The single woman wishes to have a spacious house to honor the fallen soldiers.
The dream of having a sturdy house to protect against sun, rain, wind, and storms, where to offer incense and worship ancestors and martyrs, remains elusive due to the persistent poverty and hardship. This is the situation of Mrs. Hoang Thi Be (born in 1965) in Loc Dien hamlet, Hung Thanh commune, Hung Nguyen district.
We met Mrs. Hoang Thi Be in the early days of autumn. In her dilapidated, single-story house with a leaky tiled roof, the only valuable possessions were an old altar and a table in the middle of the room for receiving guests.
Wiping away the tears that had just rolled down her weathered cheeks, Mrs. Bé shared that her parents had three children (two sons and one daughter), and she was the second child in the family. Her eldest brother participated in the resistance against the Americans, was attacked by the enemy, and was severely wounded. After being discharged from the army, he returned home. Due to old age and weakness, his wounds recurred, and her eldest brother passed away; her younger brother, Mr. Hoàng Kìm Em, died on July 10, 1971, on the battlefield in Southern Vietnam.
The family was deeply saddened when they received the death notice for their youngest son. Mrs. Bé's father, Mr. Hoàng Kim Nhỏ, was so grief-stricken that he fell ill and passed away 40 years ago. Her mother also died in 2009. Mrs. Bé never remarried and has remained a widow, maintaining the ancestral altar and honoring her parents and the fallen soldier ever since.
“Life is hard; working hard all year round doesn't make things any better. Due to poor health, I only cultivate a few acres of rice paddies and grow some vegetables, and raise chickens, but it's not enough. In my free time, I do all kinds of odd jobs, just hoping to earn enough money to support my life and repair the house so I can properly worship my ancestors and fallen soldiers,” shared Mrs. Hoang Thi Be.
Mr. Le Van Phu, Secretary of the Party Branch of Loc Dien hamlet, Hung Thanh commune (Hung Nguyen district), said: “The house where Mrs. Be is currently living was built several decades ago and is now severely dilapidated. The walls are cracked and peeling, many of the rafters are broken and rotten, and the roof is leaking... Family members and relatives have helped her, but they are all farmers living around the village, and their economic conditions are not abundant, so helping her repair the house is really difficult. The Party Committee and the village government are concerned, but they cannot help her family much. Mrs. Be is the heir and worshipper of a fallen soldier.”
Earning money to renovate her house is Mrs. Bé's greatest wish. However, due to her difficult circumstances, she can only watch as her house and the altar dedicated to fallen soldiers deteriorate day by day, feeling powerless to do anything. The meager income she earns from growing vegetables and raising chickens is barely enough to cover her medication and treatment for her goiter over the years.
Ms. Hoang Thi Be's circumstances are extremely difficult. During holidays and festivals, local authorities often organize delegations to visit and offer support to the family; they also request financial assistance from higher levels to help the family build a new, sturdy house for living and honoring the fallen soldier.
Mr. Hoang Duc Thong - Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Thanh Commune (Hung Nguyen District)
