You can't "walk through" history like you're walking down a road.
PV: Sir, this is the third consecutive time you've been selected as a delegate to the National Emulation Congress. But this time, you can't attend in person . He attended the Congress due to health reasons. Now , what is on his mind the most?
Knight Le Duc Thinh: - When health doesn't allow you to continue, you are forced to slow down. And when you slow down, you see more clearly the faces that have been with you for decades . At this time, I think a lot about the word "gratitude." Because the older I get, the more I travel, the more I realize I owe a debt: a debt to those who sacrificed their lives so that I could live, a debt to the lands that bore the bombs and bullets so that today we can hear the laughter of children, and a debt to the people who quietly do good deeds without ever considering themselves "exemplary." Perhaps that's why, every time I think about patriotic emulation, I remember Quang Tri .
I once returned to the "land of fire," standing among the slow-moving crowds offering incense, gazing at the long rows of graves of fallen heroes , and thinking of the families who had waited their whole lives. Quang Tri helped me understand very clearly: peace is not just the absence of gunfire; peace is also about how people treat each other, whether they care for one another, and whether they still know how to be grateful. And when I heard the veterans speak of their sacrifices in a calm yet heartbreaking voice, I realized I couldn't afford to live superficially. I told myself: I can't just "walk through" history as if it were a road. During these tribute trips, there was an elderly veteran holding a gift with trembling hands, then looking at me for a long time. He didn't say much. But that silence made me understand: sometimes people don't need words. They just need the feeling that they haven't been forgotten. That feeling is more precious than any gift. In Quang Tri, I once thought about the Bible verse, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and I understood that peace also needs to be "built" daily through kindness, care, and not forgetting.
I also remember the Central Highlands. I remember the sun and the red dust, the slippery roads in the rainy season. And I remember the Sisters of the Miraculous Image in Kon Tum – small women who did great things without seeking any recognition. I visited the sisters and the orphaned children at the Kon Rơ Bang boarding house, ethnic minority students who lived far from home to attend school many times . The sisters took care of their meals, their books, and even their fevers in the middle of the night. In a place like that, one understands: there is a quiet but persistent "competition," without a stage, only a life of dedication.
I couldn't attend this National Emulation Congress , but I think the Congress is not just two days in the auditorium ; it's for us to reflect on everyday life, where people quietly do good and patiently do what is right. If good deeds are sustained enough, they will find their own way to spread.
The most beautiful aspect of patriotic emulation is helping others stand on their own two feet.
He often said that patriotic emulation is a way of life, not just a moment in time. So, for a Catholic, where does patriotic emulation begin?
-I think it starts with something very simple: who we live with and whether we care about them. I was born into a poor family . My childhood was full of hardship and worries. I understood the feeling of inferiority of a poor child and the feeling of "not daring to dream"—because even dreaming seemed like a luxury. But those years taught me one thing: sometimes the poor don't need anyone's pity; the poor need someone to respect them and give them a chance. Faith keeps me in the place of kindness. I call it "the discipline of kindness." Because kindness isn't always easy. There are days when I'm tired, I'm annoyed, I want to ignore it, I want to be silent. But faith reminds me that: if you believe in love, you must live as a part of that love. Not just in church, but in real life. And patriotism, for me, doesn't lie in grand pronouncements; it lies in not harming the community, and if possible, in uplifting the community a little.
People sometimes ask me, "How can we promote patriotism without it becoming just a slogan?" I think: let's give it a "human face." That means every time we talk about patriotism, let's remember a specific person: a wounded soldier; an elderly person living alone and being cared for in a convent ; a poor mother trying to keep her child from dropping out of school. When there's a "human face," we can't exaggerate. We also can't be superficial.
In Quang Ngai province (formerly Kon Tum), I remember Mr. A Ngun ( a member of the Xo Dang ethnic group – Ha Lang branch) in Dak De village, Ro Koi commune. Previously, he grew bời lời (a type of medicinal plant), harvesting it only once every few years at low prices, earning only a few million dong each season, leaving him trapped in a cycle of poverty. In 2023, his family removed the bời lời plants and participated in the government's project to improve neglected orchards. He received support in the form of 65 durian trees from me and my colleagues . Commune officials regularly provided technical guidance, and after more than a year, the orchard is thriving. Looking at the young trees sprouting leaves, I saw a glimmer in the man's eyes: not the joy of receiving, but the joy of believing that he could do it. I think that's the most beautiful aspect of patriotic emulation: helping others stand on their own two feet. When our compatriots are prosperous, we are also happy – not because we "achieved something," but because the country is relieved of some of its burdens.
For Catholics, I think it's important to live our faith inseparable from life. Patriotic Catholics don't need to prove it with words. They just need to live in a way that earns the trust of their neighbors, the government, and the community – through honesty, responsibility, and selfless acts of kindness. No one needs to certify it; their lives will be the proof. When we do that, we are contributing a brick to the national unity.
I've traveled extensively, met many people, and the more I meet, the more I believe that what holds this nation together isn't beautiful words, but people who care for each other, who yield to each other, and who put the common good first. If the Congress of Emulation honors something, I hope it's that simple beauty. As for me, I only hope to have enough strength to continue "traveling" in a way that suits my health. I may not travel far, but I can still accompany others. I may not do great things, but I will still do what is necessary. Life is short. Whatever we can still do, we should do it, quietly, but without stopping.
