Upon its arrival, volunteers began handing out steaming bowls of porridge, accompanied by the uplifting message 'Savor this nourishing porridge, and may it aid in your quick recovery.'
Every Sunday at 4 a.m., chief Vu Van Hai at the Thu Duc City Hospital canteen, along with his colleagues, arrives to promptly begin preparing a pot of charitable porridge. To ensure the porridge is of high quality, the kitchen staff meticulously prepare ingredients such as meat and onions a day in advance and gets up earlier than usual to start cooking, providing free meals to those in need.
The porridge is carefully cooked according to specific measurements and standards suitable for patients. 'Although it can be a bit challenging, I feel very happy and fulfilled because this is a meaningful activity that reflects our compassion', Mr. Hai shared.
Mr. Pham Hoai Nam and Ms. Nguyen Thi To Loan demonstrated unwavering commitment to the 'Charity pots of porridge' initiative.
Despite the early morning chill and the considerable distance from their residence in District 3 to Thu Duc City Hospital, they arrived before 6:00 a.m. to actively participate in the distribution process. Their contributions extended beyond physical assistance, as they also dedicated their time to mobilizing donations to sustain this vital initiative. After over two years of dedicated service, the couple has earned the affectionate title of 'Owners of the Pot of Love Porridge' within the community.
As the first rays of dawn appeared, the fragrant, hot porridge was ready to be served. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Lien, a specialist from the Social Work Department of Thu Duc City Hospital, and Ms. To Loan personally served each individual, offering words of encouragement and urging them to consume the porridge in its entirety to promote a speedy recovery.
Within an hour, the two large pots of porridge, comprising over 200 servings, were entirely consumed by grateful recipients.
Recipients of the porridge, such as Ms. Vo Thi Thanh Tam and Mr. Huynh Van Tien, expressed their sincere appreciation for this benevolent initiative and voiced their fervent hope for its continued implementation to provide ongoing support to individuals facing challenging circumstances. The couple -Doan Duc An (37 years old) and Thach Thi Sa Muong (35 years old) - were profoundly moved by the compassion and generosity displayed by the volunteers.
According to Ms. Kim Anh, a Social Work Department employee at Thu Duc City Hospital, the 'Pot of Love Porridge' initiative has been consistently implemented every Sunday morning for many years.
The ‘Charity pots of porridge’ was initiated from a model more than 10 years ago by officers and soldiers of Tam Binh Ward Police in Thu Duc District registered as a regular activity in the content of the campaign ‘Studying and following the example and morality of Uncle Ho’. This model is continued to be maintained by union members and youth of the Social Work Department at Thu Duc City Hospital with the cooperation of many volunteers and benefactors.
