Author Duc Lien stated: "The notes in this book were written from my travels, from moments when the boundary between life and loss became more fragile than ever." He also expressed that the book was written spontaneously: "I wrote from emotion and without any planning; it's based on real experiences, distilled from many stories of those involved."
Book cover of "Go to Love"
PHOTO: TGCC
"Going to Love" ( Hanoi Publishing House, 2026) is primarily a diary documenting the activities of author Duc Lien and the "Starting from the Heart" fund in their charitable work. As a journalist, the author meticulously records the time, location, and touching stories of each activity, accompanied by authentic and vivid real-life images (over 100 selected photos representing the dedicated efforts and intellectual contributions of Nguyen Anh Tuan ( Thanh Nien Newspaper) and fund members Nguyen Sinh Toan, Pham Van Chau, Le Cong Phi, and Nguyen Duc Lien).
The book consists of three parts: Between Life and Death, Connecting Bridges , and Spreading and Reaching Further . Each part is divided into several chapters, allowing readers to easily visualize the steps of charitable work at each stage, each content, and each target group, through the author's emotionally rich writing style.
From the painting of the heart: Saigon is severely wounded …
The author dedicates the entire first part – Between Life and Death – to writing about the Covid-19 pandemic, the unforgettable days of Ho Chi Minh City in particular, and the whole country in general, in the context of a world that came to a standstill and was "suffocated" by the raging pandemic. This part consists of 5 chapters: The Heart of the Pandemic: Saigon Severely Wounded; The Race for Life and Death: Fighting for Every Breath; The Warmth of the Home Front: Nearly 300 Tons of Rice Donated with Compassion; Saigon Overwhelmed: Sparks of Warmth and Human Kindness; Sharing the Hearth: Joining Hands with the Frontline in the Fight Against the Pandemic.
Anyone who experienced the stressful days of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City surely cannot forget the images and stories of anxiety and heartbreak. In this first part, through authentic "photojournalism," readers will be transported back to those haunting and painful days: Ben Thanh Market and the streets were deserted, barricades were everywhere, victims died without their loved ones… with lockdown areas, field hospitals… all so haunting.
And that's when human compassion became a special kind of "vaccine." Bags of rice, bundles of vegetables, ventilators... reaching people struggling on the brink of life and death became incredibly important. Author Duc Lien shared: "I still remember, during the tense days of fighting the pandemic, when we brought essential supplies to the lockdown area, a stranger held my hand, said little, just squeezed gently and shed tears. In that moment, I understood that sometimes, what people need is not just material things, but empathy and the feeling of not being left behind."
"There are journeys that don't begin with footsteps, but with a sincere heart," with that belief, he set off. The story is simple and gentle, but behind it lies courage and strength:
"Every field hospital that was just built was immediately fully booked. The words of a medical staff member on duty, 'Lack of breath only takes 2 minutes,' keep echoing in my mind."
The next day, our car rolled back towards the epicenter of the outbreak.
Saigon is in grave pain.
In this battle, we cannot retreat."
Following the author's footsteps, readers can visualize the philanthropic stories of the "Starting from the Heart" fund as it collaborates with many other benefactors: going deep into the epicenter of the pandemic, the fund provided hundreds of ventilators to several field hospitals; donated medicine and medical supplies to several provinces in the Mekong Delta; nearly 300 tons of rice as a gesture of compassion… as stated by Ms. Dang Thi Kim Oanh - President of the Kim Oanh Charity Fund: "In this battle, no one will be left behind."
Author Duc Lien also recalled "free meals," such as Hien's Kitchen in Go Vap District (formerly), where young people volunteered to cook 121 lunch meals daily for security checkpoints; and Co My's "0-dong" vegetarian restaurant in Binh Thanh District (formerly). Despite being over 70 years old and having to rent a house to cook, the elderly couple quietly donated 600 meals every day... At that time, the Chairman of the "Starting from the Heart" fund also initiated the "Sharing the Hearth" campaign with 13,000 bowls of beef noodle soup, pho, and banh canh served to doctors and nurses at field hospitals in Saigon and Binh Duong; and the "Gratitude to Our Roots" charity program, which included 100 tons of rice, 4,700 doses of Covid-19 treatment medicine, and a large quantity of other medical supplies to help people in Hue…
The notes in this book were written from journeys, from moments when the boundary between life and death became more fragile than ever.
