"Rare" age group doing rare jobs in My Thien.

(Baonghean) - “Let me take the reporter to My Thien village to meet these two elderly people. By meeting and talking to them directly, you can truly appreciate their noble deeds,” said the Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Nam Cat commune (Nam Dan district) enthusiastically when I expressed my desire to visit the elderly people who have made significant contributions to the Fatherland Front work in the commune.

My Thien village is not far from the Nam Cat Commune People's Committee headquarters. The moss-covered temple roofs, the clear water from the brick village wells, and the ancient trees casting their shade by the ponds evoke feelings of cherishing the traditional values ​​of this rural area. Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Nam Cat Commune, led the way. The village roads were small but quite well-maintained, mostly paved with smooth concrete. "These village roads and alleys are so clean and well-maintained thanks to the contributions and efforts of many elders... Let's visit Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van's family first!" Mr. Nguyen Van Dong enthusiastically suggested.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van (second from the right) at the Provincial Conference honoring exemplary elderly people.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van, from My Thien village, according to the lighthearted stories told by her neighbors when I visited her home, has long been "famous" throughout the villages, hamlets, and even the surrounding communes of Nam Dan district. She is renowned for her kind heart and benevolent deeds, and is considered a "bodhisattva" of My Thien village. Mrs. Van is over eighty years old. The weather has been erratic lately, and her health has deteriorated significantly. Her benevolent face and white hair, like fishing line, looked weary after several days of illness. She mused, "Normally, I can sit up and chat, or go for walks around the village to relieve my stress, but today I can't." When asked about her charitable work and helping the poor, she cheerfully replied, "It's just a gesture of kindness towards those less fortunate than myself; it's nothing extraordinary."

The old woman engaged in conversation with the visitors, and with the added support of family members, one could imagine the hardships of her life. Mrs. Vân was born and raised in Mỹ Thiện village. Back then, like many others in the village, her family toiled year-round in the fields but still suffered from poverty. With many siblings, she vividly remembers the days of scarcity, of potatoes and cassava, when there wasn't enough food to eat or clothes to wear. Poverty clung to her for a long time. To have food to eat each day, she and her husband worked tirelessly, doing one job after another, almost without rest. Looking back now, she says that the only thing that kept her going was her determination to escape poverty and overcome hardship, so that her children and grandchildren could have a better and more peaceful life than she did. "People are distinguished by their determination. Many difficult times have passed, and now my children are grown up, my grandchildren are well-educated and living far away. As an old man, I am content!" – Mrs. Vân confided softly.

Content with her family life, she was still deeply concerned about the poverty around her. Therefore, every month and every year, she saved the money her elderly allowance and the money her children sent from afar, setting aside only a small portion for illness and medical expenses, while the rest was collected into a separate fund for charitable work. Each Tet (Lunar New Year), she donated 4-5 million VND to support the poor during the holiday, enthusiastically participating in the "For the Poor" campaign launched by the Nam Cat Commune People's Committee. This Tet in 2015, she donated nearly 20 gift packages (total value 4.6 million VND) to poor and lonely families.

According to the commune's statistics, from 2010 to the present, Mrs. Van has donated 122 million VND to various charitable and social funds launched by the commune, with the majority going to the Fund for the Poor. This is in addition to over 35 million VND she spent on renovating, upgrading, and building the martyrs' cemetery in her commune. Mrs. Van shared: “I once lived in poverty, so I understand the hardships and difficulties of the poor. I'm not rich now, I don't have a big house, but my children are grown up and have money to support me, so I'm willing to share with those in poor and lonely circumstances. I always believe that if I can do something useful for society, I must try my best.”

That deeply humane spirit permeates every practical action of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van. Villagers from all over the neighborhood still remember the image of the elderly woman, leaning on her cane, visiting Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao's house (Phu Nhuan hamlet) on a cold, rainy day. A few years ago, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao's family faced hardship; her husband died early, leaving her to care for her sick daughter in a small, dilapidated house that offered little protection from the rain and sun. Hearing that the Women's Association of the district and commune were calling for donations to build a charity house, Mrs. Van immediately donated 1.5 million dong. Then, Mrs. Van donated 2 million dong from her savings to support Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen Khuong Thien in the same village of My Thien. They were elderly, frequently ill, and had to care for three disabled children. Looking at her, a woman well past the age of "ancient wisdom," still diligently accumulating merit for others without calculating personal gain or loss, I felt a surge of admiration.

Perhaps because the village is named My Thien (meaning "Goodness"), it feels incredibly beautiful and warm here, radiating kindness and generosity regardless of age. Not far from Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van's house, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sam (80 years old) is also known for her generous heart and willingness to support local charity and social funds. Her small house in the peaceful countryside is filled with warm voices and laughter. Knowing that guests had arrived, Mrs. Sam quickly called her grandchild to prepare tea and chat. Mrs. Sam has four children in total, and she currently lives with her third son and his wife.

Her stories of her youth are full of excitement, from her energetic involvement in women's affairs at the commune level to her tireless efforts in fighting bombs and bullets to encourage women to stay in the fields and actively produce to support the great southern front... She enthusiastically recounts her youthful memories, yet there are still moments of quiet reflection when she remembers the hard work and struggles of raising her children. "I always think, no matter how much I suffered, it's all over now, but there are still people in society who suffer even more than me. We must help those in need, those with less help those with even less, otherwise we can't just stand by!" - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sam shared.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sam always advised her children and grandchildren to do good deeds.

Mr. Sam has always been enthusiastic about contributing to local charitable and social funds. During the recent Lunar New Year (Year of the Goat), he donated 2 million VND to the Scholarship Fund, and 1 million VND each to the Fund for the Poor and the Elderly Association of the commune. A few years ago, he donated over 10 million VND to the village for the renovation and construction of the cemetery. He said that it's not about worrying about social matters before even finishing his own family affairs. For him, "a complete family, well-off children and grandchildren, even if not as wealthy as others, at least have some savings. If you have little, do little; if you have much, do much. Righteous deeds are in one's heart," he confided.

The Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Nam Cat commune affirmed: "The officials and people of our commune always acknowledge the kindness of Ms. Nguyen Thi Van and Ms. Nguyen Thi Sam towards humanitarian and charitable activities in our commune, considering it a valuable 'goal' for the community to follow, to live and work better... They are shining examples of kindness, of mutual support and compassion, always ready to help the poor! And we will always remember the benevolent features and compassionate smiles of Ms. Van and Ms. Sam. The certificates of commendation and awards from various levels, sectors, and organizations over the years have affirmed their kindness towards the poor. But more importantly, that kindness is passed down by the people of their homeland, and they are always received with the trust, love, and respect of everyone."

Cong Kien - Phuong Chi