This spring in South Sudan

Amidst the scorching sun and torrential rains that could inundate the entire region of Bentiu, South Sudan, a very different kind of spring quietly emerges…

Major Le Trung Kien (row 1, third from the right) and Lieutenant Do Hoang Thanh Tam (row 2, fourth from the right) at the AIDS Day program held at the mission. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

No fireworks, no spring colors. For the Vietnamese soldiers in blue berets at Field Hospital 2.7, spring arrives amidst nostalgia for home, phone conversations with family, and the persistent, silent rhythm of work dedicated to their United Nations peacekeeping mission.

Growing up on the front lines

Born in 2001, Lieutenant Do Hoang Thanh Tam is the youngest female soldier in the 2.7th Field Hospital. At an age when many young people are still exploring their own paths, Tam was already present in Bentiu, South Sudan - one of the most challenging areas for the UNMISS peacekeeping mission.

Joining the United Nations peacekeeping force was not only a personal milestone but also a major turning point, forcing Tam to leave his comfort zone and face the demanding requirements of an international mission.

At Field Hospital 2.7, Tam served as an administrative officer, acting as the unit's English-speaking liaison in activities with the Mission and other friendly units. As the youngest officer in the unit, Tam felt both honored and under considerable pressure.

Sharing about the difficulties she faced, Tam said that the challenges came not only from the geographical conditions but also from her own process of self-development. She always reminded herself to be clearly aware of her responsibility in every decision, and could not use the excuse of being "young" to allow herself to make mistakes.

Tam believes that engaging in frank, appropriate, yet subtle and effective discussions and consultations with international colleagues is a major challenge in a multinational and multicultural environment. Besides courage and skills, maintaining physical fitness is also a significant challenge. She consistently maintains a disciplined physical training regimen to ensure readiness to respond to emergencies in challenging environments. And regardless of her position, she is always conscious of upholding the image of a soldier of the Vietnam People's Army, unafraid to confront her limitations in order to improve herself.

Amidst the demands of her work and the challenges she faced, the story from the refugee camp deeply troubled Tâm, especially the plight of women who had been repeatedly assaulted but chose to remain silent for fear of social ostracism. From this experience, she realized that the greatest fear wasn't just violence, but also silence and prejudice, prompting her to work with utmost seriousness and compassion, contributing to the protection of the vulnerable.

Over time, for the energetic 25-year-old female soldier in the blue beret, spring in South Sudan has become a spring of growth – quiet, profound, and full of responsibility.

Following my eldest child… through the phone screen.

Also at Field Hospital 2.7, every time night falls, in the quiet space of a foreign land, Major Nguyen Huy Nam, a nurse in the Airborne Emergency Team, chooses to open his phone and gaze at the first moments of his son's life through the phone screen.

Major Nguyen Huy Nam (seated in the vehicle) during a patient rescue mission at the mission. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

When Major Nguyen Huy Nam boarded the C17 aircraft to travel halfway around the world to perform an international mission, his son was just over two months old. Before leaving, he managed to bring his wife and son back home. "Luckily, both families live close by, so my wife and son are cared for and supported by their grandparents, which helps ease my worries," Major Nguyen Huy Nam said.

Geographical distance and time zone differences made phone calls rare, so he could mostly only follow his child's growth journey, from turning over to getting their first teeth or starting solid foods, through his phone screen.

There were times when Nam Sudan was on night duty, and back home, his child would wake up wanting to see him. At those moments, he felt a mix of emotions that were hard to describe. "Even though I couldn't hold my child in my arms or play with him, the images and videos my wife sent became a source of spiritual nourishment, giving me strength and motivation to live responsibly, steadfastly, and to perform my duties well," said Major Nguyen Huy Nam.

Sharing about his work, Major Nguyen Hoang Nam said that air ambulance services in South Sudan are a race against time under extremely harsh conditions. Road transport is often impossible, and each flight places human lives at the mercy of the entire team's intense focus.

