Special house welcomes 50 veterans for free accommodation before A80 rehearsal

During the days when the whole country was joyfully looking forward to the 80th anniversary of National Day, September 2, Hanoi became the meeting place for tens of thousands of people from all over the country. They came here to witness the historic parade on Ba Dinh Square.

Amidst the bustling crowd, there is a house nestled in a small alley in Cat Linh, where a group of young people quietly opened the door, welcoming more than 50 veterans from all over the provinces to stay and eat for free for many days.

Veterans from all over the country were present at the special house.

We arrived at this special boarding house on the evening of August 29, before the rehearsal. Kien (about 37 years old), the person who initiated the idea, was busy running up and down the floors, continuously taking phone calls to book rooms. Meanwhile, his young colleagues - some cleaning the rooms, some carrying rice pots, some taking down the list.

On the steps, the soldiers with white hair, old backpacks on their shoulders, red flags in their hands, smiling but with tears in their eyes. They are veterans from many provinces who came to Hanoi to watch the parade, and this boarding house is where they will stay for free in the coming days.

Through our conversation, we learned that this house is no longer unfamiliar to people in difficult circumstances when coming to Hanoi for medical treatment. For over 5 years, Kien's group has been implementing a free kitchen project for children at the National Children's Hospital. The group cooks, divides the meals, and then brings them to the hospital.

In particular, the house also provides free accommodation for families of children undergoing cancer treatment. Many families have stayed there for a whole year.

Mr. Kien was busy answering phone calls to make reservations from veterans.

“So that people don't misunderstand, I want to say that the funding is not entirely from us, but from many benefactors. I found Kien's work meaningful so I joined the group, and it's been a few years now." said a member of the group.

Regarding the plan to welcome the veterans this time, Mr. Kien said that the group initially planned to welcome about 20 people, in available bunk beds. However, since posting the information on social media, the phone has been ringing continuously.

"The doctors kept calling and begging, so we discussed 'let's add whoever we can find'. So we arranged two people to a bed, bought extra blankets and pillows. That was enough for about 50 - 60 people." Mr. Kien said while serving rice to the veterans, smiling and wiping his sweat.

Not only did they provide a place to rest, Kien's group also provided three hot meals a day. Tonight, a simple meal of braised fish, a bowl of spinach soup, some fried meat, and rice rolls still moved the veterans.

In addition to accommodation, Mr. Kien also prepared raincoats, hats, water bottles, and small but practical items for the elderly to bring tomorrow.

All of it was donated by anonymous donors, many of whom even called to “claim their share” of the donation. Some people delivered cartons of milk, some sent dozens of new raincoats, and some quietly left a few bags of rice at the door of the boarding house.

"We are just a bridge, fortunately we are loved and supported by many people," Mr. Kien smiled gently.

Late at night, the house was filled with laughter. Discolored backpacks were lined up, green military uniforms were hung neatly above the beds. Veterans sat around, some pouring tea, some telling stories, some listening silently.

Quality meals are donated by philanthropists.

Stories from the battlefield were recalled. The old soldier told of the fiery years in Quang Tri , another recalled the memories of fighting Pol Pot, another member recalled the years on the Vi Xuyen battlefield. But then, everyone was united in excitement for tomorrow, the moment to see the majestic military parade through Ba Dinh Square.

“We have been through war, now witnessing the great festival of the nation, our hearts are filled with emotion. Tonight, many people will surely have trouble sleeping because they want to get to the square quickly tomorrow morning,” Veteran Nguyen Van Tuoc, from Phu Tho, emotionally shared.

No one mentioned the pain too much. The scars spoke for themselves. The missing arm, the long incision in the abdomen, the limping leg - all of them receded as laughter erupted over an old memory: “Remember the time the unit cooked undercooked rice and was criticized for standing at attention the whole time?” “Of course I do, but thanks to that… we had the chance to eat delicious porridge!”...

Milk cakes were prepared for the veterans to take while waiting to watch the parade.

As the clock slowly turned to night, people were still bustling on the streets, preparing for the rehearsal. In the brightly lit boarding house, the old soldiers were already asleep, with raincoats, water bottles, and sticky rice packages neatly arranged beside them.

The gentle Hanoi night quietly embraces all the emotions, so that tomorrow morning, on Ba Dinh Square, the veterans will blend in with the crowd, their eyes shining with pride.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ngoi-nha-dac-biet-don-50-cuu-binh-an-o-mien-phi-truoc-tong-duyet-a80-5057523.html