Go for the people's service.
Truong Van Thai, born in 1984, is a former Party member who worked in the old Bac Tra My district. After the reorganization of the administrative apparatus and the abolition of the district level, he was assigned to Tra Giap commune – the most remote and difficult commune in the Bac Tra My region. The distance from his home in the center of Tra My to his new office is about 45km, of which more than 40km are steep, winding, and treacherous mountain passes. During the rainy season, the road is not only long but also full of dangers, landslides, traffic jams, isolation, power outages, and loss of signal.
On October 24th, a tropical depression following Typhoon No. 12 brought torrential rains to Tra My. By the morning of October 27th, the rain had lasted for three days and two nights, causing landslides, overflowing streams, paralyzing transportation, and completely cutting off electricity and internet access. The highlands of Tra Giap were plunged into isolation. As night fell, darkness enveloped everything, leaving only the sound of pattering rain and mounting anxieties.
After a weekend filled with anxiety due to the relentless rain and flooding, Mr. Thai decided to return to work early on October 27th, despite everyone advising him to stay. "If I go home, my conscience won't be at peace," he said. In Tra Giap, he's in charge of social policies, the area responsible for helping people in times of disaster. During a natural disaster, evacuations, relief efforts, and housing arrangements for the people, a shortage of personnel is a great disadvantage for them. "My own suffering is nothing compared to the suffering of the people," he confided.
At 5 a.m., he and four colleagues set off by car. Upon reaching Nuoc Vin (formerly Tra Giac), the road was blocked by landslides, forcing the car to stop. Seeing the two towering mounds of earth and rocks blocking their path, they understood that the only way to continue was on foot, cutting through the forest. The five, including Thai, decided to continue their journey. The rain continued heavily, the ground was muddy, and the wind howled. They waded through streams, climbed the mountain slopes, and clung to tree roots to overcome more than ten landslides of varying sizes.
Throughout that journey, he completely lost contact. At home, his wife and children anxiously awaited news of him... By evening, after more than 12 hours of walking, the five officials and Party members, covered in mud and exhausted but still smiling, had arrived at the headquarters of the Tra Giap Commune People's Committee. On his personal Facebook page, Mr. Thai posted more than 10 photos, accompanied by a short status update: "Started at 6 am, passed more than 10 landslides of varying sizes, arrived at 6 pm."
Stay close to the village, stay close to the people.
That simple message on Mr. Thai's personal Facebook page brought tears to the eyes of many relatives, colleagues, and friends, a mixture of worry, joy, and pride. Back home, his wife held her phone, trembling, and burst into tears when she saw the status update appear on the blurry screen. The whole family erupted in relief.
The comments under his post were overwhelming; some were happy, some criticized, but everyone understood: only those who had lived or worked in the highlands knew that it wasn't recklessness, but a sense of responsibility, a profound sense of loyalty in the heart of a Party member.
On the night of October 27th, Tra Giap was still without electricity and signal. The officials there had to conserve every last drop of battery power, climbing high hills to find a signal and report back to the lowlands. The scarce electricity from generators was only enough to power walkie-talkies and a few light bulbs for the evacuation efforts. Upon arrival, Thai's team immediately joined the police, military , and militia forces to help arrange temporary accommodation and distribute instant noodles, water, blankets, and other necessities to 55 households with over 230 people evacuated from the dangerous area.
The rain hasn't stopped. The mountains are still collapsing, the streams are still roaring. But amidst the hardship, that official and countless of his comrades stand firm in the flooded area, keeping the people at ease and preventing the government from becoming paralyzed. They don't talk much about sacrifice, because for them, "serving the people" is the natural duty of a Party member.
People like Mr. Thai may not appear on television or stand on a podium of honor. But it is they, these ordinary people, deeply rooted in their communities, who are the "living thread" connecting the Party and the people in the remote, windswept rainforests. They silently endure, resilient like landmarks in the vast wilderness, standing firm against storms so that the people still have faith, and so that life in the highlands is not swept away by floods.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/vuot-lu-cat-rung-ve-voi-dan-3308584.html
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