There are cases that Nam can never forget, such as the time he transported a Ghanaian soldier with critical appendicitis. Thanks to the efforts of the entire medical team, the surgery was successful, and the patient recovered and returned to thank them after being discharged. In that moment, he understood that his and his family's silent sacrifices were entirely worthwhile.

During the Lunar New Year holidays in a foreign land, his emotions were a mix of feelings: longing for home, for his parents, and for his young child growing up day by day. On the television screen, the New Year's commercials, the vibrant colors of spring, evoked in the heart of the soldier in a green beret a sense of nostalgia for the New Year's Eve dinner, for the family gathering on the 30th of the lunar month, for exchanging lucky money and wishing each other a happy new year...

"It is only when you are far from your homeland that you truly appreciate their value and they become unforgettable memories," he said.

This year, even though he celebrated Tet (Lunar New Year) halfway around the world, the concern of his commander and the warm camaraderie became a great source of encouragement, helping him and his colleagues to stand firm and successfully complete their mission.

Within the unit's grounds, branches of apricot blossoms made from colored paper, hastily prepared sticky rice cakes, and a simple New Year's Eve meal are all accompanying the Vietnamese soldiers in their celebration of the arrival of Spring – a Spring of intertwined responsibilities and unending longing.

Back in Bentiu

If for Lieutenant Do Hoang Thanh Tam it was a process of self-growth, and for Major Nguyen Huy Nam it was a personal sacrifice, then for Major Le Trung Kien, Pharmacist of the Pharmacy and Equipment Department of Field Hospital 2.7, South Sudan it was a journey of return.

Major Le Trung Kien had harbored the dream of joining a peacekeeping force since early on, but the path to realizing it was far from smooth. He registered with the Level 2.1 Field Hospital teams and participated in long-term training with Level 2.3 Field Hospital, but he still missed his chance, leaving him with unforgettable regrets.

After nine years of perseverance and effort, that dream came true when he became a member of Field Hospital 2.5 (in 2023), flying a C-17 aircraft to serve in the UNMISS mission in South Sudan. Not stopping at fulfilling his youthful aspirations, his spirit of dedication led Major Le Trung Kien back to Bentiu for a second time, joining Field Hospital 2.7, a place where harsh weather and danger are ever-present.

This time, the young soldier in the green beret was no longer bewildered, unfamiliar, or worried about safety like the first time, but instead felt a sense of responsibility and excitement. "Everything seems the same, it feels familiar, like returning 'home' again, a place I thought I wouldn't or would find very difficult to return to," said Major Le Trung Kien.

As the spirit of spring spreads across his homeland, from halfway around the world, Major Le Trung Kien recalls his first Tet (Lunar New Year) in South Sudan. Although it wasn't his first time celebrating Tet away from home, the Tet on another continent still left him with special emotions.

He said that, despite the many hardships, the entire unit worked together to make banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), set up miniature scenes and traditional stalls to create a Tet atmosphere, alleviate homesickness, and invite international friends to participate and introduce Vietnamese culture.

The moment of New Year's Eve, the transition between the old and new year, is vividly etched in Major Le Trung Kien's memory. There were no fireworks, just comrades gathered around a simple meal, the national flag fluttering in the wind as time passed. "If there had been fireworks at that moment, there would have been no reunion; instead, we would all have been in combat positions," Major Le Trung Kien said with a smile.

Celebrating Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) twice in South Sudan has helped Major Le Trung Kien deeply understand the value of solidarity and dedication. Though not extravagant or flamboyant, spending New Year's Eve under the national flag, surrounded by fellow soldiers, has become an unforgettable memory. For him, spring in South Sudan marks a milestone in his growth, where responsibility and faith have become an integral part of his life as a soldier.

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Three people, three stories converge in South Sudan, where Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is not only a moment of transition into the new year but also the embodiment of responsibility, sacrifice, and faith.

In a land fraught with instability, the Vietnamese blue beret soldiers stand silently but persistently, bringing with them not only expertise but also compassionate hearts and a yearning for peace.

More than half a world away from home, spring arrives in every shift, every phone call from afar, nurturing the hope of joyful Lunar New Year reunions after years of dedication.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/xuan-nay-o-nam-sudan-351041.html