Peacekeeping Journey: One Red Heart, One Blue Beret

Among the ranks of the 2nd Engineer Team that departed for a United Nations peacekeeping mission late last month was Ms. Phung Lan Huong, who went from being a nurse to going through an unfamiliar journey to becoming a peacekeeper.

BOLD DECISION

We stopped by her house on a Sunday afternoon, when the family was gathered in the living room. She invited us for a drink and opened her heart to talk, going back in time to the day she first learned she would become a United Nations employee.

Ms. Huong studied at the civilian system of the Military Medical Academy 1, received specialized training and never participated in military training. During her 10 years working at Hospital 108, she worked for three months at the Intensive Care Center, then worked in the Cardiology Department. Being a mother herself, Ms. Huong, in addition to working at the hospital from 6am, also had to take care of and worry about her children every day. Therefore, knowledge about the military and the world situation was completely unfamiliar to her.

At the end of November 2022, the Ministry of National Defense sent a summons to the hospital, calling the only person - Phung Lan Huong, a nurse in the Cardiology department. After preparing the procedures and documents, she quickly left and has stayed at the unit ever since.

Ms. Huong recalled: "At that time, I didn't know anything about the place I was going to, I just knew I had to go and receive my mission, ensure the health of the engineering team and go to the other side to help the people."

Time was so sudden and urgent that she could only comfort her family. “Everyone at the hospital was shocked. My close colleagues even cried and said, ‘You left without saying goodbye to me!’ But I didn’t have time to say goodbye to anyone because the announcement was on Friday and I had to leave the next day,” Ms. Huong recalled.

She had mixed feelings, proud and excited, worried and uneasy, but she was still determined to go to the unit. Ms. Huong did not know what to call her decision, perhaps it was “boldness”.

From that bold decision, a new journey began.

Chị Hương trong cuộc sống thường ngày. (Ảnh: nhân vật cung cấp) Chị Hương cùng đồng nghiệp tại bệnh viện. (Ảnh: nhân vật cung cấp)

BEING A NEWBIE AT 37

Ms. Huong is in the engineering team, serving a one-year term, at the Level 1 Field Hospital. The unit's destination is the UNISFA mission, located in Abyei, on the border between South Sudan and Sudan, Africa. This place has a very unstable social situation, people have to face poverty, natural disasters and constant epidemics. The Vietnamese peacekeeping force set out with the desire to help and support people in terms of health, education, and living conditions, ensuring their safety when living in this extremely dangerous border area.

On her first day at the unit, she did not expect to pass the health check with strict standards including type I physical condition, neurological, psychological, dental and facial criteria, blood tests... all had to be met. Due to the harsh weather in Africa, many epidemics and poor living conditions, good health is the first condition for soldiers. Passing the English entrance test, Ms. Huong began 6 months of training at the Department of Peacekeeping.

Hình ảnh chị Hương trong quá trình huấn luyện. (Ảnh: Cục gìn giữ hòa bình Việt Nam)

The unit operates according to military rules, starting each day at 5:30 a.m. with physical activities - something Ms. Huong had never experienced before. "The other comrades were all in the unit before, I was the only one in the hospital, my health was nothing compared to them!", she laughed.

To work in a complex place like Abyei, learning about local culture and customs is extremely important. In addition, she also has to have a firm grasp of the laws and rules of UN staff. For her, military English is the most difficult subject. After learning theoretical knowledge and ensuring good health, field training in hot weather, learning how to handle dangerous situations and how to defend herself are the next challenges that Ms. Huong and her teammates have to go through. At that time, she was like a new recruit of the unit. But after only 6 short months, she was ready to become a real soldier.

"During the year I'm gone, Mom and Dad must not get sick"

After completing the hard training process, every weekend, Ms. Huong always tries to return home to be with her family. She confided: “At the beginning of the new school year, I often wrap my children’s books and notebooks, and I worry the most when they are sick. I also tell my grandparents: ‘For the whole year you are away, your parents must not get sick!’”

Hành trình gìn giữ hòa bình: Một trái tim đỏ, một mũ nồi xanh

Ms. Huong's family. (Photo: Provided by the character)

Everyone in her family is worried about her. Her husband works in the same field, so he understands and encourages her a lot. Born into a family where both parents are military doctors, after going through the Covid-19 pandemic, the two children have gradually gotten used to living far away from their parents. But when they heard that she was going on a business trip for a year in a place more than 8,000km away, the children couldn't help but cry. Her heart ached. She had many thoughts, but she was always optimistic, encouraging everyone, smiling and comforting her children and parents.

The atmosphere in the unit is also very warm, everyone encourages each other's spirit so she also has less anxiety, nostalgia and instead is national pride, responsibility and dedication to the community, for peace. Each soldier sets out to carry out the mission with a strong mentality and belief because behind them there is constant support, eyes always watching. That is the most solid support.

“I am proud and honored because each soldier who goes there is like a representative of the whole country. They only call me by the name: Vietnam.”

Speaking at the ceremony to send off Level 2 Field Hospital No. 5 and Engineering Team No. 2 to carry out the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and Abyei, replacing Level 2 Field Hospital No. 4 and Engineering Team No. 1, President Vo Van Thuong emphasized: “ The luggage that you carry with you is national pride, solidarity, initiative, creativity, professionalism and the noble qualities of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” in the new era. Together with the companionship of the United Nations and friendly countries, the support of international partners, you will make effective and practical contributions to regional and international peace and security, enhance the position and prestige of the country, affirm a responsible Vietnam, the Vietnamese people love peace and have a sense of noble duty, the aspiration of all people around the world to live in peace, stability, safety and prosperity”.

This luggage is certainly a source of encouragement for the blue beret soldiers to strive, be brave, and persevere to overcome all difficulties and excellently perform their assigned tasks!