Deep memories of "one home"

More than 3 decades have passed since the separation of the province, but the people who once lived under the same roof of Binh Tri Thien in the past still have intact memories. Moreover, the joy of living, working and studying, sharing the joys and sorrows together in a common homeland has now returned, combined with new love and trust when Quang Binh and Quang Tri come together again in a new mindset, new opportunities...

Together, together, together in fate

We met Mr. Nguyen Huu Thang (in Vinh Linh) on a day in June, when the arrangement of provincial administrative units was approved by the National Assembly. Accordingly, the two provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Tri were merged into a new province called Quang Tri. Having spent days working together with cadres and people in Binh Tri Thien and a beautiful love with a girl from Quang Binh, Mr. Thang had many emotions.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thang (left) shares with reporters his memories of the days spent together in Binh Tri Thien province - Photo: M.D

He said that after the country was liberated, a large number of cadres, teachers and staff from Quang Binh and Vinh Linh were sent to other localities in Quang Tri province. In 1978, Mr. Thang graduated from Hue University of Education, returned to Dong Ha to teach at several schools and participate in the work of eliminating illiteracy.

After that, he was sent for intensive training and assigned to work as a manager at several schools in Dong Ha. “In 1979, when I was the Principal of Ward 3 Secondary School in Dong Ha, I met teacher Tran Thi Minh, who came from Dong Hoi to reinforce teaching. At that time, Minh was a beautiful girl, a good teacher, and a core member of the natural science teachers' group. The times we helped and supported each other in our work and our mutual understanding gradually made our feelings for each other grow,” Mr. Thang recalled.

Since then, Mr. Thang and Ms. Minh have always accompanied students to teach during the day, and at night, taught cultural supplementary lessons to cadres who grew up during the resistance war, eliminating illiteracy for the people. Like many colleagues at that time, they experienced many difficulties because their homeland was still full of war wounds. In simple, makeshift bamboo-thatched classrooms, they ate, lived, increased production, built houses... for the people. "Despite facing many hardships, we were always loved and shared by the leaders and the people.

In the common home of Binh Tri Thien, teachers, especially those from Quang Binh, seem to no longer be bewildered but more confident in completing their tasks as if they were working in their own homeland," Mr. Thang shared. Working together and being attached to each other, the love between Mr. Thang and teacher Minh grew deeper and deeper. In 1984, they got married and returned to work and live in Vinh Linh.

According to Mr. Thang, the "fate" between Quang Binh and Quang Tri has existed for a long time when the two provinces have similar relationships in history, culture, customs and practices; both have experienced fierce wars; share the same voice and many folk songs... Especially, during the resistance wars against France and the US, the army and people of Quang Binh and Quang Tri joined forces, fought together, protected and helped each other to realize the promise: "...on the day of victory, we will return to the same house..." (*).

After retirement, Mr. Thang and his wife continued to contribute and support many agencies and organizations in educational, cultural, artistic, and sports activities... Their children inherited many valuable qualities from their parents, all studied and trained well, asserted themselves in their work and contributed to building their homeland.

“For me, the days of living and working in our common homeland called Binh Tri Thien are forever beautiful memories. Currently, my wife and I always maintain activities in the Quang Binh Association in Vinh Linh, regularly exchange and meet with my wife's class in Dong Hoi. Every time we meet, my wife's friends see me as a classmate, sociable, cheerful and there is never a gap between Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Because, more than anyone, they understand that we used to live under the same "roof" of Binh Tri Thien and will return to the same house as promised", Mr. Thang said.

“Remember the days when even a grain of salt was split in half” ^(**)

Despite countless difficulties and shortages, from the leaders to the people of Binh Tri Thien, everyone is of one mind, sharing the same fate, working enthusiastically to build a new life. For Mr. Tran Thanh Phong (born in 1962), currently residing in Cua Tung, the memories of "sharing the province" are the days when he and his colleagues sweated on the construction site, determined to contribute to rebuilding the country, meeting the needs of trade and travel of the people.

Deep memories of

Mr. Tran Thanh Phong often tells his grandchildren about the time he and his brothers and colleagues worked at the Hue Railway Construction Union Enterprise - Photo: M.D.

He recalled: “In 1982, I started working at the Hue Railway Construction Joint Stock Company. Every day, we were tasked with inspecting, maintaining, detecting and repairing damage, handling incidents... on the North-South railway line passing through Binh Tri Thien, ensuring smooth railway traffic. Although we had to work in complex terrain conditions, experiencing many difficulties and hardships, we always reminded ourselves that: Binh Tri Thien land has a long revolutionary tradition, has absorbed the blood of our ancestors to protect the sea and sky. Today, whether our homeland is more prosperous and beautiful or not depends on the hands and minds of our generation.”

