The moon connects the sea and the islands.

So tonight, in those remote islands, where offshore platforms face the elements, the officers and soldiers on duty guarding the sea and islands for the Fatherland and their homeland can still feel the warmth of the Mid-Autumn Festival knowing that their children are enjoying a beautiful full moon night.

Season of Love

"This Mid-Autumn Festival, I wish you much joy, sweet treats, and warm affection. Always be proud of your father who is contributing to protecting the country, so that you and everyone can have peaceful Mid-Autumn Festivals."

The neat handwriting of Dinh Bao Khang (a student from Yen Ninh Town Secondary School, Ninh Binh ) sits atop a white sheet of paper, next to a pretty lantern drawn with crayons. Beside it, a letter from Bui Huong Giang is equally warm and sincere: "Even though your parents are on duty far away on an island, their love and affection are always with you."

Mid-Autumn Festival wishes from students to the children of naval officers and soldiers.

Small, heartfelt messages traveled far to reach the children of naval officers and soldiers in the "Moon of the Sea" program, organized by the Command of Naval Region 3, the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, and other units in Da Nang . On the evening of October 4th, more than 2,000 children excitedly joined in the lion dance, carried star-shaped lanterns, and gazed up at the dazzling fireworks...

With her husband serving on an offshore platform 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 supportive wife of Major Cao Anh Le Phuong, Commander of the DK1/18 offshore platform, a soldier who has dedicated himself to serving on ships in the open sea, now the DK1 landmark.

Ms. Thuy Duong sends loving letters to her husband, a soldier stationed on an offshore platform.

Recalling last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, Ms. Duong's eyes lit up with emotion. Little Chi Khuong's birthday falls on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month, so the mother and children decided to celebrate it on the night of the full moon, using all of their savings to buy lanterns and sweets to give to underprivileged children in the neighborhood. "Even though Dad isn't home, my son can still enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival by bringing joy to others," Ms. Duong recounted.

Since that Mid-Autumn Festival, she has joined the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, organizing Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations for children whose fathers work in the sea and islands. “This year, I had the opportunity to go to Da Nang with the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association to organize a Mid-Autumn Festival for the children of soldiers in the 3rd Naval Region, hoping to bring them a loving Mid-Autumn Festival,” Ms. Duong shared.

On the offshore platform, with intermittent phone signals, her husband could only send a few words to their children via text message: "Dad is far away, but I always miss you all. I long to see your smiles, to hear your joyful laughter on the full moon night."

The Vietnam Sea and Islands Association prepares Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for the children of naval officers and soldiers.

Those simple yet heartfelt messages became a great source of encouragement for the wives on the mainland. As the wife of a soldier stationed on an offshore platform and also a member of the Vietnam Sea and Islands Association, Ms. Duong understands better than anyone the silent sacrifices of the sailors and their families. On every holiday, Tet, Mid-Autumn Festival... while many families reunite, the wives and children of the sailors look up at the moon and send messages of love to the distant sea.

Dad is on the offshore platform, the son is at home with friends!

The story of love continues to unfold at the Naval Region 2 Command (Long Son commune, Ho Chi Minh City). On the evening of October 5th, under the clear moonlight, Naval Region 2 organized a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration with the theme "Dad is on the offshore platform, the child is at home with friends." Hundreds of children of officers and soldiers from Brigade 171 and Battalion DK1 happily laughed and played. The celebration also welcomed children of fishermen sponsored by the unit, extending the bond between the fishermen who work day and night at sea and the soldiers guarding the sea and protecting sovereignty .

Children celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival at the Naval Region 2 headquarters.

Through the online screen, Captain Tran Van Luc, Political Officer of the DK1/10 offshore platform, sent a message: “Right now, in the vast 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 home front, so that we on the front lines can confidently hold our weapons, firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands, and continental shelf of our Fatherland… On this occasion, I would like to send my best wishes to my daughter Bao Tram and all the children for a joyful and warm Mid-Autumn Festival; I hope you all are well-behaved, study hard, know how to love, share, and listen to your grandparents, parents, and teachers.”

As soon as the greetings ended, the officers and soldiers of the DK1/10 platform unanimously said: "Wishing the children a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, and may they be well-behaved and healthy!"

In front of the screen, little Bao Tram clutched her lantern and piggy bank. Seeing her father appear, she paused for a second before shouting and waving excitedly, "Dad, I see you!" There was no hug, no pat on the head from her father, but the loving gaze of the fathers on the remote island had reached their children across the waves. The Mid-Autumn Festival for these children of soldiers on the offshore platform was compensated by the love of the entire unit…

Bao Tram and her mother listened to her father's blessings from the offshore platform.

The Mid-Autumn moon shines through every rooftop and every wave, carrying the wishes for peace from the sailors. Wherever we are in the sea and sky of our homeland, that moon illuminates love...

THU HOAI

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