The strongest bridge is not made of concrete , but of trust.
For over 40 years, he has been known as a "bridge builder" between religion and life, between the Church and society . Could he elaborate on those "bridges"?
Building bridges is tiring work, because the person in the middle is often not considered "completely right." But I choose to stand in the middle because what I fear most is "walls"—walls that distance people, walls that create suspicion, walls that hinder good deeds from reaching their intended destination. I build bridges in a very ordinary way: meeting, listening, and then working together on practical matters. I realize that when we all humble ourselves for the poor, the distance naturally shrinks. When we all work together to ensure a child can go to school, people become less suspicious of each other. It's not about who "wins," but about the common goal that draws people closer.
I remember my visits to Quang Ngai (formerly Kon Tum) , to see the Sisters of the Miraculous Image. Many of these trips included the participation of leaders from the Vietnam Fatherland Front . Such visits meant much more than that: they showed that respect can become a bridge. We didn't go to "inspect" or "put on a show," but to understand. Once we understood each other, people felt more at ease, and cooperation became easier.
I also learned that building bridges is not only about connecting "spiritual and worldly matters," but also about connecting "the giver and the receiver." Ultimately, building bridges means helping people look at each other with softer eyes. With softer eyes, hearts will become less hardened. Because the strongest bridges are not made of concrete , but of trust.
True love Life will reward you with even more love.
Of all the trips he's taken, are there any stories that stand out, like "moments of silence" in his patriotic emulation journey?
- There are moments of silence not found in crowded places, but in a glance, a word, or a handshake. I remember the story of an old veteran sitting silently in the hallway during a gift-giving event in Gia Lai : Mr. Huynh Xuan Thanh, 80 years old, a disabled veteran (category 3/4), who was imprisoned in Phu Quoc prison for 7 years. He recounted being electrocuted, shackled, and starved… but the soldier “never gave up,” because sacrifice was for peace; and when he received a gift from a Catholic, he felt warmth in his heart, cherishing even more the price of peace. I listened, choked up. Not because of the tragic story, but because of the way he told it: calmly. That calmness was like a reminder: the sacrifices of the previous generation mean we cannot live superficially .
When we visited and gave Tet gifts to the nuns and elderly people living alone at the Visitation Sisters' Convent in Bui Chu (Dong Nai), I remember one elderly woman just holding my hand without saying a word. She held it for a long time. Such a handshake made me wonder: have I lived deeply enough, have I learned to love enough? And I was moved to see that people still have faith. Often, the poorest people are not poor because they lack money, but because they lack the belief that their lives can get better. When I give a project, a gift, or a scholarship, I only hope that the recipient will retain that faith. Because faith is what keeps people from giving up.
And there's another personal note for me: "a large family." I have over a dozen adopted children.
I raised them from a young age, sent them to school, helped them get married, some became doctors, some became priests. They call me " dad ." Every day they text me, reminding me to take care of my health, to wear warm clothes... that's a happiness that's hard to describe. I consider it a blessing in life. Because if you love sincerely, life will give you even more love in return .
Faith , love of country, and kindness
Looking back on the journey so far, from the hardships of his childhood to his current endeavors, what has helped him come this far, and what message would he like to convey to the 11th National Emulation Congress?
-I think it's thanks to three things: faith, love of country, and kindness. My difficult childhood taught me the value of hard work. Working from an early age taught me that money earned through sweat always teaches humility. But labor alone isn't enough to go far; one also needs a spiritual anchor to prevent collapse when faced with adversity. Faith gave me that anchor. Faith doesn't make me "special," but it keeps me aware of the evil within myself and ashamed of being indifferent. Love of country, for me, isn't something I "learned" in a lecture. It comes from being alive, being supported, and being cared for.
I always remember the reminder of the “three Mothers”: Mother of Birth, Mother Vietnam, and Mother Church. When we consider the Fatherland as Mother, no one is calculating anymore. As for kindness, I often call it “the discipline of kindness,” because it needs to be cultivated. Kindness doesn't come from fleeting inspiration but from striving to do one right thing each day, however small. Sometimes it's a trip to give gifts. Sometimes it's a meeting to resolve misunderstandings. Sometimes it's quietly standing beside someone suffering and listening to them. And I believe: if we are kind long enough, we will naturally want to do more good—not for recognition, but because our hearts cannot bear not doing it.
At this congress, I only want to send one message: please see these quiet people as an important part of this country. People like the nuns in Quang Ngai , the old soldiers in Quang Tri, the farmers tending each durian tree in Sa Thay… they have been and They are defending the country in their own way . And if anyone asks what patriotic emulation is, I think: patriotic emulation is about making this life a little warmer, every day.
Looking back on my journey, I 've never counted how many things I've accomplished. Because if I kept counting, I'd be afraid I'd forget why I started. One person is small and can't do much. But when many people do good together, that good becomes powerful. Patriotic emulation, as I understand it, isn't about who does more than whom, but about ensuring that good deeds don't stop with oneself, but are continued, passed on, and multiplied.
Thank you very much, sir.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/giu-lua-yeu-nuoc-trong-duc-tin.html
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