A decade for orphans

Mr. De carries out programs for orphans.

Over the years, the image of Mr. De diligently preparing meals for orphans and poor patients has become familiar to the people of Chau Thoi commune. Every week, from Monday to Saturday, Mr. De is always present at the pagoda early in the morning to cook for poor children and only returns home late at night. Mr. De said that he has participated in the Chau Long Pagoda Charity Association ( Bac Lieu province) for many years. During the times he traveled with members to do charity programs, witnessed many unfortunate lives, and encountered many difficulties when having to receive "long-term" treatment at the hospital, so he was determined to set up a charity kitchen at the pagoda from 2015 until now.

When he first set up the kitchen, Mr. De encountered many difficulties, many times due to lack of funds, he thought the kitchen would have to stop operating. However, the desire to accompany poor patients helped him overcome everything. To cover operating costs, Mr. De asked his family for permission to set aside part of the money from renting out 16 rooms to maintain the kitchen. In addition, he also grew orchids to sell to maintain the fund; used social networks to film cooking videos for orphans, attracting a large number of followers. The charity work became more and more widespread, many benefactors inside and outside the province knew about it and joined hands to support him. "I hope that the meals not only help the children physically, but also bring warmth to the soul, giving strength to the poor patients to overcome their illness" - Mr. De confided.

Currently, every week, Mr. De organizes cooking all the time, only taking a day off on Sundays, the cost for each charity meal is about 1 million VND. Each time he cooks, he donates over 250 meals at 2 locations: Vinh Phuoc An Pagoda (Ward 2, Bac Lieu City) and Vinh Loi District General Hospital. The menu also changes constantly, from meat dishes to vegetarian dishes... ensuring hygiene and adequate nutrition.

“Charity rice must be delicious and attractive for me to dare to give. I choose to buy sticky, fragrant rice to cook, and save dry rice to cook porridge or stir-fried rice. Even though it is not much more expensive, but the patients and orphans eat well, I am also happy” - Mr. De confided.

To facilitate moving and transporting goods, Mr. De also saved money to buy an old truck to serve charity work. “Before, I only cooked to support 2 days on weekends. However, now I only take a day off on Sundays to support nutritious meals every day for 85 orphans at the pagoda. For the children, I always support salty food to ensure enough nutrition, ensure health, and physical development” - Mr. De shared.

For nearly a decade, every time Mr. De brings rice to the pagoda, the orphans here have a delicious meal. Many children love him, look at him every day, even have to have him feed them to find it delicious. Not only does he cook delicious meals, Mr. De also always accompanies the orphans. Gifts for Mid-Autumn Festival, International Children's Day, Lunar New Year... are all carefully prepared by him to give to the children. In addition, Mr. De also mobilizes and contributes to building charity houses, up to now, 6 houses have been handed over to people in special circumstances, each worth over 50 million VND; he regularly organizes gift giving for the poor and helps bury the deceased.

Nun Nguyet Hai, who practices at Vinh Phuoc An Pagoda in Bac Lieu Province, said: “Brother De’s heart is very big. Whatever the children want to eat or crave, he cooks and brings them. The children look for him every day, are happy to see him, and cling to him like family members.”

Article and photos: NGUYEN TRINH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/mot-thap-ky-vi-tre-mo-coi-a185584.html