Distributing free meals to students at Phu Tan B Primary School, Thuan Hoa commune.
Preparing those heartwarming meals required a long and arduous process. While many were still asleep, the kitchen at Phuoc Thuan Pagoda was already ablaze with activity. Buddhists and volunteers busied themselves with each step: washing and preparing vegetables, cooking rice, stir-frying food, and then portioning out the meals. Son Thien, while nimbly arranging the meals onto the vehicle, said, "Every week, my wife and I make time to help cook and transport the meals to the school. Seeing the children enjoy their food makes us happy."
As the trucks carrying the meals arrived at the school, the schoolyard began to fill. The students arrived earlier than usual, lining up neatly. They received their meals with radiant faces. Thach Hoang Duan, a fourth-grade student, smiled brightly and said, “Every Wednesday morning I come early to get the meal. The food is delicious; after eating it, I have the energy to study. I thank the temple very much.”
Meanwhile, Tran Diem Phuc shared: "Thanks to this meal, I save money on breakfast. I look forward to Wednesday every week."
The simple, sincere words of the children are the encouragement for those doing charity work to maintain this seemingly small but meaningful endeavor. Venerable Thich Tam Hoa, Abbot of Phuoc Thuan Pagoda, said: “The meal distribution activity stems from a very ordinary concern. A Buddhist parent shared with me that many students from disadvantaged backgrounds have to skip breakfast before going to school. Hearing this, I thought about it for a long time. Afterward, Buddhist followers and philanthropists joined hands to cook meals for the children, hoping they would have better academic performance.”
From the initial meals, the program has gradually been maintained and expanded. In the first two weeks of the 2024-2025 school year, the pagoda distributed 200 meals. By the third week, the pagoda increased the number to 600 meals. Since then, the activity has stabilized with 600 meals per week, including 500 for students of Phu Tan B Primary School and 100 for students of Phu Tan Secondary School. All costs are covered by contributions from benefactors and Buddhist followers near and far.
Beyond simply providing breakfast meals, Phuoc Thuan Pagoda actively participates in local social welfare activities. Ms. Chau Hong Hoa, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Thuan Hoa Commune, stated: “The pagoda regularly collaborates in distributing gifts to elderly people living alone and disadvantaged households; providing rice, essential goods, and gifts to students during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).”
In the midst of life's many worries, these simple vegetarian meals, though modest, hold profound meaning. For the students, it's a heartwarming breakfast before class. For those who give, it's the joy of sharing.
Text and photos: THACH PICH
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/nhung-suat-com-am-long-truc-gio-vao-lop-a203991.html
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