Disaster strikes poor and sick family

Mr. Ngo was born into a poor family in Hamlet 1, Quynh Hong Commune. He himself suffered from a neurological disease that caused him to have frequent seizures whenever the weather changed, so he could not do heavy work. Feeling sorry for Mr. Ngo, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tien from Quynh Giang Commune agreed to marry him when she was just 22 years old. When they moved out, they had nothing but the old, dilapidated house left by their paternal side.

Ms. Tien - a weak mother who now only hopes to have enough health to earn money to support her husband and take care of her children. Photo: Hong Dien

The life of this young couple encountered many difficulties but they were united in overcoming them all. Happiness seemed to burst when their two sons, Tan and Trieu, were born one after another. Due to poor health, Mr. Ngo only grew a few rows of vegetables in the home garden, so the burden of food, clothing, school fees for his children, and medicine for his husband fell heavily on Ms. Tien's small, weak shoulders. In addition to a few acres of contracted rice fields, she went crab hunting and snail catching every day to earn extra money to support the family.

Because of their parents' hard work, their two children grew up to be obedient and excellent students, famous in the area. Although the eldest son was a good student, after graduating from grade 9, with the desire to soon earn money to help his parents raise Trieu to be successful in school and save up to repair the house for the whole family, he chose Bac Nghe An Technical and Economic Vocational College to both study culture and learn a trade. When he was about to have a degree in industrial electricity, Tan was happy because he was about to fulfill his dream, but unfortunately a fateful accident a week ago took his life when he was only 17 years old. Tan's passing left a great loss for his family, his father was sick, his mother, with a small, weak figure, completely collapsed.

The dilapidated house of Mr. Vu Ngoc Ngo's family in Hamlet 1, Quynh Hong Commune, Quynh Luu. Photo: Hong Dien

Coming to Mr. Ngo and Ms. Tien's house these days, everyone feels sad because of the great loss. The house was built a long time ago and is now dilapidated, the walls are peeling, the wood is eaten by termites, when it rains and winds, the family members have to evacuate to the neighbor's house for shelter, which makes them feel sad.

Holding back her pain, Ms. Tien shared: Family life is always difficult, having to work hard in the fields to earn a meal of vegetables and porridge to get through the day and have money to raise children for school. Although it is so hard, seeing the children grow up every day, knowing how to share with their parents is like adding more motivation for them to try to rise up in life. Now what she worries and hopes for most is to have enough health to continue working hard to earn money to buy medicine for her husband and raise Trieu to study to nurture the dream that he desires.