"ONE PIECE WHEN HUNGRY…”
In the early summer of 2020, the Hong An Association received letters and pictures from the Sisters of St. Paul in Cao Bang - Lang Son as follows:
... I am sending some pictures of our last visit with the poor.
Those who received COVID-19 gifts were very touched by the generosity. They said, "We eat each meal as it comes. Sometimes, we have lunch, but we do not know what our children will eat at night. I want a job, but I don’t know when employers are hiring again.” As for the elderly people, when they see us visiting, they are overjoyed as if they saw a bright light.
I want to thank you, Hong An, and all benefactors for saving them in this pandemic. When visiting them and witnessing their struggles, it is also a lesson for us Sisters.
Thanks to the “Discretionary” funds, we were able to change the number of people or split the gifts so that more people could receive them. And thanks to the extra money, I helped a struggling family purchase a coffin for their mother who passed away from cancer. The son had a stroke, the daughter has a disability, and the daughter-in-law must take care of the whole family. The couple also has a child going to school. Their struggles are heartbreaking.
The Hong An Association feels such sympathy for the poorevery time itreceivesmore pictures and stories about their plight. Many of these people live in houses made of mud and dirt and never know if they will get their next meal.Because of these dire circumstances, the Association informed the Sisters that there will be an increase of 50 meals each month. So now the Sisters can rotate the donations every quarter and help more needy people.
When informed of this news, the Sisters were overjoyed to have an increase of 50 meals to share with the poor. They said that by the 4th quarter, they will increase support to more poor people. They also reported that they have the help of enthusiastic volunteers.
WALKING AND CRAWLING
In mid-February 2020, the Hong An Association received a letter from Sister To, the Charity Coordinator of the Daughters of Our Lady of Unity of Bac Ninh. She shared stories and pictures of visiting the poor from different villages. Thanks to the photos, the Hong An Association can get a glimpse of the Sisters’ experiences throughout their journey.
After each trip, the Sisters share stories of their fun and exciting trip in a way that pictures cannot convey.
Usually, before each trip to the underprivileged villages, the Sisters look for acquaintances that are going towards the villages area to help assist with their mission. On this trip, the Sisters found a couple who needed to buy oranges near the village that the Sisters intended to visit in Tuyen Quang. Their car had empty space from Bac Ninh, so the Sisters asked them to haul supplies and food for the poor.
When they arrived, they dropped off the supplies to the poor and went to buy oranges as planned. 
Please give a big round of applause for the Sisters for coming up with a resourceful plan but also applause for the generous couple as well as for the benefactors who have helped so much. This type of plan saves money, time, and gas. Best of all, it ensures that more poor people will get the help they need!
After the trip, Sister To said: “Sister, I’ve never gotten so many phone calls like this before with the recipients thanking us for their gifts. They said that the weather has been wet and cold so they were unable. Now they received rice, instant noodles, and warm clothes. Thank you so much to the benefactors!
I would like to express my sincere thanks to you, The Hong An Association for sharing with the poor "a bit of a beginning to a bright future". May God bestow blessings on the Sisters and the Hong An Association.”
Please see the photos from the Sisters.
“My own burden is light…”
The Hong An Association has often heard many benefactors share, “If you look at your struggles, you often see life as miserable and uninteresting! If you look at the circumstances of the poor people in your hometown, your burden suddenly goes away! There is wisdom in the saying: “Look up and I’m not better than anyone. Look down and no one else is equal to me.””
The story of poverty in Vietnam is an endless, long story because there are so many poor people. The Sisters hear more sad stories every time they go on visits. Sometimes we ask ourselves how these unfortunate people find the motivation to live day to day. One of the keys to their survival is that these people who struggle with mental illness, physical disability, or the problems of old age are helped through the brotherly love of other. Some of these kind people have little to spare and yet they help those less fortunate.
Together with the help of the benefactors, the Hong An Association has assisted the Sisters in Vietnam to visit and give gifts of rice to each of these poor people every month or every quarter.
We can only imagine is brought by these visits from the Sisters. It is so heartwarming.
Below are some photos sent by the Sisters of Mary Queen after their visits to the elderly, sick, or poor people.
EVERYONE’S SITUATION
The story of the poor is ongoing and never ending. Every time we feel that our life is a difficult struggle, we should look at the plight of the poor. Suddenly, our own problems are not such a heavy burden.
Please look at the photos of the poor in Thai Binh taken by the Dominican Sisters. These families have been selected by the Sisters and are supported by the Hong An Association every month. Each time the families receives the gifts, they are overjoyed and so thankful to the Sisters and the Hong An Association.
VISITING PATIENTS WITH LEPROSY
During the "boiling point" with the COVID-19 pandemic, it was quiet everywhere. Transportation was reduced and many visits and charity trips were canceled. There were very few visitors at the institutions for the lepers, disabled, orphanages, etc. Everyone was concerned with the spread of COVID-19.
Van-Mon, a leprosy village in Thai Binh City where many charity groups often visited, is very quiet now. Most of the patients are elderly people who are susceptible to infection. They feel lonely and afraid because of a lack of visitors and the threat of dangerous infection.
Sympathetic to the loneliness and anxiety of the elders, the young Sisters of Mary Queen of Bui Chu made a trip to bring gifts to them. Each person received one breakfast meal for one week which included Nuti soybean milk and Cato biscuits. The elders were so happy when the Sisters visited. They truly were "comforted in spirit and body" by the care of the Sisters.
