Warm houses of love

(Baonghean) - In less than 2 months, we will welcome the Lunar New Year of the Rooster. The joy is multiplied for families and situations that have been and are being given charity houses and Red Cross houses, which were previously just a dream.

For more than 20 years, Ms. Phan Thi Duc and her disabled son have been living in a dilapidated warehouse, located in Lam Tra village, Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong).

Giving a house of gratitude to Mrs. Phung Thi Mai, Long Dong hamlet, Nghi Khanh, Nghi Loc

When we visited, Ms. Duc recalled: In the mid-80s of the last century, she left her birthplace in Thanh Chuong to go to Con Cuong to work as a worker at Bai Phu tea factory. Due to circumstances, she "asked" for a child to rely on in the future. Giving birth alone was very difficult. Before she could celebrate, a year later her son, Vi Van Phuc, had a fever and convulsions. Although he survived the critical period, Phuc was unfortunately left disabled for life.

Since then, the lives of Duc and her children have depended on her wages as hired laborers, hoemen, and scrap collectors, and the support of the neighbors. In response to the situation of Duc and her children, the Red Cross Society promptly provided them with a new, spacious house. Holding her disabled child, Duc emotionally talked about the feeling of entering the new house: “I am so happy, my sisters! I thought my life as a mother and child would never have such great happiness…”.

Or the family of Mr. Ha Quang Can, Ms. Tran Thi Lich in Hamlet 4, Thanh Mai Commune (Thanh Chuong) and their son have been living in a dilapidated thatched hut for many years... Although the pillar of the family, Mr. Ha Quang Can suffers from mental illness. He cannot speak clearly, only mumbles, and sometimes has destructive fits. Despite his old age, Ms. Lich, a matchmaker from the same commune, still volunteered to be his wife.

In 2009, they gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The small family was filled with happiness thanks to the sound of the baby babbling morning and night... But she was the only one who had to worry about food and clothing for the whole family, and her health was getting worse, so she didn't dare to dream of a new house.

Faced with the difficult and miserable situation of Ms. Lich’s family, the Provincial Red Cross Society has taken from the humanitarian fund and mobilized the community to join hands and contribute, in just a short time the two dilapidated huts have been replaced by two small houses worth tens of millions of dong. This spacious house is not only the residence of Ms. Lich’s family but also a place for neighbors to visit, chat, and encourage the couple to overcome difficulties and rise up…

In order to show gratitude to those who have contributed, every year the Red Cross Society coordinates with the Provincial Military Command to survey and build gratitude houses. To date, the Provincial Red Cross Society has supported 35 houses with a total amount of 450 million VND and mobilized organizations, unions, brothers and communities to contribute hundreds of millions of VND.

The new house and the old house of Mr. Ha Quang Can, Hamlet 4, Thanh Mai Commune (Thanh Chuong).

Each address we visited was a truly heartbreaking situation, such as Mr. Vuong Kim Thao in Hamlet 1, Dai Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh) who was able to return home but lost a part of his body. Ms. Le Thi Chau in Luu Phong Village, Luu Kien Commune (Tuong Duong), whose husband died from chemical poisoning, is taking care of her child with severe sequelae alone; or Mr. Pham Hong Vuong in Minh Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh) who is a war invalid… And now, they are living in a warm and loving house, with more motivation to improve their lives.

“I can’t do anything anymore, so I never even dreamed that I would have a solid house in my life” - that was the sentiment of Mr. Nguyen Van Hop, Hamlet 21, Nghi Van Commune (Nghi Loc) when he received the money to build a house from the Red Cross and other organizations, organizations, and benefactors. Mr. Hop had a bone tumor, in 2012 he and his wife sold all their assets and went to the hospital. He was in pain both physically and mentally when he received the doctor’s advice that he had to amputate one of his legs to save his life.

Since then, despite trying to work hard, Ms. Vien, Mr. Hop's wife, still could not provide enough food and education for the family of four; and there was also the frequent hospitalization of her husband and children. The day they received the news of financial support for building a house, they could not sleep all night - because it was a large asset that they did not dare to think of... After more than two months of construction with the enthusiastic support of brothers and relatives, the house was inaugurated. In the spacious, airy house that still smelled of lime and mortar, neighbors came to drink a bowl of green tea to share the joy and encourage her to take care of her husband and children's education. Mr. Hop shared his plan: "Now that I have settled down, I will try to learn the craft of weaving brooms to earn more income to help my wife and children have less trouble...".

Although it is not yet Tet Dinh Dau 2017, but for Mr. Hop's family and many other people who have received support from the Red Cross to build houses in the past, spring seems to have come earlier, because the warmth and new vitality have been ignited by the hearts of kindness and mutual support./.

Kim Oanh