In 1983, Mr. Phong married a girl from Vinh Linh who worked at the same factory. His first son was born in 1986, and after a while, he and his wife had to go to work far away on a construction site. “Leaving my son in Vinh Linh with his grandparents, at first, my heart was filled with hundreds of worries and longing for him. However, when he went to kindergarten, my son was loved and helped by the teachers and neighbors. My son grew up in the loving arms of everyone without any distinction of origin: his father was from Quang Binh and his mother was from Quang Tri,” Mr. Phong confided.

He said that although the work process required moving and living in many different localities across the Binh Tri Thien strip of land, wherever he and his wife and his brothers and sisters in the unit went, they received the sincere affection and help of the people. Deep in their hearts, they were now all brothers and sisters of the same province and family. Working in conditions of lacking and inconsistent equipment and materials, everyone tried their best to overcome difficulties and complete all tasks.

Life and activities are still difficult, but they do not lessen their feelings, but on the contrary, they are the motivation for them to work together, making the close relationship between the children of Quang Binh and Quang Tri increasingly close and strong. At night, the brothers in the huts and camps still light torches and lamps to practice performing arts, singing to each other to dispel fatigue. The days of sharing a bowl of rice in half, a grain of salt in half have helped them mature and love working more.

In recent times, Mr. Phong has been following the news about the policy of merging administrative units at all levels, especially paying attention to the issue of merging provinces. He happily said: “Now, I am very excited when the two provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Tri merge into a new province named Quang Tri. Myself, my wife, children and grandchildren in the family are happy because after many years of attachment, we can proudly call our common hometown “Quang Tri”.”

Continue writing love

Deeply engraved in the memory of “one family”, the children of Quang Binh in the past who lived through the days in the same province always remember the kindness that the people of Quang Tri gave them, from there they want to contribute to Quang Tri in many ways.

Deep memories of

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham (right) is always ready to go on the road to provide relief and deliver gifts to people affected by natural disasters and calamities as a way of expressing gratitude to the land that once sheltered and protected her - Photo: NT

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham (born in 1958), currently residing in Dong Ha, was born and raised in Le Thuy, her father is from Gio Linh, her mother is from Quang Binh. Talking to us, Ms. Tham joked that her “background” sounds complicated but actually revolves around only one countryside.

In 1975, after completing her mission in the Quang Tri battlefield, she was transferred to work at a cooperative in Gio Linh. The country after liberation was littered with bombs and bullets, and the people's lives were still poor, so cadres like Ms. Tham were not much better off. In return, the people protected her, shared with her, gave her cassava and sweet potatoes, and talked to her intimately. As for herself, she always considered the people as her own flesh and blood and encouraged and helped them with all the knowledge and ability she had.

In 1978, Ms. Tham returned to work at Binh Tri Thien Trading Company in Le Thuy. After that, she did small business and then expanded her activities to the field of wood processing and import-export in Quang Tri and returned to the land that had nurtured and protected her during her youth.

In 2005, Ms. Tham established Xuan Hoa Private Enterprise in Nam Dong Ha Industrial Park. In addition to running the business, she is always interested in charity and social security work. She said: “Every time I hear news of people suffering from natural disasters, especially the people of Quang Binh - Quang Tri, my heart burns like fire, I always want to spend time to directly visit, encourage, and give practical gifts to help them overcome difficulties. I also mobilize many other people to go to "relief" for the people. For me, that is also a word of gratitude".

In addition, Ms. Tham also actively provides material support to veterans and the poor in Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien Hue. “Before the merger of Binh Tri Thien province, people's lives were still difficult but they still maintained the spirit of solidarity, love, and sharing. This time of merger, I believe that the people of Quang Binh and Quang Tri will still have the same love, bringing development to the new province. I am very happy to have lived through many changing moments of my homeland. I will continue to contribute to continue writing the story of love that I always carry with me,” she said emotionally.

13 years in the same province, each day is as many memories, both difficult and affectionate, both deep and lingering in the hearts of many children of Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Now, coming together in a new appearance, everyone is confident and hopeful that the new journey will be more open and spacious for the two homelands that are already imbued with affection...

Minh Duc

(*) Excerpt from the song "My dear Quang Binh", composed by: Hoang Van

(**) Excerpt from the song "Love Quang Tri", composed by: Tran Hoan

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/dam-sau-ky-uc-mot-nha-194532.htm