Join hands to build warm houses of solidarity between religions and non-religious people

From 2018 to present, with the spirit of "helping each other", religious dignitaries, officials and followers in the province have actively responded to the campaign, contributing nearly 10 billion VND to build nearly 200 new houses of solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics for poor households and households with difficult housing circumstances in the province.

Warm homes of solidarity between religions and non-religious people

Over 70 years old, Mrs. Tran Thi Nham in Hamlet 2, Dong Huong Commune (Kim Son) is now living in a spacious, sturdy house built with the joint efforts of the community and the active support of religious dignitaries. It is a level 4 house, solidly built, with reasonable functions.

Ms. Nham shared: As a single woman, my life has encountered many difficulties over the years. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Kim Son district and the Party Committee, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Huong commune have mobilized philanthropists and religious establishments in the area to participate in supporting and helping me build a new house. During the construction days of the house, brothers, neighbors, and representatives of the commune's organizations all came to encourage and help with labor, funds, etc. so that the house could be completed soon.

Sharing the joy of living in a house filled with solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics, Mr. Ngo Duc Lung in Tho Hoang village, Yen Hoa commune (Yen Mo) said: His family is a poor household, the couple is old, living mainly on daily wages. Therefore, in recent years, the family has had to live in a makeshift house, which is not safe for living and has a high risk of being unsafe when the rainy and stormy season comes. At the end of 2023, thanks to the attention of the Fatherland Front Committees at all levels, Mr. Lung was supported to build a new house. After 2 months of construction, the new house with an area of ​​nearly 100m2 was completed and handed over to the family with a total construction cost of 150 million VND. Of which: The Party Committee, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Yen Hoa commune supported 30 million VND; Hai Nap parish supported 25 million VND, Trinh Nu pagoda supported 20 million VND, the rest was supported by relatives, family and neighbors. "Until now, I still dare not dream of having a decent house like this. A stable place to live, my family has escaped poverty, and step by step we can take care of a better life" - Mr. Ngo Duc Lung confided.

Each house of solidarity between religions is built with the care and support of all levels, sectors and religious organizations, demonstrating the nation's fine tradition of "mutual love" as well as the motto of "living a good life, good religion", "religion accompanies the nation" of religious organizations. Thereby contributing to firmly consolidating the great national unity bloc and caring for, supporting and supporting the poor better and better so that "no one is left behind". The cooperation of religions has contributed to poverty reduction, improving people's lives, and at the same time building a good image of religions in the community.

Strongly mobilize resources to care for poor households

Since its launch, the model of "Mobilizing religious dignitaries and officials to join hands to build houses of solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics" has received enthusiastic responses from religious dignitaries, officials and followers in the province. Many houses of solidarity have been built, bringing joy and hope to many families. These houses are not only a place to live, but also a symbol of solidarity, sharing and compassion.

Comrade Nguyen Minh Truong, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Kim Son district, said: Based on the survey and statistics of poor households, near-poor households, and policy families whose houses have seriously degraded but do not have the conditions to rebuild, the district Fatherland Front has mobilized and called on dignitaries and philanthropists to join hands to support. With their prestige, religious dignitaries have actively mobilized followers and people to contribute their efforts and money to build houses of solidarity between religions. Accordingly, in the past nearly 6 years, dignitaries, followers of the two religions and people have joined hands to build 28 Great Unity houses with a support amount of over 1.5 billion VND, including 16 houses of solidarity between religions with a support cost of over 700 million VND.

Venerable Thich Minh Quang, Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in the province, said: With the direction of "National Dharma and Socialism", promoting the spirit of "Serving religion and loving the country", in recent times, monks, nuns and Buddhist followers of the Buddhist Sangha of Ninh Binh province have always promoted the spirit of solidarity, harmony, joining hands and unanimity with the Party Committee, Government, Fatherland Front and People in the province to strive to excellently complete all tasks, contributing to building Ninh Binh homeland to become more and more developed, rich and civilized. Monks, nuns and Buddhist followers in the province have donated financial and material resources to humanitarian charity work (including support for building houses for solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics) with a total value of tens of millions of VND. Although the amount is still modest, it clearly demonstrates the responsibility of Buddhists, contributing to arousing the spirit of mutual love and mutual assistance and building a great community solidarity bloc.

Priest Do Van Khoa, Ninh Binh Parish shared: We realize that the model of "Mobilizing religious dignitaries and officials to join hands to build warm houses of solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics" not only aims to build new houses for poor families, but through the model contributes to promoting understanding and harmony between religions, building a united and civilized society. Therefore, the model has also received the consensus and response of many parishioners of Ninh Binh Parish.

From 2018 to present, the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee together with the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission have mobilized religious dignitaries and officials to support the construction of nearly 200 new houses for poor households with housing difficulties with a total amount of nearly 10 billion VND. In particular, to celebrate the 13th National Congress, the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of the province and the Buddhist Congresses at all levels, priests and monks and nuns of the two religions have joined hands, participated in supporting and organizing the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 48 houses of solidarity between Catholics and ethnic minorities for poor Catholic and ethnic households with housing difficulties with a construction cost of over 9 billion VND (built jointly by the two religious organizations).

By effectively implementing the model of "Mobilizing religious dignitaries and officials to join hands to build houses of solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics", the Fatherland Front at all levels has become a "bridge" for religious dignitaries, officials and representatives to join hands to care for the poor, realizing the dream of "settling down and having a career", contributing to the sustainable development of the province.

Article and photos: Mai Lan

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/chung-tay-xay-dung-nhung-ngoi-nha-am-tinh-doan-ket-luong/d20240829221910305.htm