Teacher Le Minh Ngoc talks about the first time he met Uncle Ho. Photo: Anh Tu
Memory of the first time meeting Uncle Ho
After more than 80 years of life, his hair has turned white, but the eyes of teacher Le Minh Ngoc - former Deputy Director of the Departmentof Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City still shine with emotion when remembering the first time he met Uncle Ho.
At the age of 12, Ms. Ngoc was one of many students from the South selected to be sent to the North to study and serve the resistance war and national construction. That was Uncle Ho's far-sighted vision, a testament to the South always being in his heart.
Clip: Teacher Le Minh Ngoc talks about the time he met Uncle Ho.
In 1959, Ms. Le Minh Ngoc received a notice from Hai Phong to return to Hanoi on the occasion of welcoming Mr. Sukarno - President of Indonesia on an official visit to Vietnam at that time. And from that time, Ms. Ngoc had the opportunity to meet Uncle Ho.
Ms. Le Minh Ngoc was 12 years old when she gathered in the North (right cover) and at 18 years old when she entered Hanoi Pedagogical University (left cover). She was lucky to meet Uncle Ho in person. Photo taken from documents: Anh Tu
"I will always remember the overwhelming happiness when Uncle Ho kindly arranged for me to sit between him and President Sukarno. That feeling is still intact to this day," Ms. Ngoc emotionally recalled.
More than eighty years have passed, but Uncle Ho's words from that year are still deeply engraved in the hearts of the children of the South: "At that time, Uncle Ho asked: 'You live in the South so you miss home a lot, right? As much as you miss home, try to study and cultivate yourself well. Cultivate yourself so that you can return to the South to serve.' Uncle Ho's simple but profound words are deeply engraved in my heart."
Photo of Ms. Ngoc and her former students at Chu Van An School, Hanoi, class of 1972-1975. Photo: Minh Ngoc
During the years standing on the podium, sowing letters and nurturing knowledge for generations of students, from the difficult North to the affectionate Ho Chi Minh City, teacher Le Minh Ngoc has never forgotten Uncle Ho's words. She always kept in mind that that fateful meeting had awakened in her a noble way of life: to devote herself to the cause of education, to nurture the future of the young buds of the country.
"I always think that if someone has met Uncle Ho once, they cannot help but become a good person," Ms. Ngoc always emphasized. Uncle Ho's teachings are noble yet close, planting a beautiful way of life in everyone's heart.
The memory of the second time she met Uncle Ho, when he visited the Southern School No. 6 in Hai Phong , is still intact in her mind. The image of Uncle Ho, simple and friendly, walking straight to the kitchen and then talking kindly with the students, moved her and her friends deeply. The children did not dare to eat the candies Uncle Ho gave them but kept them carefully, wrapped in their notebooks as a sacred promise to strive to become good people.
More than 3,000 lives have been lit
After the country was unified and she returned to Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Le Minh Ngoc devoted herself even more to the education of the city named after Uncle Ho. She always worried about the future of the younger generation, about the responsibility of continuing the cause of protecting and building the country to be more and more beautiful, as beloved Uncle Ho had instructed.
"Thinking back now, I still feel happy," Ms. Ngoc said emotionally. "Uncle Ho's words 'The South is always in my heart' are not just a saying, but a deep, sacred sentiment that has given us strength on the path of learning and growing up."
In 2000, after retiring, the passionate heart of teacher Le Minh Ngoc still yearned for the career of educating people. She took on the role of Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Promoting Education and Director of the Fund for Promoting Education, helping to give wings to the dreams of thousands of poor and studious students with the meaningful "1 and 1 Scholarship" program.
Despite her advanced age, Ms. Ngoc still carries out social work activities. A photo of her during a visit to the soldiers and civilians of Truong Sa archipelago. Photo: Minh Ngoc
"To me, 1 and 1 is not just a scholarship, but sharing, humanity, and an opportunity for children in difficult circumstances to continue their education," said Ms. Ngoc.
More than 3,000 lives have been lit up thanks to the "1 and 1 Scholarship" of "Ma Ngoc" - the affectionate name that generations of poor and successful students still affectionately call her. At the age of 82, she is still devoted to the work of promoting education, passing on the flame of love and the desire to rise up to the younger generation.
For teacher Le Minh Ngoc, her priceless assets are thousands of grown-up children, who never forget the years of being raised and educated in the North, never forget the great contributions of the Party and Uncle Ho. Uncle Ho's advice in the past has become a compass, illuminating her path of lifelong dedication to the cause of educating people, an outstanding child of the South who always remembers "The South is always in Uncle Ho's heart".
Regarding today's young generation, teacher Le Minh Ngoc expressed her confidence in their abilities and intelligence. However, she also advised them to live with ideals, dreams, and to constantly learn and practice morality. She especially emphasized the importance of reading books, learning about history and traditional values of the nation.
"The five teachings of Uncle Ho to children are still valuable today," Ms. Ngoc shared. "These are simple but profound teachings that penetrate deeply into the children's souls, helping them grow up and become useful citizens to society."
Laodong.vn
Source: https://laodong.vn/xa-hoi/ky-uc-xuc-dong-cua-co-be-mien-nam-ngay-ay-bac-ho-luon-o-trong-tim-toi-1508279.ldo
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