Candles of gratitude in the highland border region of Nghe An

(Baonghean)-At 7:30 p.m. on July 26, the Gratitude Ceremony had just begun, but from very early on, along the border roads of Que Phong district, groups of people, both young and old, came to the district martyrs' cemetery to burn incense and pay their respects to the souls of the martyrs. For many years, the ethnic people in this mountainous district have considered this a gesture of gratitude to the children of Que Phong in particular and the whole country in general who sacrificed their lives to protect the beloved Fatherland of Vietnam.

In the tragic atmosphere mixed with the fragrant scent of incense, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lam, residing in Ward 1, Kim Son town, quietly lit incense sticks on 171 martyrs' graves at the district martyrs' cemetery. In the hazy smoke of incense, she learned that her husband, martyr Ho Than De, had sacrificed his life on the Khe Sanh battlefield in Quang Tri. Currently, martyr De's grave is resting at the martyrs' cemetery in Quynh Van commune, Quynh Luu district. Her two brothers, Nguyen Van Ngoc and Dang Van Nghe, were both martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the resistance war against the US to save the country. Martyr Nguyen Van Ngoc is resting in Kon Tum, while the family of martyr Dang Van Nghe has yet to find his remains.

Leaders of the District Party Committee and People's Committee of Que Phong district offered incense to commemorate 171 martyrs of the district who fell in the two resistance wars.

Wiping away tears, Mrs. Lam confided: “Every time there is War Invalids and Martyrs Day or Lunar New Year, I come here to burn incense and hope that those in the afterlife will feel warm. My greatest wish now is to find my brother’s remains and bring them back to my hometown for burial.”

In the increasingly crowded crowd, there were many youth union members from the villages. Meeting them, what remained in us was the respect and gratitude to the heroic martyrs who did not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the country to be what it is today.

The leaders of the District Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, Fatherland Front Committee of the district, his comrades and the young generation today respectfully commemorate him.

“I came here today just to light incense for the martyrs. Every anniversary is another time I am educated on the tradition of remembering the source of water when drinking water. From then on, Que Phong youth have more motivation to contribute to building their homeland to be more and more beautiful, worthy of the great contributions of the heroic martyrs,” said Le Thi Hong, a member of the Youth Union of Muong Nooc commune.

During the memorial night, many students from Que Phong district also joined the crowd. Tran Van Hung, an 8th grader from Kim Son Secondary School, said very softly: "I will study hard to become a useful person for society, not letting down the sacrifices of previous generations."

"...I left for a thousand nights, to win for you one day without fear...". Tonight, the youth of Que Phong is with you, as peaceful as when you shouldered your guns and set off!

Although the land of Que Phong is so remote, it is still steadfast and heroic, accompanying the two resistance wars of the nation. Present here are 171 martyrs whose names have been registered. There are also 278 families of policy beneficiaries and heroic Vietnamese mothers who are still alive. These days, in all the villages of the district, wherever you go, you will see noble acts of the next generation for those who have devoted themselves to the Fatherland.

Tonight, the sky of Que Phong seems higher and farther. Each candle and each stick of incense seems to become a sacred path leading to those who died for a great cause. Looking up from below at the memorial, they seem to be returning to the twinkling starry sky./.

Tran Hai - Thanh Duy