PHOTO: TGCC
"When the heart chooses to find its anchor from the center"
Part 2 of the book - Connecting Bridges , author Duc Lien recounts her philanthropic journey towards helping those facing hardship and suffering. After challenging months on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic, together with the "Starting from the Heart" fund team, the author continues to participate in many projects such as "Becoming Parents Together," "Healing Waves," "Taking Flight," and "Self-Reliance for Myself."
Through the six chapters of Part 2, we can see the "broad scope" of the charitable activities that the author and his team have carried out over the past five years. If the "Journey Against the Grain: Bringing Literacy to the Highlands" was supported by the "Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund," chaired by Ms. Truong My Hoa – former Vice President of Vietnam, and the "Starting from the Heart" Fund, which awarded scholarships to ethnic minority students and children of officers and soldiers who are tirelessly defending the sacred borders and islands of the Fatherland; then the "Sowing Spring: Warm Human Kindness" journey reached hospitals such as Cho Ray, Children's Hospital, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and Oncology Hospital, bringing a touch of the New Year to patients' bedsides... The "Sowing Spring" journey not only reached crowded worker dormitories in Bien Hoa, Binh Duong, or remote rural areas; but also reached Correctional School No. 4, helping awakened trainees send "Letters of Love"…
The "tasks" mentioned throughout the chapters of Part 2, such as: Parenting Together: Responsibility to the Community; Soaring High: Peaceful Support; Healing Waves: A Heart for Pediatric Patients; Self-Reliance for Myself: Life from Organ Donors, show that the journey of philanthropy is not just about providing financial and material support, but more importantly, it is about empathy, sharing, helping to heal wounds; reaching out to those anxiously awaiting a miracle...
And we cannot fail to mention the relief efforts for people affected by natural disasters like storms and floods, which the author documented in Part 3: Spreading and Reaching Far , with heartwarming stories and figures, embodying the spirit of "mutual support and compassion":
"We rolled up our trousers and waded deep into the murky water to personally deliver 20 kg of rice to each household severely affected by the flooding. Holding the bag of rice in her hands, Mrs. Tan (over 90 years old), sitting in her wheelchair, suddenly burst into tears. Tears streamed down the face of this elderly woman, nearing the end of her life..." From six northern provinces grieving after the devastating effects of Typhoon Yagi ( Typhoon No. 3); to Nghe An, where Typhoon Bualoi (Typhoon No. 10) caused heavy damage; the relief team visited families in Phu Yen who lost loved ones in the floods and storms...
The charitable endeavors of the "Starting from the Heart" fund have left their mark not only on Vietnam but also beyond its borders. In early 2025, when the aftershocks of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake devastated Myanmar, the author and the volunteer team quickly set off. The photos—"Giving gifts to people in the epicenter of Mandalay"; "Donating 40 bamboo houses to the people of Myanmar"; "Making offerings to monks and nuns in Yangon"—tell the story of this deeply moving and meaningful journey of borderless charity. "When the heart chooses compassion as its anchor," the scope of love is limitless.
In the acknowledgments at the end of the book, journalist Duc Lien shares: "Some say volunteering is about giving, but for me, it's when you receive the most, the feeling that you are still useful to this world." Therefore, he also promised himself: "I don't know how far these legs can still go, but I know one thing for sure: as long as I can still walk, I will keep going." Going to show compassion – thus, will be journeys of spreading and continuing kindness.
Author and journalist Duc Lien stated that the proceeds from the sale of his book "Go to Love " will be used to fund the "Starting from the Heart" foundation. He shared the foundation's goal, which is also his passion: "We hope to give not only material things, but also faith. The help doesn't stop in the present, because all activities are geared towards the future."
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/di-de-thuong-hanh-trinh-khong-met-moi-185260511145529079.htm
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