Reporter's story: Go, listen and see

Learn the "tips" of healing from our fellow countrymen

During my visits to the Western region of Nghe An, I had to climb mountains and wade through streams many times, but the business trip with the Provincial Border Guard Command delegation by forest to Laos to organize a twinning ceremony between the two border villages between Vietnam and Laos was the trip that left me and my colleague with many memories and especially useful professional experiences.

Reporters from Nghe An Newspaper conducted an investigative report in Huoi Tu commune (Ky Son). Photo: Hoai Thu

That time, after nearly a day of wandering, when we arrived at the Nhọt Lột guard post of the Mỹ Lý Border Guard Station, the afternoon forest had begun to shed frost, the sun was gradually disappearing behind the mountains. After finishing preparing her belongings before eating dinner, my friend's face changed when she discovered that she had been bitten by a leech. The "culprit" had long since left (because she must have been full), only the bite wound remained, which was continuously bleeding. I "reported" the situation to the two female soldiers accompanying me and the military doctor, they used a cigarette wrapper to stick on the leech bite wound, then used medical tape to "treat" it, but it was still ineffective.

At the checkpoint at that time, there was Mr. Gia Tong Bi, the Chief of Pha Chieng village, accompanying the group. Mr. Tong Bi "revealed" to us the extremely effective secret of treating leech bites of the Mong people. "Let me treat you", he said while pulling out the knife he always carried with him. Everyone was confused and did not understand what was going on. He said again, "Lend me another knife".

The atmosphere seemed to be quiet, the chef cautiously handed the knife to the village chief. Village chief Gia Tong Bi gently scraped the thin layer of wood from the handle of his knife into a fine, slightly brown powder and applied it to the place where the leech had bitten. Sure enough, as soon as the powder was applied, the bleeding immediately stopped.

Reporters of Nghe An Newspaper working in Muong Ai commune (Ky Son). Photo: Hoai Thu

Overnight, the leech bite had crusted over and peeled off, leaving almost no trace. At that time, Mr. Tong Bi explained, “This is the secret to effectively treating leech bites of our people. However, it must be effective by scraping wood powder from a knife that has been used for quite a while.” Everyone was surprised. I did not forget to ask for some more “precious powder” to reserve for the next day’s journey and found that my worries about leech bites had significantly decreased.

Another time, in 2016, working in Thanh Son commune, Anh Son district, visiting a Thai ethnic village, I saw a peaceful life, people working hard, especially the head of the Women's Union of the commune, Luong Thi Hao, who was very enthusiastic and sincere. She was slim, thin but active, and was loved by the people wherever she went. As a woman who went with her, through conversation, Ms. Hao said that before that, she had a very difficult disease of kidney stones and gallstones, and had sought treatment in many places, tried everything that anyone suggested but to no avail.

She had to go to the hospital to have her stones broken several times. However, one day, by chance, a kind person showed her a folk remedy from male papaya flowers to treat gallstones and kidney stones that was easy to make. She practiced it and has not had a relapse for 5 years. Ms. Hao said that men only need to use 700 grams of flowers, women 900 grams, roast them until golden brown, bury them in the ground, then pour in 3 bowls of water and boil until only 1 bowl remains and drink. Drink 1 bowl a day, each time like that, boil and drink until the water turns a light color, then stop. And you only need to drink 3 times.

I scribbled down notes, and from then on, on my business trips, if I knew anyone suffering from kidney stones or gallstones, I would “pass on” to them Ms. Hao’s treatment method in the hope that they would also be cured. That was also one of the small joys that each step of the way helped us love the job we had chosen even more.

Listen and accompany the grassroots

Once, while working in Quy Chau district, my colleagues and I investigated a rather complicated case in a village quite far from the district center. After making several phone calls to meet with the base, I asked a young commune-level official to drive me along a winding road on a motorbike to get to the pre-arranged location.

Reporters from Nghe An Newspaper joined the border guards and worked in Nhon Mai commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Hoai Thu

Along the way, through exchanges and conversations, the young commune cadre, a member of the 8X generation, expressed his thoughts when participating in the work of the Commune People's Committee. Also graduating from university, he volunteered to return to his home commune to work and build a family right in his hometown. After more than 10 years of participating in local movements, he is still a part-time cadre. He confided that "although he is part-time, the work is a lot, sometimes he has to spend time outside of work hours to do it, especially going to the grassroots". However, he said that he is not afraid of difficulties, not afraid of climbing mountains and wading streams, but the problem that always makes him think, struggle with his thoughts is the "first" problem.

With a salary of over 1 million VND a month, as he presented, there are expenses for gas, weddings, and people's invitations... not to mention raising a wife and children. The officer also said innocently, "Luckily, my wife also makes money, combined with my hard work in livestock production and raising, and I have support from my grandparents. Otherwise, even if I didn't want to, I would have to quit my job."

Reporters of Nghe An Newspaper working in My Ly commune, Ky Son district. Photo: Hoai Thu

Listening to the sharing of the commune cadre, who is only a few years younger than me, although this reality has been happening for many years with hundreds, thousands of cases of grassroots cadres at the commune and hamlet levels, but every time I directly hear "real people, real events" express their thoughts, witness their working environment and area, especially in remote areas, the Western region, I feel sad, and cannot help but think. And I can only encourage them to make efforts, to self-build, to manage, with the support of their families or hope that in the near future their contributions will be rewarded.

And now, perhaps the motivation that helps such people maintain their work is their family and the recognition and sharing of the government and people, and also the understanding and sharing of journalists like us.

Hoai Thu