Catholics across Vietnam are caring for people in need by offering them food for their lunar new year celebrations.
On the early morning of Feb. 6, Father Joseph Pham Ba Lam, Hoa Hung parish priest, blessed 300 gifts in the churchyard before Caritas workers distributed them by motorbike to people in difficult circumstances in Ho Chi Minh City. Mary Dang Thi Thuy Oanh, head of Caritas in the parish, said each gift includes pickles, pork and banh chung, a square sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients. Banh chung is a must-have in the Tet festival. Oanh, 65, said the cost is met from donations made by benefactors and Caritas’ fundraising events. “We offer the poor small gifts but it is important that we do want to show our loving care to them on the national Tet festival,” she said, adding that all people should have enough food during the festival.
An ethnic Khmer, Thach Tam, who lives nearby the church, said he feels luckier than others as “I am given food for the Tet festival by Catholics.” “I have enough food to welcome Tet with my friends. I am deeply grateful to the parish for its generous help,” he said. He is among 150 people who each receive instant noodles, fish sauce, oil for cooking, sugar and 10 kilograms of rice every two months by the parish. Tam, 69, who lives alone and is in poor health, said he lives on monthly allowances from the government.
Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Sister Nguyen Ngoc Trinh, head of Ai Linh Love School, said she offered 420 banh chung to students from poor families, staff members and poor families around the school.
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Judith is a believer, a lover of Christ and a Gospel freak person. A passionate gospel blogger and press writer. I work with GospelHitsNaija.net Media, no 1 Gospel music platform.
