Touching letters sent to Truong Sa

NDO - This April, amidst the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Truong Sa Archipelago, there are still handwritten letters from students on the mainland sent to the remote islands to inquire about and encourage the naval soldiers...

In modern life, where digital technology reigns supreme and information can be transmitted in an instant, handwritten letters are becoming increasingly rare. However, for naval soldiers who are on duty day and night in the open sea, handwritten letters from students on the mainland remain priceless gifts.

The carefully written words on the page carry pure emotions and sincere warmth, conveyed through each sentence. For soldiers on distant islands, each handwritten letter is a word of encouragement, a pleasant surprise, reflecting the deep and enduring bond between the home front and the soldiers – where love for the homeland is always transmitted through the simplest things.

The students really enjoy writing and decorating letters and greeting cards to send to the soldiers.

Turning their attention to the homeland's islands and seas, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Truong Sa Archipelago, many schools nationwide have carried out practical activities to educate students about patriotism and awareness of territorial sovereignty . One of the shining examples is Ninh Van Primary School in Hoa Lu City, Ninh Binh Province. Teacher Dinh Thi Ngoc, the Head of the Youth Union, has quietly sown seeds of love through each page of her students' notebooks.

For soldiers stationed on remote islands, this is an invaluable gift of morale.

Ms. Ngoc encouraged the students to write handwritten letters to the naval soldiers serving in Truong Sa. Initially, it was just a small activity during the school's extracurricular activities, but later, the humanistic value of handwritten letters spread throughout the entire school. The teacher and students discussed and shared their thoughts together, each stroke of the students' handwriting appearing full and soft, carefully formed by their tiny hands. All of it carried a remarkably pure and sincere emotion.

Each letter contained greetings and messages, and was also decorated by the children with cute and lovely drawings: a bright red sun on the blue sea, a soldier standing guard solemnly, and the national flag proudly fluttering on the waves. Some children even carefully added dried pressed flowers or folded the letters into heart shapes or floral patterns.

The teacher carefully checked each letter before sending it to the remote island.

Behind each childish stroke of the pen lies a whole sky of childhood filled with love and excitement. Alongside the letters, the children also included drawings, handmade postcards, and simple, sweet wishes... All were carefully packaged and sent through groups visiting Truong Sa, braving the waves to reach the soldiers at the forefront.

Sharing her thoughts on this simple yet meaningful activity, teacher Dinh Thi Ngoc expressed: "As someone working with the Youth Union, I've always been concerned about how to ensure that love for the homeland isn't just confined to books, but that the children feel it in their hearts. Writing handwritten letters is a small thing, but I believe it's a way for them to connect with the soldiers who are silently sacrificing their personal happiness for the peace of the country. When I read their innocent handwriting and sincere wishes, I was deeply moved. They are still young and don't fully understand the concept of maritime sovereignty, but their feelings are very genuine. I believe these simple things will stay with them throughout their journey to adulthood."

It's a small achievement, but it makes the children very proud.

Every year, during holidays or important national anniversaries, hundreds, even thousands, of handwritten letters from all over the country are collected by groups and clubs dedicated to the sea and islands and sent to Truong Sa and the DK1 platform. Those responsible for collecting, packaging, and sending these letters are always moved and careful because they understand that each letter is the heartbeat of innocent hearts yearning for the sea and islands – the gentlest yet most powerful spiritual connection.

Letters are a source of moral support and encouragement for every soldier.

Handwritten letters from the mainland are always cherished by the naval soldiers, read over and over again. Many soldiers consider them precious gifts amidst the rough seas and salty winds. Some soldiers carefully fold the letters and place them in their breast pockets; others press them into notebooks, occasionally opening them to read, finding warmth in their hearts after long night shifts at sea; some units even make frames to hang letters in the common room, so that anyone passing by can stop for a few minutes, read a line from a children's letter, admire the drawings, and feel a sense of calm during their long days away from the mainland.

The children's handwriting is full of love.

For soldiers stationed on remote islands, each letter is like a miniature piece of the mainland, carrying the affection of children, the image of their homeland, and the entire nation always looking towards the sea. That is why handwritten letters are always cherished by the soldiers as one of the most beautiful memories in their journey of guarding sacred sovereignty.

The joy of naval soldiers when reading letters from students on the mainland.

For many years, before the ship leaves port, Chairman of the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association Tran Vu Thanh carefully checks once again the boxes containing handwritten letters from students across the country to ensure they are well preserved. Having served as a "messenger pigeon" for over 10 years, he deeply understands the mission of conveying the trust of the mainland to the soldiers, and he can't even count how many handwritten letters he has delivered to Truong Sa...

Reading letters by the waves...

Sharing about that journey, Tran Vu Thanh expressed: "For a soldier, it's an incredibly rich spiritual world . Once, a young soldier held a letter in his hand, read it over and over, and then softly said to me: 'Since coming to the island, I haven't seen my family, but thanks to the letters from the children, I feel even stronger.' In these trips to remote islands and offshore platforms... it is these seemingly small things, like children's letters, that create a miraculous spiritual strength."

For soldiers, reading letters is also a part of their daily routine.

Half a century has passed since the liberation of Truong Sa, but the spirit of patriotism and the awareness of protecting maritime sovereignty are still being kindled by young generations. In the age of digital technology, simple handwritten letters are a way to educate about traditional values, an act of keeping the flame alive so that Truong Sa is not far away, so that soldiers on the distant islands always feel: The country is united, and love for the homeland begins on the page, with the pure strokes of the pen of a student.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-la-thu-xuc-dong-gui-truong-sa-post876220.html