Warm porridge pot to support patients of La Lay border guards

Officers and soldiers of the La Lay International Border Gate Border Guard Station prepare porridge to distribute to patients - Photo: HOANG TAO

The charitable porridge kitchen has been maintained by soldiers in green uniforms for over four years.

The warm pot of porridge prepared by the border guard.

From early morning on March 1st, dozens of patients being treated at the Dakrong District Medical Center (facility 2 in Ta Rut commune, Dakrong district, Quang Tri province) gathered in the hospital lobby waiting to receive free porridge. Everyone's face was radiant and joyful as they awaited the warm bowls of porridge provided by the border guards.

Among the people receiving porridge, Mrs. Kan Phu said she had received it three times. "I've been receiving treatment in the internal medicine department for many weeks now. The porridge is very delicious; I've been taking some to eat for both breakfast and lunch," Mrs. Kan Phu said.

Similarly, a male patient said that he had been informed by doctors and nurses early in the morning to come and receive free porridge, so he hurriedly bought a new plastic bowl to fill with it. Upon receiving the bowl, Lieutenant Le Minh Quoc rinsed it with some hot water before scooping the porridge in. After more than 30 minutes, the porridge distribution was completed, with approximately 20 patients receiving the porridge.

Lieutenant Quoc said that the charitable porridge program has been running since 2019. Initially, it was done once a month, but due to the high demand from patients, it was increased to once a week.

"The funds for preparing the porridge come from contributions from officers and soldiers, annual bonuses, and donations from the border post and the medical center," Quoc said.

From the night before, the officers and soldiers at the outpost prepare rice and bones. They wake up at 4 a.m. on Friday to finish cooking the porridge. The porridge usually contains rice, mung beans, carrots, potatoes, and pork bones. "Occasionally, when the outpost raises pigs for meat, they also use it for the porridge," said Quoc.

A bowl of warm porridge provides strength to patients during treatment - Photo: HOANG TAO

Supporting impoverished patients

Mr. Ho Quoc Nghia, head of the trade union at the Medical Center, said that the porridge provided some nutritional support and boosted the health of patients during their treatment. "Most of the patients are from the Pa Ko ethnic minority, facing economic difficulties and living far from the center, so they don't have money to buy rice."

"Some patients wait for their family members to bring them food, or they rely on the generosity of other patients, so these bowls of hot porridge are very meaningful to them," Nghia informed. On average, each distribution session will benefit about 20-30 patients.

In addition to the charitable porridge program, the La Lay International Border Gate Border Guard Station also implements the "Border Bread" model, donating bread to preschool and primary school students in the two communes of A Bung and A Ngo, a program launched in 2020. Every Thursday, officers and soldiers bring bread to a school to give to the children for breakfast.

The La Lay International Border Gate Border Guard Station is responsible for 20km of border line. The station also donated breeding goats to start businesses, lit up village roads, awarded scholarships to support a Lao student's education, and built a border shelter...

These meaningful actions by border guards contribute to strengthening the bond between the military and the people in border areas, maintaining the people's trust in protecting border security and sovereignty .

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/noi-chao-am-tiep-suc-benh-nhan-cua-bien-phong-la-lay-20240301134152319.htm