Singing about heroic mothers

- The war has gone far away, today's peace and independence are not only exchanged for the blood and bones of soldiers on the front lines but also for the tears and silent sacrifices of mothers in the rear. That sacrifice is not only a symbol of patriotism but also a sacred flame that lights up the national spirit.

Mother Nguyen Thi Gai (left), Zone 3, That Khe Commune, looks back at the certificate of merit from the Fatherland honoring martyr Nguyen Anh Tuan.

Loss and pain

During the days of July, we had the opportunity to talk with mother Nguyen Thi Gai, Zone 3, That Khe Commune. Mother Gai has a son, martyr Nguyen Anh Tuan, born in 1949, sacrificed in 1973 on the Tay Ninh battlefield. She is almost a century old, her hair is white, her health is getting weaker, but the memories of her children are still clear in her mind. She has six children, among them, the eldest son - martyr Nguyen Anh Tuan, joined the army in 1966 when he was just 17 years old.

When mentioning Tuan, Mom's voice dropped, her eyes filled with tears. Mom said that on the day Tuan left, he hugged her tightly and told her not to cry. Mom Gai bit her lips, swallowed her tears, tried to smile as she saw her son off, secretly hoping that her son would "be strong and healthy". The younger siblings also encouraged Mom to rest assured, Tuan had gone to fight the enemy and when the country was unified, he would definitely return. The following days were a long period of time when Mom Gai waited for news of her son amidst the bombs and bullets of war.

There are few nations in the world that have to go through as much pain and loss as the Vietnamese people in their journey to gain independence and freedom. And there are also few places where there are many mothers who silently send their children off to war, accepting the pain of loss so that the Fatherland can last forever like Vietnamese mothers.

That painful memory seemed like it had just happened yesterday when Gai’s mother told of the moment she received the death notice. Gently stroking the certificate of merit from the Fatherland with her calloused hands, she choked up: That day, someone brought the death notice, after reading it, I collapsed and fainted. It hurt so much, my child, it hurt like my heart was being torn into pieces. But I didn’t cry out loud, I only dared to hug the shirt you used to wear, silently crying alone…

Now sitting and chatting with us, Mother Gai confided that she feels very happy that the country is changing and developing every day. She also feels warmed by the attention that the Party and the State have given to her family and other policy families.

Sharing the same pain of losing a child as Gai's mother, Dinh Thi Nau, from Na Phan village, Thuy Hung commune, is the mother of martyr Nong Viet Hien, born in 1961, enlisted in the army in 1978 and died in 1979 in Loc Binh district (old). Although she is 90 years old this year, Nau's mother is still lucid and agile.

When she knew we wanted to learn about martyr Nong Viet Hien, her eyes drooped, she wiped away the tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks, and flipped through each enlistment paper, death certificate, and certificate of merit from the Fatherland... that had faded over time. She said: I gave birth to 3 children, Hien was the eldest in the family. In 1978, Hien joined the army at the call of the Fatherland, and in 1979, I received the sad news that you had sacrificed. It was very painful, but I was also very proud because your sacrifice contributed to preserving the homeland. Although you are no longer by my side to take care of me, I still receive the attention of the Party, the State, the sharing and regular visits from relatives, neighbors, and today's young generation, that is the greatest joy for me. I always encourage my children and grandchildren to strive in life and not forget the merits of those who sacrificed their blood and bones for national independence.

Not only Mother Gai and Mother Nau, the pain of losing a child is a common pain of many mothers whose children went to war. According to statistics from the Department of Internal Affairs, the whole province has 5,644 martyrs, which means that in the province there are many mothers who lost their children. The children of the mothers sacrificed and remained on the battlefield for the independence and freedom of the nation.

Full of meaning, full of love

There are few nations in the world that have to go through as much pain and loss as the Vietnamese people in their journey to gain independence and freedom. And there are also few places where there are many mothers who silently send their children off to war, accepting the pain of loss so that the Fatherland can last forever like Vietnamese mothers.

To compensate for the pain and loss, to help mothers have a better life, in addition to fully implementing policies for people with meritorious services, over the years, all levels, sectors, and socio-political organizations in the province have regularly visited and encouraged them. Currently, on average, each month, the provincial functional sector pays more than 1.3 billion VND in subsidies to Vietnamese heroic mothers and relatives of martyrs... The care, encouragement, and sincere feelings have helped mothers live happily and healthily to see their homeland and country change more and more.

Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, said: In the province, there are 209 mothers who have been awarded and posthumously awarded the title of "Heroic Vietnamese Mother". Currently, the whole province still has 1 heroic Vietnamese mother and 79 martyrs' mothers who receive monthly allowances according to regulations. Every year, the Department of Home Affairs pays attention to and well implements the regimes and policies for people with revolutionary contributions in the province, including heroic Vietnamese mothers and families of martyrs. Along with that, the department coordinates with the Provincial Military Command to search for and collect martyrs' remains and identify the remains of martyrs with missing information; coordinates with the Department of Finance to guide the preparation of estimates, management, use, settlement and ensure funding for organizing and implementing activities to honor families of policy beneficiaries and people with revolutionary contributions in the province... Thanks to that, the implementation of regimes and policies for heroic Vietnamese mothers, martyrs' mothers and families of martyrs' relatives is focused on. monthly allowances and other incentives are fully and promptly implemented.

The silent sacrifice of Vietnamese heroic mothers and martyrs’ mothers is a beautiful symbol of patriotism. Showing gratitude and caring for mothers is not only a duty but also a way for today’s generation to continue, preserve and spread the flame of national spirit.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/chuyen-ve-nhung-nguoi-me-anh-hung-5053927.html