Orphaned female student looking for a place to worship her mother

We met Luong Thi Quynh Nhu (born 2002) in Xop Nam village, Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong) when she had just returned from Tuong Duong 1 High School to burn incense for her mother. On the altar placed outside the porch, smoke was billowing, Quynh Nhu's eyes were red, filled with grief for her mother who had been in an accident in Laos more than a month ago.

Quynh Nhu is currently living with and worshiping her mother in her uncle's house. Photo: Dao Tho

Quynh Nhu suppressed her pain and recounted: I was born without knowing my father. Even after my mother passed away, her father's identity was not revealed by her mother. In this poor village on the border, only Nhu was known as a child without a father. My childhood was filled with sadness when my friends of the same age all had a warm home surrounded by the loving arms of their parents.

Then Nhu's mother, Mrs. Luong Thi Huong (born in 1972) was married to Mr. Vi Quang Dau in Tam Thai commune. The difficult life seemed to have passed, but a few years later, Mr. Dau got a serious illness and passed away. At that time, Quynh Nhu was only 8 years old. The house located on the edge of Cha Lap stream of Nhu and her mother was in the area of ​​a hydroelectric project that had to be relocated. The compensation money kept pouring in every time Mr. Dau was hospitalized.

Her husband passed away, and the mother reluctantly left her children in her homeland and went to Laos to seek a living. A logging company hired her to cook and serve them with a salary of 5 million VND/month. In a foreign land, Mrs. Huong was comforted by Quynh Nhu who always tried to study well. In secondary school, Nhu was one of the few students in this border commune who passed the entrance exam to Tuong Duong Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. The school provided her with a scholarship and food and accommodation, so the burden on her mother's shoulders was somewhat lightened. Not in vain for her mother's efforts, Nhu was an excellent student of the school every year.

In her 10th grade year at Tuong Duong 1 High School, although only in 10th grade, Quynh Nhu was one of the few students honored to participate in the Nghe An Provincial Phu Dong Sports Festival in pole pushing.

Although her family is poor and she is far from her mother, Quynh Nhu is a role model in studying. Photo: Dao Tho

Talking about her mother, Quynh Nhu sobbed: "That day was the 25th of Tet, our school was closed but my mother called and told me to wait in town for her, that afternoon she would go buy some things and then we would go home together tomorrow. But that afternoon my mother had an accident and passed away in Laos" - that was the last call between the two of us.

The body of Mrs. Luong Thi Huong was brought back to Xop Nam village in the days before Tet. The villagers, out of pity, built a temporary hut on the old ground beside Cha Lap stream to take care of the funeral. Everyone mourned the unfortunate woman and felt sorry for her school-age daughter.

The portrait of Ms. Luong Thi Huong was placed at a relative's house. Photo: Dao Tho

Unable to give up her studies, after her mother's funeral, Quynh Nhu packed her bags and went to town to study. The landlord sympathized with her situation and waived her rent. However, when her mother's funeral was over, the old hut was demolished. A relative, Mr. Luong Van Khoa, temporarily brought Mrs. Huong's portrait home for convenience in worship.

Every week, without a vehicle to go back, Nhu asks a friend to take her home to burn incense for her mother. With no place to stay, every time she returns, she stays at Khoa's house. "My biggest wish right now is to have a stable place to worship my mother. Now, it's very inconvenient to ask someone else to set up an altar" - Quynh Nhu looked up at her mother's portrait with sorrow.

Every time she returns home, Quynh Nhu both worships her mother and helps with housework for Luong Van Khoa and his wife. Photo: Dao Tho

The wish seems simple, but it is difficult for the poor female student at this time. Quynh Nhu's situation really needs the support of the community and philanthropists to help her have a place to worship her ill-fated mother.

Any help and support please send to: Luong Thi Quynh Nhu, Xop Nam village, Tam Hop commune, Tuong Duong district, Nghe An or the Publishing - Social Activities Department, Nghe An Newspaper, No. 3, Le Nin Avenue, Vinh city, Nghe An province; phone number: 02383.686.585