Buddhists of Chrysanthemum Club visited 10 Vietnamese heroic mothers in Quang Nam province

Early morning on November 9th, 2020, representative Buddhists of Chrysanthemum Club of Ba Vang Pagoda started on the journey towards Central Vietnam. The purpose of this charity trip was to visit and support local people financially as well as emotionally, who are heavily suffering from loss and grief caused by flooding in the first two weeks of October.

After travelling a distance of over 1000 km from Ba Vang Pagoda, Quang Ninh province, on the morning November 10th, 2020, the Buddhists have arrived in the first charity destination - Quang Nam province. During their time in Quang Nam, they were guided by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, head of the propaganda and training commision of Vietnam women's union of Quang Nam province.

The first destinations in Quang Nam that the representatives of Ba Vang Pagoda headed to were the houses of ten Vietnamese heroic mothers. They are mothers whose children and husbands died fighting for the country in the Vietnam war. For this reason, most of them are living alone in their old age.

The story of Mother Ho Thi Sa in Quang Gia town, Dien Duong ward is one the most heart-touching memories of the trip. When the Buddhists came to visit her, Mother Sa said: “It has been a long time since many people came to visit me. I'm so happy, but I cannot see any more. I can't see you.”

Mother Sa is almost one hundred years old, whose husband and children are war martyrs. During the Vietnam war, her family created an underground tunnel for Vietminh soldiers and took care of them. Mother Sa also worked as mail deliverer for Vietminh. Putting letters in her yoke baskets, she could always distract the enemy. Unfortunately, both her husband and her children died before the country could gain independence.  

Mother Sa has a big tumor in her back. She said that she had it since she was young, but after the war, just like everyone, she was busy building a new life and recovering from war damage that she forgot her tumor.

When the Buddhists of Ba Vang Pagoda gave presents to Mother Sa, she didn't want  to receive them. She said: “I'm so happy that you came to visit me. That is enough. Give the presents to poor people. I have the government to take care of me.” On hearing this, Buddhist Pham Thi Yen (Tam Chieu Hoan Quan) - chairperson of Chrysanthemum Club reassured Mother Sa: “We are Vietnamese. We are your children. This is our love for you.”

Leaving the house of Mother Sa with a lot of feelings, the Buddhists of Chrysanthemum club continued their charity-gratitude trip. Another Vietnamese heroic mother the Buddhists visited was Mother Nguyen Thi Than.  

Mother Than is 95 years old, she lives in Dien Ban ward, Quang Nam province. After hearing the life story of Mother Than, Buddhist Pham Thi Yen (Tam Chieu Hoan Quan) said: “Today we come here to express our gratitude to you. We are very much grateful to you. You had to witness your husband being killed above the underground tunnel but you still let your child follow the revolutionary path, although you knew that your child could be killed as well. We can see how great your patriotism and your sacrifice for the country is. We are your children. We will always be grateful to you and to all Vietnamese heroic mothers. If it hadn't been for you, there wouldn't have been soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the country, and we couldn't have enjoyed the independence and freedom today.”

Mother Than and Mother Sa are only two of numerous other Vietnamese heroic mothers, who sacrificed their own happiness for national freedom. On the trip, the Buddhists of Ba Vang Pagoda visited totally ten Vietnamese heroic mothers, which was the most special part of this charity trip. To show gratitude to the heroic mothers, the Buddhist group sang the song “Singing for the Vietnamese heroic mothers” (in Vietnamese: Hát về mẹ Việt Nam anh hùng) and together said out loud: “We are proud to have Vietnammese heroic mothers.”