the sharing and support of her siblings, relatives, and neighbors in the C6 residential area.

Despite being her only son, and suffering from a terminal illness with an uncertain future, Ms. Binh encouraged Sinh to volunteer for military service. Sinh pondered deeply over his mother's plea. Thinking about his frail mother living alone in an empty apartment, suffering alone in the middle of the night when she fell ill, he couldn't hold back his tears. He felt heartbroken, realizing he hadn't fulfilled his duty as a son to his mother, who had given birth to him and raised him. Understanding her son's feelings, Ms. Binh asked neighbors and community organizations to encourage Sinh to volunteer. Everyone reassured him that joining the army was fulfilling his duty to protect the country, and that his mother had close relatives, family, and support from various organizations and authorities at home. Seeing that everyone's words were reasonable and heartfelt, Le Truong Sinh decided to voluntarily enlist this time. These past few days, upon hearing that Sinh was preparing to leave, many people from the neighborhood came to see him, all offering advice and encouragement to the new recruit, urging him to be confident and complete his mission well.

Wearing his new uniform, Sinh looked mature and handsome. Before the altar, Sinh lit incense and prayed for his father's blessings for his mother's health, promising to study and train hard so as not to disappoint everyone's trust. Meanwhile, Mrs. Binh prayed for her husband's blessings for their son, asking him to remain strong and resilient, always maintaining the will and character of a soldier. Saying goodbye to her son, Mrs. Binh confided: "Before my son leaves, I only hope that Sinh will mature quickly in military life, strive to become a good soldier, and contribute his small part to building and protecting our homeland."

Similarly to Ms. Binh, Ms. Pham Thi Dinh, a Catholic from Hamlet 9, Nghi Phu Commune, is in a similarly pitiable situation. Her husband passed away 9 years ago, leaving her to single-handedly raise three growing sons. Nguyen Van Thong (1995), her eldest son, is also enlisting in the army this time. Seeing her pale complexion and weary face, we couldn't hide our concern. She confided: “I went for a check-up and discovered I have heart disease a few years ago. Since then, the cost of medication has been very expensive. I have to go for regular check-ups and treatment at the hospital.” Having lost her husband early, she has to be both a mother and shoulder the responsibilities of a father, while also working hard to make ends meet. Nguyen Van Thong is her eldest son, followed by two younger brothers, aged 17 and 15. To earn money to support her children, Ms. Dinh has to work odd jobs. She readily accepts any work that provides a legitimate income. Currently, despite her illness, she is still registered to work as a sanitation worker in Hung Dong commune. Only when she feels her health is not truly good enough does Ms. Dinh dare to take a break.

Having lost his father at a young age and witnessed his mother's hardships, Nguyen Van Thong developed a strong sense of responsibility towards his family. Normally, he would attend school for half the day and help his mother with household chores the rest of the time. From weeding the fields and tending the cornfields to watering the vegetable garden, he did everything skillfully. Whenever it rained heavily, the corrugated iron roof of their house would leak, but Thong tried his best to fix it. With his father gone, his mother ill, and his younger siblings still small, Nguyen Van Thong was essentially the main breadwinner and pillar of the family. But when he received his conscription notice, his mother, Ms. Dinh, happily encouraged him to enlist. She confidently stated, "Despite our difficult family circumstances, I told Thong to rest assured and fulfill his duty, because the country comes first. Moreover, his two younger siblings are well-behaved and capable of taking care of and helping their mother; I only hope Thong will grow up quickly." New recruit Nguyen Van Thong shared: "Now, I can rest assured as I go on my mission, because at home, my mother and siblings have the support of my relatives, uncles, aunts, and neighbors to help them in times of difficulty or illness."

Wearing his brand-new, freshly laundered military uniform, Nguyen Van Thong and his mother stood before the altar, praying to God, his ancestors, and his beloved father for health, willpower, and faith to overcome the challenges ahead. Present at Ms. Dinh's house to give Thong some advice before his departure, Mr. Hoang Quoc Viet, the village head, said: “Thong's family is one of the poor households in the village. However, Thong is always diligent and has a strong sense of community, so he is well-liked by everyone. To reassure him before he leaves for military service, the village management committee has mobilized various organizations to visit his home, offering support and promising to help Ms. Dinh and her son whenever they face difficulties.”

Leaving Hamlet 9, Nghi Phu Commune, we continued our search to Kim Dong Hamlet, Nghi An Commune – the residence of the family of new recruit Pham Duc Manh (1995). Manh's family also faces hardship and difficulty, as his father recently underwent endoscopic surgery due to a stroke. Although not yet 45 years old, Mr. Pham Xuan Dong (Manh's father) walks slowly and unsteadily, has difficulty moving one hand, his eyesight is significantly impaired, and he often faints when the weather changes. These are the aftereffects of the stroke he suffered at the end of last year. Mr. Dong is still undergoing treatment and hopes that his health will recover in time so he can work and help his wife and children earn a living. Manh's younger brother, Pham Minh Quan, now 6 years old, is currently suffering from a serious illness. Quan has a dangerous virus that has invaded his bloodstream, destroying platelets and causing symptoms of thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). Approximately every three weeks, Quân's family has to take him to Hanoi for blood transfusions, intravenous fluids, and treatment. According to the doctors, the treatment will last for many years, and it might take until Quân is 17 years old to completely cure his symptoms of thrombocytopenia.

Faced with her sick husband and children, Ms. Duong Thi Tuyet had to shoulder all the family responsibilities. Every day, she busied herself with her leased rice fields, hoping to earn enough food for the whole family. After finishing her farm work, she rushed to the market to earn some extra money. Sometimes she would buy vegetables, sometimes fish, and sell them at one market and then at another. When we arrived at her house, she hadn't finished selling her vegetables at Nghi An market yet, so she couldn't come home in time to greet us. Sitting next to his father, when asked about his feelings before leaving, new recruit Pham Duc Manh confided: "At first, I was very hesitant, because I worried about my father, my younger sibling, and felt sorry for my mother's hard work. But my parents encouraged me, and relatives and neighbors advised me, so I voluntarily wrote an application to enlist. Now I feel very reassured and ready to go. I am determined to fulfill my duty to protect the Fatherland, and my parents at home will be supported by relatives and the authorities and organizations."

Spring is filling the air and everything around us. Young men, entering the prime of their youth, are eagerly setting off to fulfill their sacred duty to the nation. Witnessing this atmosphere of enlistment, the belief in the enduring existence of the country is amplified and spreads. For a simple reason: this country has mothers like Ms. Binh, Ms. Dinh, and Ms. Tuyet; and young men ready to set aside personal feelings to serve, like Le Truong Sinh, Nguyen Van Thong, and Pham Duc Manh. They are the guardians of spring, the land, and the seas of our homeland!

Cong Kien