The gift is here!

(Baonghean) - Lieutenant Colonel Vu Xuan Quang, Commander of Phan Vinh Island (Truong Sa Island District, Khanh Hoa Province), recounted to us the story of a special visitor to the island, and the most special gift that all the officers and soldiers of Phan Vinh remember.

During a delegation visiting the Spratly Islands, there was an elderly man, a former prisoner of Con Dao, with a long, white beard like an old sage. As soon as he stepped off the sovereignty patrol boat onto Phan Vinh Island, he prostrated himself and kissed the sandy slope. When he approached the Vietnamese People's Navy soldier standing beside the sovereignty marker, an image that has become a symbol recognized across the globe when speaking of Vietnam's maritime sovereignty, he trembled with emotion and suddenly knelt down, weeping like a child, then repeatedly bowing his head in gratitude.

The traditional ceremony honoring the soldiers who died in the Hoang Sa Islands took place on Ly Son Island. Photo: PV

The strong, fierce ocean wind tossed his beard and hair, yet it couldn't erase the shimmering phosphorescent salt from the seawater clinging to his white, hair-like beard. Tears mingled with his beard and hair, glistening in the midday sun. Overwhelmed by the unusual gesture of the visitor, the young soldier quickly bent down to help the old man stand. The old man, choked with emotion, could only utter a few words: "Thank you, my sons, thank you!"

During the evening's exchange with that special guest, the soldiers were deeply moved and impressed to learn that he had entered the battlefield at the age of 18, and being underweight, he had to carry stones to maintain his strength for long marches. His military career involved countless life-or-death situations, enduring numerous beatings from the notoriously bloodthirsty communist prison guards in Con Dao prison, yet he and his comrades remained steadfast, loyal, and devoted until the day of their triumphant return.

Lately, every time he heard news of foreign powers eyeing the country's islands and seas with malicious intentions, his heart ached. Having been specially invited to visit Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) at his own request, he had prepared many stories and lessons about the spirit of endurance, sacrifice, and overcoming hardship that he himself had experienced, hoping to continue igniting the flame of unwavering will. Yet, upon arriving in Truong Sa, when the young soldiers asked him to tell stories as a gift, he recounted everything he had witnessed, which completely reassured him. He only wanted to offer one gift to each officer and soldier: he invited each officer and soldier in turn and asked them to receive a bow of gratitude from him.

He said that, having endured arduous sea voyages day and night amidst the vast ocean, and having witnessed firsthand the joy of today's eighteen, nineteen, and twenty-year-olds boarding ships to the islands, he felt something truly profound. There is some invisible, indescribable connecting current, being transmitted and surging from Truong Son to Truong Sa, from the once resilient and indomitable Con Dao to the distant islands of the Fatherland. Therefore, as an elderly person, being able to travel, to see firsthand those who are silently carrying out the task of safeguarding national sovereignty in the face of turbulent waves is a great happiness in his life, and he is grateful to those who are bringing peace to the Fatherland and the people, including himself.

Lieutenant Colonel Vu Xuan Quang recounted that, from the visit of that former Con Dao prisoner, all officers and soldiers felt a tremendous surge of energy. Everyone felt they had to become more worthy of the mainland's trust, especially to be worthy of the immense contributions and sacrifices of the previous generation, and particularly worthy of the trust that the previous generation placed in the younger generation. Furthermore, the story of the former Con Dao prisoner's journey of thousands of nautical miles to Truong Sa is often recounted to those about to board ships to distant islands, about to undertake important missions or responsibilities. It shows that there are no limits that cannot be overcome, including the limits of health and age, especially when one's heart shines with unwavering faith in the power of truth, faith in the strength of the people, and of the younger generation.

Ngo Kien