Here are some updates and photos the Hong An Association received from the Daughters of Our Lady of Unity of Bac-Ninh. The Association is always pleased to share the work of these Sisters who often organize long trips to help the ethnic minority people in remote areas where visitors are rare.
The Sisters often use “encouragement” to remind and call for help from more local benefactors. In Vietnam, “rich” people are plenty, but there are only a few who care about the poor. Sadly, the gap between rich and poor in Vietnam is quite wide! The Hong An Association supports the Sisters inviting more people to help in their mission to the poor! Reminders and encouragement are necessary because it is easy to forget to help the poor.
Please see the following updates and photos below.
Dear Sister,
During our COVID-19 quarantine period in Vietnam, the Hoa Thanh residents in Cong Da (Tuyen Quang) of Fr. Thap’s Parish had called us to inform us that there were some families with sick people who were having difficulty getting help. Because we could not visit at the time, we sent dozen of boxes of shrimp 
ramen noodles, rice noodles, and more rice to share. Those who received the gifts were very grateful and sent their thanks.
When I received the funds for the third quarter, I was very touched because even during this complicated COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong An Association is still able to send a large amount of money to share with the poor in Vietnam. On behalf of the poor from remote areas, the elderly, and all of those who receive gifts and funds, I would like to thank and wish everyone in the Hong An Association and the benefactors great health, peace and lasting protection by Jesus Christ.
After the quarantine period, we were finally able to visit the poor. Many of them were moved to tears and said: “Despite the dangerous COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong an Association still helps us on a regular basis, we are so grateful and thank everyone in the organization and ask God to bless them in return.”
Thanks to the remainder of the quarterly money, I was able to meet with many people to distribute food and this message: The Hong An Association in America has always been generous towards the poor in Vietnam. They have helped many people for many years now. Despite the pandemic, which is still serious in the US, the Association sends money to share with the poor.
Thus, through the meetings, we shared what we received:
– More than a ton of rice.
– Many gift packages of rice noodles, ramen noodles, Bim bim (snack food), fish sauce, cooking oil, seasoning, and broth.
We also have help from a generous couple who goes shopping in Tuyen Quang to help us. A couple in Cong Da, parishioners of Father Thap, are ready to welcome and take us to visit the ethnic minorites of Meo.
We have arranged more than 100 gifts for three places in Cong Da, Dao Vien, Hung Loi, Tuyen Quang.
It took the three of us from July 7-8, 2020 to distribute all this food. Due to the long distance, we left early in the morning. In the afternoon, we distributed nearly a hundred to the village of Dong Nhin. This village has more than 400 households, 50 of these households are poor. We also visited Ngoi Khu village which has more than 20 poor households.
Sister, these two villages and every village in Dao Vien are limited with few fields and only have a hill view. The weather is so harsh that the revenue is not much. They only know how to grow bamboo shoots. Sometimes from morning to night, they only sell a few shoots.
When they received the gifts, they were surprised and excited. They said, “This is too much for us…we’ll take the used clothes, because old clothes are much better than new clothes …”
Sister, because of the road, and traveling so far, we could only visit a few houses, and the rest of the gifts were left at distribution locations. We left the clothes there so we can use the truck the next day to go to Na Tang, Thon Lay.
In order to truly understand the suffering of the poor, you need to visit them in person. The summer weather at noon, on the street is about 100-104 degrees Fahrenheit, it is terribly hot! We went into a house with a couple and two children in kindergarten. They live in a house with two rooms but only have one bed; there is nothing valuable around the house. The husband has a high fever and lays in bed still covered with blankets. The kitchen is right in the middle of the house, about 1.5m from the bed, how hot! There are many other families living like this, too.
There are people picking up gifts in the middle of the day when the weather is so hot, and they do not even wear hats; they bring their children too! It looks torturous!
Sister, after preparing for the trip and two days of sharing, everyone is tired, but filled with so much joy. We repeat the statement of the Honorable Chairman of the Hong An Association:
“Health is not everything.
But without health, everything is nothing!”
We rejoice that we still have the health to cooperate with the Charity Association and help the poor… Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Pham Thi T.
