Witness to the great work at Sponsorial Society Centre of Long an Province

Pitiful Prospects. On arriving we found everybody at lunch. The kitchen tried its best to serve the patients. Currently, the kitchen must feed two-hundred patients and staff each day. In the dinning room, the elder, who live in an ordinary area, were lining up to receive their portion of food. On taking their bowls each person sat at an angle, eating quietly and slowly. In a special area for the old who have trouble moving, the centre’s are helping them to eatIt is the afternoon. The centre is still busy but we can’t help but feel the sadness and loneliness of those around us slowly overwhelm us. Those who work in the centre are like mothers and fathers, who nurture and care for their children. Their merit can not be written down on paper. The elderly people who are here today have no choice but to ask for help from the society and strangers. These people give them a home full of love, welcoming them as loved relatives. How about their relatives? Where and what did they do?

Mr. Vo Minh Tu – Manager is feeding for Hai and Tat

The situation of the psychiatric patients is even more moving still. We see enthusiastic young volunteers carrying portions of food to the female psychiatric area. Female patients receive it and smile, then sit and eat in a very trimly order. Some of them realized that there were strangers visiting and they said hello to us. Many of them show no obvious symptoms of illness. Mrs. Pham Thi Danh, Deputy Director of this centre said, “These people, who are bringing portions of food to the female side, are the patients. They have no sign of psychiatric illness and they help us so much. Here, all people live closely together, the stronger people helping the ill. At the old side it is the same, they help us make food and take care of other patients. This is a great help to the staff who work here ”.

The patients in psychiatric area help to prepare a lunch

There are 27 staffs in the Sponsorial Society Centre of Long An Province. But when residents are taken into account that number rises to more than 190. That are the poor and old people, short of manpower, disables, wounded, helpless folk. The largest proportion of patients are psychiatric (more 100 people). So, taking care of them entails a lot of difficulties. Many people adapt quickly to the new environment but some take upwards of three months to become accustomed to their new routine. There are some who, after a living a long time at the centre, become better, so the centre allows them to return home. Often, however, many pateinets become unwell again and must return to the centre.

... and sentiments

Coming and seeing with our own eyes these activities, we feel the sorrows of those who are forced by their illness to live in the Centre. To live as a normal person is, you assume, easy. But for many of these people here, it is too hard. Life has not been favourable to them. Fortunately they have a house to live in and this is theSponsorial Society Centre of Long An Province.

And coming here, we begin to understand all of staffs’ difficulties. With special characteristic of this work, if there is not enough love and human, patience.Maybe they will choose other works.

Time to eat at female area

When we asked them to give a reason for why they continue their work, Mrs. Pham Thi Danh said: “They are unlucky people, they need to rely on the help from society. We try our best to relieve their sorrows. We are so happy to take care of them and provide them with services. More and more work, they more love them.

Stopping a moment, looking around, she said: “All of staffs of this centre are united behind this project and passionate about the centre but we feel sad because of the lack of funding, infrastructure is not fully equipped in order to take care of them better.

Therefore, we hope that we will receive more support from all over the country, especially from ITA Foundations. We hope that this support will allow us to expand and improve the services provided by the centre”.

By: Kim Tuyến - Công HuyTranslator: Thanh Trung