The miracle of a woman who was once confined to a wheelchair.

(Baonghean) - Upon arriving in Chau Thuan commune (Quy Chau district) and asking for Ms. Nam's house in Nong Hao village, the villagers were full of admiration and told stories about how Ms. Nam, with extraordinary willpower, overcame the misfortunes of fate.

As the fifth of nine siblings, Cam Thi Nam (born in 1975) was born healthy like any other child. Due to extreme poverty, none of the nine siblings were able to attend school. At the age of 13, just as puberty was approaching for the gentle, kind-faced Nam, tragedy struck. After a night of high fever, Nam was no longer able to sit up on her own.

Life was impoverished, difficult, and knowledge was limited, so at the time, no one in the family knew what illness the little girl had; and the family didn't have the money to take Nam to the hospital for treatment. And from that fateful night, Cam Thi Nam was forced to spend the rest of her childhood confined to a rickety bed in the corner of the house. She was unable to perform any personal activities on her own. She cried countless nights and days, but nothing could compensate for or change her fate, especially in this desolate and remote place.

Ms. Cam Thi Nam is diligently working at her sewing machine. Photo: Luong Nga.

It wasn't until Cam Thi Nam turned 20, the most beautiful age of a girl's life, that her uncle's family, seeing their niece half-lying, half-sitting sadly by the window, felt so sorry for her that they decided to borrow money to take Nam to the hospital. Doctors determined that Nam had dislocated hip joints; treatment was difficult because so much time had passed, and only partial correction was possible. Even so, Nam remained silently grateful to her uncle and neighbors for their help and love over the long period. Their concern also helped Nam regain her composure.

After returning from the hospital, Năm knew it would be difficult to stand on her own two feet, but this time she thought differently. She had to stand, she had to walk – that was her determination. With her resolve, she received the wholehearted support of her family. Falling down and getting back up, Năm gritted her teeth and took her first tentative steps. Her hands were calloused from hundreds of times supporting her collapsing body, and her knees had been bandaged countless times from falls. After nearly 1,000 days of perseverance, sweat, and tears, Năm was finally able to stand and walk on her own two feet. That was the greatest happiness after months of battling illness and overcoming her own limitations.

The house is the result of Ms. Cam Thi Nam's efforts over the past decades. Photo: Luong Nga.

Although she could move around with some difficulty, Năm's biggest worry was that she still couldn't find a job suitable for her health and circumstances to earn a living and support herself in the long term. Then, luck smiled upon her. It seemed like a fair arrangement from heaven after all the misfortunes and hardships she had endured. A man from the lowlands came to Quỳ Châu to open a tailoring shop. Sympathizing with the plight of this kind and virtuous young woman, he taught her the tailoring trade.

However, this profession wasn't easy to learn. In the beginning, sitting for long periods on a high chair and using all her strength to operate the sewing machine, there were times when Ms. Nam felt like she was about to collapse. There were also times when her fingers bled from being pricked by the needle. But none of that discouraged her; she continued diligently at her sewing table. After two months of studying day and night, Ms. Nam produced her first product. Her needlework and stitches became increasingly refined, and her disabled feet gradually adapted to the sewing machine's pedals.

Once she became skilled, Cam Thi Nam opened a small tailoring shop in her family home. Her reputation for craftsmanship spread throughout the poor village, and many people came to Nong Hao to order clothes from her. With more customers, her income became more stable and better. Her average monthly income was 2.5 million dong, which she used to help her parents care for her younger siblings. By 2002, after only four years of saving, Ms. Nam had enough money to build a small house and move out to continue her work.

Ms. Nam with her two daughters. Photo: Luong Nga.

Every woman longs for a warm home, a family, and a shoulder to lean on when the weather changes. Cam Thi Nam was no exception. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness seeing her friends in the village all having their own homes, some even bustling with husbands and children. And then, happiness and love came to the heart of this mountain girl. One autumn day in 2006, Nam met Vi Van Tuyen, a young man from Ke Ninh village, Chau Hanh commune (Quy Chau district), who had come to Nong Hao village to work. Moved by the virtuous girl who had endured misfortune, he came to her. A year later, their wedding was held amidst the joy and blessings of both families and villagers. Two daughters were born, the result of their love in the high mountains and deep valleys.

However, the family still faces countless challenges ahead, as Mr. Vi Van Tuyen is frequently ill. Mrs. Nam has to work, care for her husband, and raise their children all by herself. Mr. Tuyen, whenever he's healthy, tries to find work to help his wife. To make life less difficult, in addition to sewing, the couple expanded their livestock farming and opened a general store to serve the needs of the villagers. Now, Mrs. Nam's family has built a house, a true home that she has long dreamed of. Moreover, Mrs. Nam's house is considered the most beautiful and spacious in the Thai village.

And people in the village still tell the story of Ms. Nam as a miracle of Nong Hao.

Luong Nga - Dao Tuan