The joy of opening a road in a Catholic neighborhood

(Baonghean) -As a Catholic hamlet with 185 households, people's lives mainly depend on agriculture and still face many difficulties. However, when there was a policy to build a new countryside, the parishioners of Tan Lap hamlet, Nghia Loc commune (Nghia Dan district) joined forces and volunteered to donate land, labor and money to open the road.

It was the harvest season, but when there was a policy to build rural roads, the parishioners of Tan Lap hamlet all actively participated, each family had at least one worker, some families had 2 to 3 people participating, the elderly who were no longer able to work also encouraged their children, children who were not yet of working age also cooked tea and boiled sweet potatoes to serve the people.

Arriving at Tan Lap hamlet during the hot summer sun, we were deeply impressed by the enthusiastic working spirit of the parishioners here. Trees were chopped down everywhere, the sound of trucks carrying dirt, bulldozers, hammers pounding on fences, mixed with the laughter of the people… the atmosphere was like a construction site.

The old road of Tan Lap hamlet was 5m wide. In the past, when life was still difficult, people thought that this road was enough for motorbikes and bicycles to go, enough for two oxcarts to pass each other. But the road was bumpy when the rainy season came, and it was difficult for any house with a lot of potatoes, cassava, or cars to buy. In the dry season, a motorbike went ahead, and all the road users had to face the dust.

When Nghia Loc commune had a policy to build rural roads in 27 hamlets, Tan Lap people were very excited waiting for the new road to be cleaner and more beautiful than the old one. However, some families did not agree because they would lose land, trees, and even the solid fences that the people had to save up to have.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Que, Head of Tan Lap Hamlet, said: "The hamlet has established a campaign committee to educate people about the meaning of road opening. At first, some households did not agree, but now 100% of households have volunteered to cut down trees and remove fences. In addition, each household voluntarily contributed 150,000 VND to hire machines to level the road."

Mr. Hoang Van Than's family was one of 12 households in the hamlet that pioneered in removing the fence to open the road. In 2012, he and his wife saved up enough money to build the fence and gate, but when the road was 12m wide, encroaching on his garden by 3m, he discussed with his wife to donate land and remove more than 30m of fence for the hamlet to build the road. Not only Mr. Hoang Van Than's family but all the households whose road passed through voluntarily donated land.

Mr. Tran Sy My is also a typical family that took the lead in donating land and removing fences. Mr. My shared: “Building roads is for people to travel, widening roads for people is costly, but in the end, difficult traffic does not develop the economy. My family donated 30m of fence, 10 rosewood trees, I encourage my children and grandchildren to contribute their efforts to quickly clear the road”. Mr. Hoang Van Ngu is nearly 80 years old this year, although he is sick, he still goes out to encourage his children and grandchildren. He said that he used to participate in parish work for many years, then became the Hamlet Chief of Tan Lap Hamlet, although he is too old to work anymore, he encourages his children and grandchildren to implement the policies and guidelines of the Party and State well.

Road construction in Tan Lap hamlet, Nghia Loc commune (Nghia Dan)

In a short time, Tan Lap hamlet residents donated 6,000m2 of land, cut down many trees, 12/12 families with solid fences volunteered to remove nearly 400m. The newly opened road of Tan Lap hamlet is 1km long and 12m wide. Mr. Le Van Thanh, Head of the mass mobilization block of Nghia Loc commune said: “With the characteristics of being a Catholic hamlet, the Party Committee, People's Committee and mass mobilization block of Nghia Loc commune have coordinated with the parish priest to do propaganda and mobilization work. In a short time, the parishioners here have volunteered to donate land, contribute labor and money to complete the road. This is the effort of the Party Committee, local government, the solidarity and unity of the people”.

After the road was opened, the Catholics of Tan Lap hamlet continued to contribute their efforts to build works to meet the new rural criteria. From the movement to build rural roads in Tan Lap hamlet, Nghia Loc commune continued to promote the spirit of the Catholics to launch a movement to build rural roads in the whole commune.

Dinh Thuy (Dai Nghia Dan)