Youth volunteer group works overnight to patch roads

“MIRACLE” ON THE BROKEN ROAD

At 10pm, when traffic started to thin out and people started to fall asleep, on Ho Han Thuong Street (Vinh City), about 30 motorbikes appeared one after another, and more than 50 young men divided into 2 groups gathered on the bumpy, damaged road. This appearance made some families on both sides of the road panic.

The vehicles were neatly assembled and two members were responsible for warning passersby. Photo: DT

- What are you doing here? - An old man opened the gate and wondered.

- We fill these potholes to make it easier for people to travel.

- Why do it now?

- The road is empty now, so it will limit the impact on everyone.

The answer surprised many people, especially when these young people were complete strangers, not living in this area. It was only when they witnessed the teenagers unpacking their tools and materials and getting to work that these questions were truly answered.

Cleaning "bomb craters", sorting materials before patching the road. Photo: PV

These young people "carrying prison" areBuddhist youthVien Quang Pagoda and this meaningful road-building and patching activity have been carried out by the group every Thursday, maintained since 2016 until now. Generally called young people, but in the group there are many different ages, mostly students, working people but also elderly parents and even high school teenagers. They dress simply, speak politely, and call each other brother, sister, and brother in a gentle way.

“To prepare for a road patching session like this, the young people and students in the group will take advantage of their lunch break to survey the severely damaged roads. After finalizing the route to be deployed, the logistics team will prepare materials and tools for 70-80 people to work, including cement, rammers, hammers, hoes, shovels, gloves, reflective vests, drinking water, and snacks. These tasks take an entire afternoon. The funding for this activity is donated by the group members and support from benefactors,” said Mr. Bui Khac Linh, in charge of charity activities, who has been involved in this work for 5 years.

Male members mix mortar. Photo: DT

Although they are not professional workers, these teenagers organize the road construction work in a very scientific way. Immediately after neatly arranging the equipment on the sidewalk, 2 members assigned to warn passersby will wear reflective vests, hold flashlights, and stand at the beginning and end of the road section that needs repair. The remaining members are equipped with gloves, tools and divided into 2-3 large groups, each group is responsible for filling a section.

The selected sections of road often have large diameter and deep potholes and bomb craters, posing a potential safety risk to road users. Initially, the boys will use hammers and hoes to clean the surface of the holes, while the girls will use brooms and gloves to clean the surface of the holes.Dirty trashare gathered to be thrown away, sand and rocks are collected, sorted for reuse with cement. After that, the boys will mix mortar, fill in the "bomb craters", the girls enthusiastically take on the task of plastering, smoothing the surface with a tool called "bai" skillfully. During that time, people often ask each other questions like "Are you tired, let me help?", "Are you thirsty, can I have some water?", "Do you need any help"...

On roads with insufficient light, flashlights, motorbike lights, and phone flash lights are used to the maximum. Photo: PV

As the night wore on, the fog became thicker and thicker, but the working atmosphere remained enthusiastic and cheerful. The members' initiative, smooth coordination, and lack of concern for the heavy, dirty work made the two large potholes on the road completely transformed, taking on a new look after only 2 hours, as if by magic. And the next morning, that pristine appearance surprised and delighted many passersby.

Over the past 6 years, that team of young volunteers has patched countless roads, filled countless "bomb craters" and brought so much joy, all in such a quiet, silent way.

MEANINGFUL YOUTH

Not only does it bring safety to everyone, the young people who participate in this meaningful activity also receive a lot of value. “The two great joys I receive when participating in this activity are being able to contribute, feeling that I am living a useful life, and being connected with good friends and brothers. Since participating in activities with everyone, I have become much more patient, calm, and cheerful” - member Le Van Tu (24 years old) shared.

When they learned about the meaningful work of the group of young Buddhists, many people were willing to install electricity, draw water, and support with money and materials. Photo: PV

In addition to the joy that Tu shared, many other members shared that this activity also helps people gain more skills and experience such as work arrangement, situation handling, communication, teamwork, etc. Although there is a lot of experience and careful preparation, this activity does not always go smoothly. The group leader - Mr. Bui Khac Linh confided: "There are days when it rains unexpectedly, causing the plan to change. During the outbreak from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, the group also had to postpone this activity to ensure safety. There were also times when the number of participating members was too large, causing the authorities to be concerned and request to disband. However, that did not discourage everyone, whenever there was an activity schedule, the members participated enthusiastically and excitedly."

Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang - an employee of Tue Duc Green School Nghe An shared: “In addition to road patching activities, the Buddhist Youth Volunteer Team of Vien Quang Pagoda Nghe An also organizes many other meaningful activities such as flood relief, cooking free porridge for Covid-19 patients, picking up trash... Although I have not participated for long, I feel very happy to be able to contribute to the community with everyone. This happiness is the motivation for me to join everyone, even if I have to travel far, even if I have to stay up late and wake up early”.

After completing the task, the group of young people cleaned up their belongings, collected materials, and returned the road to its clean, pristine state. Photo: PV

As the person who installed electricity and drew water from his house to join a group of young people in filling the "bomb crater" on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street (Vinh City), Mr. Son - a resident living nearby, was moved: "This road has been damaged for many years but has not been repaired, the potholes are getting bigger and bigger, making it difficult to travel. During the rainy season, many bicycles and motorbikes pass by and fall. The work of these young people is truly meaningful and inspiring. Although the tools were rudimentary, the young people carried it out with a sense of responsibility, care and meticulousness."

Diep Thanh