Warming up the missing green sprouts

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, in Ca Mau, there are homes not built on blood ties but on the rhythm of compassion. There, orphaned children are not only called by compassionate names, but are also nurtured by the warmth of "mothers" who are willing to dedicate their youth to caring for these premature infants, deprived of the presence of both parents.

• "Morning Sunshine of Love" brings Mid-Autumn Festival to underprivileged children.
• The loving moon comes to poor children.
• A haven of love for orphaned children.

These "angels" bear the surname Nhân.

At the Ca Mau Provincial Social Welfare Center, there is something special that touches the hearts of anyone who visits: all 18 children there share the same surname. That surname is "Nhan," the word "Nhan" meaning humanity and boundless compassion . They are all abandoned children, but they have never been left alone.

Baby Nhan Tue Tam, the youngest member, is just one month old. She arrived at the center as a newborn, never having had the chance to feel the warmth of her biological mother. But in return, she and the other 17 children have a special "mother," caregivers who have dedicated their youth to warming the lives of those with disabilities.

Having cared for these children for over 10 years, Ms. Nguyen Hong Loan has always dedicated her love to compensating for their disadvantages.

Having been involved in this profession for over 10 years, Ms. Nguyen Hong Loan has witnessed countless innocent, bewildered eyes searching for love and affection.

Ms. Loan emotionally shared: “I always consider this a mother's responsibility. Every nighttime cry or every time my child has a fever, my heart aches as if it were my own child suffering. I only hope my children have good health, excel in their studies, so that they can integrate into the community and have stable careers in the future.”

That love is the "miracle" that helped Nguyen Ngoc Thoai transform from a disabled boy full of self-consciousness 15 years ago into a confident 25-year-old. Having graduated with a degree in Information Technology, Thoai confidently stepped into life with deep gratitude.

Nguyen Ngoc Thoai graduated from vocational school and is currently helping the mothers take care of the young children at the center.

“The parents at the center have given me a second family and an education. Although I face many difficulties in getting around, I will try my best to find a suitable job,” Nguyen Ngoc Thoai shared.

Under the temple roof, these "young sprouts" share the same Phan family name.

Leaving the Ca Mau Provincial Social Welfare Center, we visited the children's care facility at Long Phuoc Pagoda (Vinh Trach Ward). Established in 2006, this place has become a peaceful haven for 34 orphaned children.

While the children at the center bear the surname Nhân, here they all share the surname Phan, the surname of the abbot. Venerable Thích Thiện Tấn, Deputy Director of the Long Phước Pagoda Children's Care Center, shared: "Initially, we faced many difficulties, but the pagoda always strives to provide the children with a good life. Watching them grow up day by day is our greatest joy. Because the children lack the love of their parents, the monks are always dedicated to making up for it."

Venerable Thich Thien Tan confided: "Because these children lack the love of their parents, the monks are always dedicated to making up for it."

Happiness is sometimes so simple. For Phan Thanh Hau, happiness is being picked up and dropped off at school every day, and playing in the loving embrace of others, even though he doesn't know who his parents are. And for Phan Hanh Thao, the love at the orphanage has nurtured a strong will: "Even without parents, I must try to overcome difficulties. I hope that when I grow up, I can return to take care of those who have cared for me from childhood to adulthood."

The bond is bound together by compassion.

Whether they are caregivers or Buddhist monks, whether they belong to the Nhân or Phan family, the single strongest bond in these places is compassion. Children may begin their lives with loss, but the kindness of the community will be the "wings" that help them "fly" far.

Closing the chapter of their lives, scarred from the moment they were born, the children at the Social Welfare Center or the Long Phuoc Pagoda shelter are growing up day by day with a special "nourishment": kindness. They may not have chosen how they were born, but they are fortunate to have a family, where mothers and teachers, not related by blood, have dedicated their lives to shielding them from the storms of life.

Children's education is given careful attention and care.

The surnames Nhân and Phan, "attached" to these underprivileged children, are not just identifications on paper, but a testament to profound human connection. Life may have taken away their own homes, but the community has compensated with a vast shared home. Because ultimately, home is not just an address; home is a place of laughter, understanding, and hands ready to hold each other in times of weakness. We believe that, through the power of kindness, these young birds, once lacking wings, will still be able to fly high and far in their own skies, because where there is love, there is home.

Trinh Hai

Source: https://baocamau.vn/suoi-am-mam-xanh-khuyet-a127283.html