For the past 4 years, the zero-dong vegetarian kitchen of Mrs. Nguyen Thi My and Mr. Tran Van Hong (Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City) has been providing meals for the needy.
Free vegetarian meal of "My's grandmother" couple
For the past 4 years, the zero-dong vegetarian restaurant of Mrs. Nguyen Thi My (74 years old) and Mr. Tran Van Hong (89 years old) at 207 Nguyen Van Dau (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) has not only been a place to provide filling meals but also a place to spread good living values to the community.
Accordingly, every day, from 5am, the small kitchen of Mrs. Nguyen Thi My (often called Mrs. My's grandmother) becomes busier than ever. The sound of knives and cutting boards clattering, the sound of boiling oil sizzling together, creating special meals. The grandparents and volunteers are busy preparing hot, nutritious vegetarian meals.
"Grandpa, please open the door, put down the table, let the people wait" , My's warm voice called out from the door, like a warm, loving greeting sent to those who were patiently waiting. In response to that call, Mr. Hong, with a thin figure, slowly walked out, his eyes shining with indescribable joy. Every move of his, from arranging the tables to meticulously placing each lunch box on top, exuded respect and sincerity towards those who came to receive the food.
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| Regardless of rain or shine, Mr. and Mrs. My's small kitchen is still on fire, regularly providing warm vegetarian meals to people in difficult circumstances. |
The simple vegetable and root lunch boxes, cooked by grandparents, do not simply help the needy fill their stomachs. They also carry great spiritual value, conveying faith and hope for a brighter tomorrow. Many people who come here share that the vegetarian meals in their grandmother's kitchen are not only food, but also a priceless spiritual gift, a source of encouragement to help them overcome the difficulties and hardships in life. In each bite of rice, they feel the warmth of humanity, the sincere sharing from the hearts of the old couple.
The story of the zero-dong rice kitchen began in 2019, when My's grandmother came from her hometown to Saigon for medical treatment. Having a relationship with this land, she witnessed the hardships and difficulties of many people, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Her kind heart could not ignore those situations. Without hesitation, My's grandmother decided to withdraw all of her savings of 80 million VND to start cooking charity rice.
Recalling that somewhat “reckless” decision, my grandmother smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with joy: “I withdrew all 80 million VND, when we run out of money, we will return to our hometown” . That simple sentence contained a vast heart, a noble sacrifice, putting the interests of others above oneself.
Thanks to Mr. Hong's support, the couple's free rice kitchen was born and has been maintained until now. Regardless of rain or shine, Mr. and Mrs. My's small kitchen is still red hot, regularly giving away warm vegetarian meals to people in difficult circumstances. The image of the couple with hunched backs and old age still diligently preparing each lunch box makes anyone who witnesses it moved.
In the rare moments of silence, My's grandmother is busy picking vegetables and cutting roots. She confided: "I'm old, I didn't expect to be able to do it until now. But seeing so many poor people still suffering, and receiving wholehearted support from benefactors and volunteers, I just kept doing it, and in the blink of an eye, it's been almost 3 years." Every day, she wakes up at 3am, prepares each ingredient herself, and cooks heartwarming meals. Despite her old age and weak health, her immense love for everyone is always full and spreading.
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| For the past 4 years, the zero-dong vegetarian restaurant of Mr./Mrs. Nguyen Thi My (74 years old) and Mrs. Tran Van Hong (89 years old) at 207 Nguyen Van Dau (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) has not only been a place to provide filling meals but also a place to spread good living values to the community. |
Even though they are free meals, each meal in My's kitchen is prepared meticulously and filled with love. In the beginning, there were only the couple struggling in the small kitchen, struggling to cook for a few people. But then, thanks to sharing on social networks, the good news about the free rice kitchen spread far and wide. More and more volunteers came to join the couple in cooking and cleaning. Thanks to that valuable help, the work became easier, the number of meals also increased significantly, meeting the increasing needs of the people.
The concept of "giving is forever"
Ngoai My emotionally shared: "Since the day I opened this kitchen, many benefactors and volunteers have joined hands to contribute. Without them, my husband and I certainly would not have been able to make it this far."
Carefully arranging each lunch box into a basket, Mr. Phan Nguyen Dai, 88 years old, a volunteer from Phu Nhuan, excitedly shared: “Whenever I have free time, I come here to help. After that, I will bring about 20 portions to the patients at the Oncology Hospital. Although I know that the amount is not enough to meet the needs, I will try my best to do as much as possible. I hope that these small portions of rice will bring a little joy and motivation to the patients who are fighting the disease day and night.” Mr. Dai’s words, although simple, contain a great heart and sincere sharing.
Ms. Dang Thi Minh Hoa, one of the volunteers who has been with the kitchen since its inception, emotionally recounted: “Here, everyone who has contributed their efforts and money contributes their money. There are elderly men and women who ride bicycles to receive lunch boxes with trembling hands and feet. Seeing them, I feel an indescribable joy… The feeling of sharing and helping others is truly meaningful. I believe that one day, when they are no longer healthy enough to continue, we, the ones who remain, will work together to continue maintaining this warm kitchen.”
Ms. Hoa also added more about the kitchen's raw materials: "The vegetables, tubers, and fruits we use are all received from the wholesale market, always fresh and of guaranteed quality. In addition, many restaurants and eateries also regularly support the leftover vegetables and tubers. Thanks to that, our kitchen always has enough ingredients to cook nutritious and delicious meals."
To ensure that the vegetarian meals are served hot every morning, My’s grandmother and the volunteers do not hesitate to wake up early in the morning. Many vegetables are prepared the previous afternoon to save time. On the full moon or the first day of the lunar month, the kitchen becomes busier than ever when dozens of vegetarian dishes are prepared to sell. By selling vegetarian bread with pork skin, vegetarian vermicelli and Thai fish sauce at the same price of 15,000 VND/portion, My’s grandmother and the volunteers try to earn a little extra money to cover some of their expenses.
| From the simple sign "Free rice - 0 VND vegetable rice", My's vegetarian restaurant has now been upgraded to "0 VND Kitchen - Front's affection", receiving certification from the Binh Thanh District Fatherland Front Committee. This change is not only the joy of the volunteers but also the wish of the whole community. Wishing My's couple good health to continue their journey of cooking and sharing the burden of life with more difficult circumstances. |
Source: https://congthuong.vn/bep-chay-0-dong-cua-ong-ba-u80-giua-long-thanh-pho-371436.html
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