The moon connects the sea and islands

Moon of love

“This Mid-Autumn Festival, I hope you receive lots of joy, sweet candies and warm feelings. Always be proud of your father who is contributing to protecting the Fatherland, so that you and everyone can have peaceful moon seasons.”

The neat handwriting of Dinh Bao Khang (student of Yen Ninh Town Secondary School, Ninh Binh ) is neatly placed on a white paper, next to a lovely lantern drawn with crayons. Next to it, the letter of little girl Bui Huong Giang is also full of warmth and sincerity: "Even though your parents are on duty on a faraway island, the love of your parents and everyone will always be with you."

Mid-Autumn Festival wishes from students to their children and Navy officers and soldiers

The small but loving words traveled a long way to reach the children of Navy officers and soldiers in the program "Moon of the Sea" organized by the Navy Region 3 Command, the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association in coordination with other units in Da Nang . On the evening of October 4, more than 2,000 children were bustling under the lion drum beat, carrying star lanterns, and looking up at the brilliant fireworks...

With her husband working at the oil rig on the southern continental shelf of the Fatherland, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong brought her two children Chi Khang (8 years old) and Chi Khuong (4 years old) to attend the program. She is the rear guard of Major Cao Anh Le Phuong, Commander of the DK1/18 oil rig, a soldier who has been attached to the ships on duty in the middle of the ocean and is now the DK1 landmark.

Ms. Thuy Duong sent loving letters to her husband, a soldier on an oil rig.

Recalling the full moon season last year, Ms. Duong's eyes lit up with emotion. Little Chi Khuong's birthday fell on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month, so the mother and son decided to celebrate his birthday on the full moon night, using all of his savings to buy lanterns and candy to give to the disadvantaged children in the neighborhood. "Dad wasn't home, but I could still enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival by bringing joy to others," Ms. Duong said.

Also from that moon season, she joined the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, together with members organizing the Mid-Autumn Festival for children whose fathers work in the sea and islands. “This year, I was able to go to Da Nang with the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival for the children of soldiers of Naval Region 3, with the hope of bringing them a loving full moon season,” Ms. Duong shared.

At the offshore rig, with unstable phone signal, her husband could only send a few words to his children via text message: “Dad is far away, but he always misses you. Dad hopes to see your smiles and hear your laughter on the full moon night.”

Vietnam Sea and Islands Association prepares Mid-Autumn gifts for children of Navy officers and soldiers

Those simple yet emotional messages have become a great source of encouragement for the wife on the mainland. As the wife of a soldier on an oil rig and also a member of the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, Ms. Duong understands better than anyone the silent sacrifices of the marine soldiers and their families. On holidays, New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival... when many families reunite, the wives and children of the marine soldiers look up at the moon, sending their love to the far sea.

Dad is at the rig, I am at home with friends!

The story of love continues to be written at the Naval Region 2 Command (Long Son Commune, Ho Chi Minh City). On the evening of October 5, under the clear moon, Naval Region 2 organized a full moon festival with the theme "Dad is at the rig, children are at home with friends". Hundreds of children of officers and soldiers of Brigade 171 and Battalion DK1 giggled and played. The festival also welcomed children of fishermen sponsored by the unit, extending the affection between fishermen who work day and night at sea and soldiers who are guarding the sea to protect sovereignty .

Children enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival at Naval Region 2

Through the online screen, Captain Tran Van Luc, Political Commissar of DK1/10 platform, sent a message: “Right now, in the middle of the ocean, we can still feel the warm atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival on the mainland. This is a great source of encouragement for the rear to be strong, for us at the front to be confident in holding our guns, firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands, and continental shelf of the Fatherland... On this occasion, I would like to send my best wishes to my daughter Bao Tram and all the children for a happy and warm Mid-Autumn Festival; I hope that you will be good, study well, love, share, and listen to your grandparents, parents, and teachers.”

As soon as the wishes ended, the officers and soldiers of DK1/10 platform said in unison: "Wishing you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, good health and good behavior!"

In front of the screen, little Bao Tram hugged the lantern and the piggy bank tightly. When her father appeared, she paused for half a second and then shouted, waving her hands frantically: “Dad, I see you!”. There was no hug, no hand stroking the head of her father, but the loving eyes of the fathers on the faraway islands overcame the waves to reach her children in time. The Mid-Autumn Festival of the children who were soldiers on the oil rig was compensated by the love of the whole unit…

Bao Tram and her mother listen to her father's wishes from the oil rig.

The mid-autumn moon shines through every roof, every wave, carrying the peaceful wishes of the marines. Anywhere in the sea and sky of the homeland, that moon also lights up love...

THU HOAI

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/vang-trang-noi-lien-bien-dao-post816653.html