To live is to continue to contribute.

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Despite being wounded by fierce battlefields, former soldier Nguyen Viet Lam still did not falter in the face of peacetime hardships. Over 60 years old, he still works diligently in acacia fields, goat pens, fish ponds... maintaining the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers with an iron will and extraordinary determination. From nothing after returning home, the wounded soldier built a career in the middle of the forest land of Dong Xuan village, Mau Lam commune, making many people admire...

War invalid Nguyen Viet Lam takes care of his breeding goats.

In Mau Lam commune, when mentioning disabled soldier Nguyen Viet Lam, everyone knows him as a resilient soldier on the battlefield, an exemplary farmer in peacetime. He participated in a campaign to help Laos in the early 80s. During a raid, he was seriously injured, one lung was completely damaged, and his health was seriously impaired. The disability rate was assessed at 61%.

In 1981, after returning from the battlefield, he married Nguyen Thi Thao - a woman from his hometown who had been with him through the difficult years. There was no wedding gift of a gold ring or a lavish party, the only assets at that time were an old backpack, a makeshift wooden house and a strong trust in each other.

“Back then, every time the weather changed, my lungs ached, my body trembled as if I had malaria, I just lay in bed. But then I thought of my wife and children, I did not allow myself to collapse,” Mr. Lam said, his eyes unable to hide his emotion when recalling the days of hunger and lack of clothes.

A great opportunity came to Mr. Lam when the policy of land and forest allocation was implemented. In 1988, he boldly received 11.9 hectares of forest land for reclamation. Without capital, he "knocked on the door" of the bank to apply for preferential loans under the policy for war invalids. At one point, to invest in expanding production, he had to borrow up to 3 land certificates from relatives and friends as collateral for bank loans. Some people shook their heads in dismay: "With an illness, how can you afford to borrow so much money?"

At first, he planted pineapples, which are easy to grow but depend on the market, have unstable prices, and unstable output, making pineapples not as expected. He switched to growing sugarcane, and finally chose acacia as the main crop because it requires little care and provides a steady income. He calculated: “Acacia can be harvested after 5-7 years, each hectare brings in hundreds of millions of dong. After deducting expenses, the profit is several tens of millions each crop. Farming requires perseverance, as long as there is profit, it will be successful.”

To date, his entire 11.9ha is covered with acacia trees. Every few years, a crop of acacia is harvested, providing a stable income. “It’s like a long-term savings book, if you take care of it properly, you will have money coming in and out,” he laughed, his voice sincere and rustic.

Not only stopping at planting forests, Mr. Lam also invests in livestock farming to take advantage of by-products and create short-term income. Currently, his family maintains 30 breeding goats, selling dozens of breeding goats and meat goats each year; raising 24 commercial cows and calves along with many free-range pigs and chickens...

Instead of leaving the land fallow, he reclaimed 4 more fields to meet the family's rice needs. In addition, he dug 5 ponds to raise grass carp, tilapia, and silver carp, and combined them with growing grass to feed livestock and poultry. At the age of about to enter "thất thập cổ lai hy", he is still healthy and strong, taking the fields as his daily companions. For him, working is the best way to maintain his spirit and health.

“Being a war invalid does not mean living on welfare. I always think that as long as I can work, I cannot sit still and bother my children and grandchildren,” war invalid Nguyen Viet Lam confided.

Not only is he the breadwinner of his family, he is also a steadfast companion of the local farmers' movement. He held the position of Head of the Village Farmers' Association for 20 consecutive years. During his tenure, he was the first person to implement the garden - pond - barn model in the village, the first person to plant acacia trees on a large scale. He did not keep his business secrets to himself but was always willing to share with the people about forest planting techniques, how to choose breeds, and prevent diseases for livestock...

Mr. Lam and his wife have four children, all grown up, which is their pride and greatest reward after many years of hard work.

“In the past, my husband and I just wanted our children to study well and not have to work for others. Now that they show their gratitude through success and filial piety, I am satisfied,” said Mr. Lam.

From a soldier returning home with a wound on his body, Mr. Lam has created a “revival” in the middle of the forest, contributing to building a rich and beautiful homeland. Because more than anyone, he understands: Life is to continue to contribute, whether in war or peacetime.

Article and photos: Tran Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/song-la-de-tiep-tuc-cong-hien-256166.htm