Tiếng Việt
Biochem News, Volunteer
Long An- A place of Warriors
Long An, Phu My Ward is our destination today. The first image that greets us upon arrival is the mud road. This road becomes slippery when it rains, and rough and cracked under the sun. The surrounding scenery is simple and rustic. Nestled behind this road are rickety, single houses, home to “silent warriors
Không ngại tuổi già, một mình lèo lái tổ mái ấm
Today, we have an occasion to visit Ms N.T.Đáo’s Family (in Mỹ Phú commune, Thủ Thừa district, Long An province). This year (2024), she is 63 years old. she still wades into the nearby pond to gather water mimosa. After gathering, she brings that to the market sell at the market. A few coins is only enough to buy a few small pieces of meat for the meal through the day. But not every meal has eaten. Trading always has this and that. There are some crowded days and the empty days. When the rainy season comes, it is difficult to sell.
Mrs. Đáo lives with her husband and daughter in a house with earthen walls, surrounded by bricks but left untended, with the roof behind the kitchen falling into disrepair and no longer in use. The house has been ravaged by termites, eating away at the rafters on the roof.
Struggling with Business and Bearing a Silent Burden
Mrs. Đáo shared, “Selling water mimosa is unpredictable. On lucky days, the vegetables sell out quickly, and she get to go home early. But on rainy days, when business is slow, they have to eat the surplus goods for dinner.” At 11 a.m. in the scorching heat, I saw her grab a basket and wade into the pond to pick fresh water mimosa. She said that if she sells everything, she earns 80,000 VND a day, which she carefully saves to get by.
The Optimistic Smile
Despite the difficulties, hardships, and fatigue, Mrs. Đáo’s face still radiates optimism. We always encounter her smiling during our conversations. She says, “Eat as much as there is, eat little if there’s little, and eat a lot if there’s plenty.” Indeed, whenever there’s water mimosa available, she prepares various dishes with it.
Thanks to the local support, Mrs. Đáo’s family receives 810,000 VND each month – assistance for families with ill members. Sometimes, NGO organizations come to distribute gifts in this` area, and her family is always on the recipient list.
Chiến binh thầm lặng của vùng đất Long An
I think, with only 80,000 VND a day (sometimes even less), would it be enough to cover the living expenses for a family of three in this urban setting? Yet, they have been surviving for over 30 years. She has already persevered to the end. They never seem to surrender to fate, nor do they let it hinder their progress. As we depart, we witness and empathize with the real-life difficulties faced by these individuals. Through these journeys, we realize just how fortunate we truly are compared to situations like this.