Bambari Task Force members pose for a souvenir photo after hours of intense meetings.

For Major Nguyen Van Hien - Officer at the MINUSCA Mission (Central African Republic), as well as his other colleagues, the sincere support and sharing of international friends has given him the motivation to overcome the difficulties and hardships of working in one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world, and to strive to successfully complete the tasks entrusted to him by the Party, State, and Army.

When he received the mission to operate completely independently, despite his careful mental preparation, as soon as he set foot in Bambari, the capital of Ouaka province in the Central African Republic, he could not help but be surprised by the harshness of the nature here. There was only red soil, gravel and narrow thatched houses, where dozens of people in a family lived. Traveling on the road located in the most central area of ​​Ouaka province, Major Nguyen Van Hien could hardly recognize any signs of the health care system, education, electricity, water... here. Everything was beyond the imagination of the Vietnamese green beret soldier.

Major Nguyen Van Hien and local people on a survey trip to grasp the local situation.

Difficulties piled up on difficulties when in the first two months at the Mission, food, provisions and essential supplies transported by air from Vietnam could not reach the Central African Republic due to the complicated security situation. Meanwhile, local food and provisions were very scarce. The MINUSCA Mission almost strictly restricted the movement out of the barracks other than for the purpose of carrying out the mission, because the rebel forces in the area often mixed in and pretended to be local people, causing a risk of insecurity. But it was also during those difficult times that Major Nguyen Van Hien felt more clearly the warm feelings and spirit of international solidarity from his fellow blue berets.

Major Nguyen Van Hien's colleagues from many different countries enthusiastically shared what they had during the nearly two months he did not receive food from Vietnam. Every lunch, his colleagues from Serbia, Pakistan, Nepal, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Russia, etc. prepared more dishes than usual to share with him at the office. Everyone felt happy to share with their Vietnamese colleagues and have the opportunity to introduce their country's cuisine. Bread, canned food, instant noodles, basic household items, etc. from his colleagues helped Major Nguyen Van Hien "hold on" until he received the consignment goods from Vietnam. That sincere help made a child living far away from home like him feel like he was living in a real family.

To thank and reciprocate the affection of his international colleagues, Major Nguyen Van Hien, who had nothing much to offer, brought them green vegetables that he had grown himself. After each working day, he spent some time increasing production and taking care of the green vegetable beds to improve them. The beds of water spinach, squash, amaranth, Malabar spinach, etc. were always green and lush under the care and cultivation of the army major who had spent 23 years in the military. The typical Vietnamese vegetables became a familiar dish in the meals of the green beret officers in the Bambari Task Force.

Captain Ljubisav Vicentijevic, a peacekeeping officer of the Republic of Serbia, harvests vegetables from a vegetable garden grown by Vietnamese officers .

Major Nguyen Van Hien has now received goods from Vietnam. To show his gratitude and strengthen his bond with his colleagues, every day off he shows off his cooking skills and invites everyone to enjoy Vietnamese dishes. He shared: “This is also an opportunity for me to introduce to you the unique Vietnamese cuisine that is loved around the world. You all have different nationalities, religions and cultures and love the dishes I make, including Muslims.”

International blue beret officers become closer and more intimate with sports and cultural exchange activities outside of work hours. Every evening, the Vietnamese Major and his colleagues enjoy cups of tea and coffee together, telling each other stories about family life, culture, country, and people all over the world. Those conversations and exchanges become a bridge to help UN peacekeepers get closer together, helping them understand each other better. Without knowing when, they consider each other as family members, sharing joys and sorrows in life, and encouraging each other to strive to fulfill their assigned tasks.

Major Nguyen Van Hien participated in the exchange and gift giving activities on the occasion of International Women's Day, March 8, at the Bambari Task Force.

Not only in life, Major Nguyen Van Hien also received enthusiastic help from colleagues in professional work. Having just arrived to take up the task, working in an international, multinational, multilingual and cultural environment, it is inevitable that he will be confused when approaching the job. After only a short time, with the support of colleagues and his own efforts, self-study and learning, Vietnamese officers in the Bambari Task Force have become more confident in performing their tasks, and have been highly appreciated by superiors, friends and international colleagues.

Half of his term of office has passed, the initial difficulties and hardships have also passed. Now, what remains in Major Nguyen Van Hien's mind is the pure international solidarity and affection of his colleagues from all over the world, and of the simple, poor but affectionate local people. The more difficult times he experiences, the more he cherishes the affection and loves the land and people here. It is these simple things that urge him and his colleagues to work harder and join forces to contribute to the noble mission of preserving peace.

MEDAL (from Central African Republic)