Since the beginning, the focus of the Hong An Association has been to serve the elderly, the lepers, those who are disabled or handicapped, and those who are mentally ill. But countless times another problem is encountered: children who do not have enough food or the basic necessities. This is a big problem among the ethnic minorities in Kontum. Sometimes it is easy for society to turn a blind eye to these less fortunate people.
Children in these poor families are faced with the situation of not enough food or warm clothes. Often there is no food or only one meal a day. They may often go to school with an empty stomach. The concern with “nutritional value” is a luxury. Their meals are often just cassava leaves or green papaya mixed with chili and salt.
At the end of 2019 the Hong An Association started the “Hearty Soup for the Children” program for the first 3 ethnic-minority villages in Kontum. Members of Daughters of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal of Kontum are in charge and serve a meal of hearty soup once a week, on Saturday or Sunday.
Several Sisters who help with this program are amazed at how many people come together for this meal of a simple but nourishing soup consisting of pork, rice, and vegetables. The Sisters appreciate the efforts of the Hong An Association because they now have the necessary equipment to make this nutritious soup for children in the three villages. There are plans to assist more villages with this program. The Sisters are very willing to work harder but contributions are urgently needed! They can only serve more people if they get the necessary funds.
More than 700 children are fed in these villages and sometimes even young mothers bring their babies to eat. There has been joy and hope in the villages since this program started, thanks to the Hong An Association.
The Sisters have a motivating story to share. The pastor of Plei Ko Bei, one of the three villages, had a big concern. While he was happy to see the children eating better, he knew many suffered from tapeworms. He knew that a tapeworm infection robs children of nutrition. He provided the children with the necessary medicine to cure the tapeworms. Now they can get all the nutrition from the soup!
Here is a breakdown of what it costs for a bowl of this nourishing soup: It is estimated that each bowl of soup is 5,000 VND, equivalent to 25 cents, USD. It 
seems like such a small amount but there are so many children to feed!
For example:
Small village with 200 children:
One week’s expense for the hearty soup is $50
One month is $200 = $2 per child per month in this small village!
One year is $2,400
Big village with 500 children
One week is $125
One month is $500
One year is $6,000
Please take a moment to reflect on the remote mountainous areas of Vietnam—the stark image of children who do not have enough to eat, do not have warm clothes, who have to make arduous journeys in winter to seek out food. This picture motivates the Hong An Association to ask those to have been blessed with plenty to help those who go without basic needs.
In the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by Christ’s words, “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”
Please help the Hong An Association to help the poor with a contribution, large or small!
Please make out your check/money order to the Hong An Association,
Send your contribution to:
HOI HONG AN
P.O. Box 310935
Houston TX 77231
Email: htthongan1@gmail.com
Phone: 713-530-4028
ONLINE contributions are also welcome.
Please CLICK HERE.
Payments are accepted via PayPal or a credit card.
ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
