Working through the afternoon to help people harvest rice

In the sweltering heat, on the golden rice fields at the foot of the mountain range, people in the border villages of A Luoi district are still diligently harvesting. People know that this season often has storms, thunder, and heavy rain. If they are not quick, there is a risk of the rice falling over, causing damage to the crops. Worried about the people, the Party Committee and the Command of A Dot Border Guard Station assigned officers and soldiers of the unit to harvest rice to help Mr. Ho Van Tim's household (born in 1940, in Lien Hiep village, Lam Dot commune; Mr. Tim and his wife have no children); and Mrs. Ho Thi Ly's household (a poor household, the family lacks labor).

From dawn, the officers and soldiers of the unit carried the threshing machine, following each other through the rice fields. They divided into many groups, harvesting and threshing rice. The sun was getting hotter and hotter, making their uniforms drenched in sweat, but the officers and soldiers still "worked through the afternoon" in the fields. Because after harvesting nearly 6 sao of rice for two households, knowing that some other lonely elderly households were also in need, the soldiers were ready to help. Was it the scent of new rice, the scent of straw, the scent of sweat dripping on the newly harvested fields, or the genuine smiles that the villagers and soldiers exchanged, that made the joy of the harvest season at the foot of the mountain so simple and peaceful? It was also the joy of the relationship between the army and the people on the border land that grew closer and closer.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Tien, Head of A Dot Border Guard Station, shared: Practically and effectively implementing the "Return to Village Day" model is one of the important tasks that the unit always strives to complete, in order to develop the local socio -economic situation with the local people. At the same time, building an increasingly strong military-civilian relationship. The policy of the Party Committee and the Command Board of the unit is to have the most suitable "Return to Village Day" in many forms and depending on the actual living conditions of the local people and the locality. That is to help households renovate mixed gardens; help villages and hamlets pour concrete and build roads; repair power lines; provide free haircuts for people and students through the "border scissors" program... "Every two weeks, the unit implements the "Return to Village Day" model with many forms and rich and diverse content. Whatever the village needs, whatever the hamlet needs, whatever the people need, we are ready to help" - Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Tien said.

Recently, the unit's "border guards" gave free haircuts to nearly 30 students of Truong Son Secondary and High School who are in difficult circumstances. "Looking at the faces and smiles of the children when they said: At first, I thought they would not be as beautiful as a barber, but then they really "trusted" the border guards, we were very happy" - Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Quoc Bao Chien, Head of the Mass Mobilization Team confided.

With the affection and responsibility of border guards for the border villages, officers and soldiers of A Dot Border Guard Station helped the people of A Tin village, Lam Dot commune with public toilets and a clean water system, using natural water from the stream, through a filter tank. The funds were contributed by officers and soldiers, and more than 100 construction jobs were spent. The sweat of officers and soldiers dripped down, bringing smiles to the ethnic minorities on the border strip with many difficulties, erasing their hardships. The volleyball court worth nearly 40 million VND, next to the public works, donated by the unit to the people, has been and is promoting its function and effect. This is where people come to exercise, play sports , have fun and chat after a day of work.

The day Captain Vo Xuan Minh, Deputy Political Commissar of A Dot Border Guard Station and Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Quoc Bao Chien returned to the households in the villages under the unit's management, the people gave the soldiers in green uniforms warm smiles and firm handshakes.

Article and photos: Quynh Anh - Ha Le