In summer 2005, we the seminarians, of St. Joseph Seminary in Hanoi, were sent to Van Mon Leprosy Hospital (Thai Binh province). This hospital is also called Van Mon village. Currently it has more than 500 lepers. We lived together with the lepers. They taught us lesson of love, their thirst for living, and many lessons about suffering. We felt and touched their suffering body and spirit. We cannot forget this time – the time of love.
We lived in Van Mon village for a month. We helped the children to review their lessons, taught music, played with them... Most of the time we spent talking with them, and listening to them about their lifes. The Lepers gave us rice, vegetable, fish, snail, etc.
One day, I visited Mr. Phung. He was a 75 years old leper. He had no feet. He went into Van Mon village about 52 years ago. He comes from Dich Vong village in Hanoi city. He has knowledge of the World and Vietnamese culture. I was very surprised to hear him say: “We are lepers. We have lost a leg or a hand but we are not headless!”
He told me about himself: “My parents had three sons. I am the oldest. My brothers are Mr. Hung and Mr. Du. In 1954, I was infected with leprosy after getting married for one year. I went into Van Mon in that same year. Four months later, my wife divorced me immediately after we had a daughter. My daughter is Thuan. I have never seen Thuan since she was born. I hope that she loves me so much.”
I asked him:
“Is there anyone who visits you?”
“Yes, annually my brothers visit me, and give me money but my daughter has never visited me before!”
“What are your dreams?”
“My dream is to return to my motherland to see the village temple before dying. And I wish to see my daughter and my grandsons”
After my stay at Van Mon village ended, I visited Mr. Phung’s brothers, Mr. Hung and Du. I also visited his daughter, Ms. Thuan.
I knew the situation of his family. The distance from Hanoi to Thai Binh is 120 km. Thus, Mr. Phung cannot return to his village and this is also the reason why Ms. Thuan never visited her father.
Were they afraid of leprosy? No, they were not!
Instead, they were afraid that he would claim his piece of land when he returned. Before she got married, Ms. Thuan said that her father was dead.
I could do nothing more other than to pray for Mr. Phung.
On May 19, 2007, I went to Van Mon village to celebrate Ms. Ngoc’s Baptism Mass. On this occasion, Mr. Du and his family went with me to visit his older brother, Mr. Phung. After mass, Mr. Du called and asked me: “Do you allow Mr. Phung to return into Hanoi with you?”
I was filled with happiness and thanked God. Finally, after two years of prayers, Mr. Phung’s wish, and my wish will be turned to reality.. Mr. Du told me that when they saw Mr. Phung, his wife was filled with compassion and decided to take him home immediately.
The man can resign to face difficulties but love and prayers never!
Thanks with my gratitude for my teacher Clare who edited this story.
Paul Nguyen Trung Thien.
We lived in Van Mon village for a month. We helped the children to review their lessons, taught music, played with them... Most of the time we spent talking with them, and listening to them about their lifes. The Lepers gave us rice, vegetable, fish, snail, etc.
One day, I visited Mr. Phung. He was a 75 years old leper. He had no feet. He went into Van Mon village about 52 years ago. He comes from Dich Vong village in Hanoi city. He has knowledge of the World and Vietnamese culture. I was very surprised to hear him say: “We are lepers. We have lost a leg or a hand but we are not headless!”
He told me about himself: “My parents had three sons. I am the oldest. My brothers are Mr. Hung and Mr. Du. In 1954, I was infected with leprosy after getting married for one year. I went into Van Mon in that same year. Four months later, my wife divorced me immediately after we had a daughter. My daughter is Thuan. I have never seen Thuan since she was born. I hope that she loves me so much.”
I asked him:
“Is there anyone who visits you?”
“Yes, annually my brothers visit me, and give me money but my daughter has never visited me before!”
“What are your dreams?”
“My dream is to return to my motherland to see the village temple before dying. And I wish to see my daughter and my grandsons”
After my stay at Van Mon village ended, I visited Mr. Phung’s brothers, Mr. Hung and Du. I also visited his daughter, Ms. Thuan.
I knew the situation of his family. The distance from Hanoi to Thai Binh is 120 km. Thus, Mr. Phung cannot return to his village and this is also the reason why Ms. Thuan never visited her father.
Were they afraid of leprosy? No, they were not!
Instead, they were afraid that he would claim his piece of land when he returned. Before she got married, Ms. Thuan said that her father was dead.
I could do nothing more other than to pray for Mr. Phung.
On May 19, 2007, I went to Van Mon village to celebrate Ms. Ngoc’s Baptism Mass. On this occasion, Mr. Du and his family went with me to visit his older brother, Mr. Phung. After mass, Mr. Du called and asked me: “Do you allow Mr. Phung to return into Hanoi with you?”
I was filled with happiness and thanked God. Finally, after two years of prayers, Mr. Phung’s wish, and my wish will be turned to reality.. Mr. Du told me that when they saw Mr. Phung, his wife was filled with compassion and decided to take him home immediately.
The man can resign to face difficulties but love and prayers never!
Thanks with my gratitude for my teacher Clare who edited this story.
Paul Nguyen Trung Thien.
