The person who "ignites" the flame for free meals.

On a sweltering Sunday afternoon in early June, dozens of patients and their family members stood waiting in front of the Nam Dinh Lung Hospital (Thien Truong Ward). On a table that had just been set up, boxes of hot meals were continuously being brought down and neatly arranged, ready to be distributed to patients and their families in difficult circumstances.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Son and members of the Charity Meal Association prepare food to cook meals for poor patients.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Mr. Nguyen Hong Son nimbly moved each box of rice and soup, checked the portions, and together with members of the Thien Truong Charity Meal Association, handed them directly to the recipients.

Sweat soaked his shirt, but a gentle smile always graced his face. For many poor patients undergoing long-term treatment at hospitals in Thien Truong ward, such as Nam Dinh General Hospital and Nam Dinh Lung Hospital, Mr. Son's image has become familiar during the weekly charitable meal distributions organized by the Association.

For many years, on Sundays, Mondays, or Wednesdays each week, the charitable kitchens in Thien Truong ward have been bustling with activity. At 5 a.m., members of the Thien Truong Charitable Meal Association gather. Some prepare the ingredients, others cook the rice, stir-fry and prepare the food, and still others pack it into containers.

The work is carried out urgently but carefully, ensuring food safety and hygiene. Mr. Son is one of those who regularly arrive very early. Having been involved in charitable activities since 2018, he is currently a member of two charity kitchens in Thien Truong ward. One kitchen is located on Street 10 near the foot of Tan Phong bridge, providing an average of 400 to 500 free meals per week to poor patients and their families at hospitals in the area, with a cost of approximately 7 million VND per cooking session.

The remaining kitchen on Thai Binh Street operates approximately once every 1-2 weeks, distributing over 300 free meals at a cost of 7.5-8 million VND per cooking session. To maintain these kitchens, funding is raised by him and others from various sources: from members of the Volunteer Meal Association, from overseas Vietnamese who regularly send donations each week, from philanthropists, and from friends and alumni who readily lend a hand upon learning of the significance of charitable activities...

In this collaborative effort, Mr. Son is the connecting link. What has kept him involved for so many years stems from a very simple thought. He confided: "My children are grown up, so I have more time for community activities. For me, helping the elderly, the lonely, and the poor patients is a joy. Deep down, I always tell myself that if I can do something useful for others, I should try my best to do it."

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Those who accompany him, or many patients, say that in addition to participating in regular free meal cooking sessions, every Saturday afternoon at hospitals in the ward, many patients have become familiar with the sight of Mr. Son and the hot steamed buns he distributes for free as a mid-afternoon snack.

To sustain this activity, Mr. Son proactively connects with and mobilizes funding from many generous individuals. Each time, he distributes about 260 cakes. He orders the cakes from a familiar supplier, steams them, and keeps them warm before delivering them to the hospital. At times, he is also busy with bags of used clothes sent from various places. He carefully selects, washes, sorts, and packages the clothes that are still in good condition, according to gender and age, before handing them directly to poor patients, so they have warm clothes in winter and clothes suitable for the summer weather.

These acts of kindness are carried out quietly and discreetly, just as he has been involved in charitable activities for many years. However, he always considers himself just one member of a group of people working together to keep the flame of love burning in these soup kitchens, spreading compassion throughout the community.

He said: "In the Charity Meal Association, there's Mrs. Lang, who, despite being nearly 80 years old, still regularly participates whenever the kitchen organizes meal preparation; there's Mrs. Tinh, nearly 70 years old, who always enthusiastically participates in the cooking and distribution of charitable meals; there's Ms. Tuyet, who has dedicated nearly 20 years to this charitable work; there's Ms. Muot, Ms. Khoa, Ms. Huong, Ms. Huyen, Mr. Phu, Mr. Tung... and many other members. Whenever there's a cooking schedule, without being told, everyone pitches in, some chopping vegetables, some stir-frying meat and shrimp, some frying eggs and tofu, some cooking rice, serving soup, and some transporting the food to the hospital. Some even bring trucks to help transport food and meals to the hospital."

To date, the Thien Truong Ward Charity Meal Association has approximately 30 members. Each cooking session, the Association mobilizes 10 to 15 people to prepare around 400-500 meals for impoverished patients. All ingredients are carefully selected from reputable suppliers, suitable for patients. Every step of processing and preservation is carried out meticulously to ensure quality and food safety.

The dedication of the members of the Charity Meal Association has provided practical encouragement to many patients and their families. Holding the meal she had just received at Nam Dinh General Hospital, Ms. Tran Thi Vui emotionally shared: “My family lives far away, and a relative is undergoing long-term treatment, so the costs are very high. Meals like these help alleviate the financial burden. What is even more valuable is that we feel the care of the community, giving us more motivation to continue supporting our family members in their treatment.”

In their charitable journey of providing meals to impoverished patients, Mr. Son and the members of the Thien Truong Charitable Meal Association are contributing to spreading and keeping the flame of love burning in these compassionate kitchens, so that each meal given will help patients alleviate some of the difficulties in their daily lives.

Text and photos: Minh Thuan

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/nguoi-tiep-lua-cho-nhung-bua-com-0-dong-260609195818202.html