An Vu Shelter - where family ties are not based on blood

BPO - Not everyone is lucky enough to grow up in the arms of their parents. In Dong Tam commune, Dong Phu district, there is a shelter called An Vu Shelter, which has been sheltering dozens of unfortunate children. These children have no family, do not know their parents or were abandoned right from birth.

Where love is sown

The social assistance facility, An Vu Shelter, was established in 2017 with 10 children. Up to now, the shelter has become a support for 79 children from all over the country. From newborns to children who have finished secondary school, each child has a different situation. Some children are orphans, some were born in the hospital but no one came to pick them up, some were abandoned at the temple gate, some were sent here because their families were too poor... But all of them were welcomed, cared for and loved by the nuns.

At An Vu Orphanage, the children are taken care of in every meal, sleep, go to school, study, are taught discipline and above all, live in an environment full of love. Y Bieu said: “I feel very happy living here, we get to play together, study and are loved by the nuns. When we are sad or have difficulties, the nuns help us”. And Dieu Thanh emotionally said: “I am happy. The nuns raised me and the orphanage gave me food and education. This is my big home”.

The children who come to An Vu Shelter come from different backgrounds, but they are taken care of in every meal and sleep.

Every day, this house is like a big family. The older children take care of the younger ones, help the nuns cook and clean the house. During the summer vacation, many children take the initiative to work at hair salons, small shops, etc. to learn a trade and help with living expenses. These small actions are proof of maturity, responsibility and love for others, things that the nuns always teach them every day.

At An Vu Orphanage, family ties do not come from blood ties but are built on trust, love and unconditional patience. The nuns are not only physical caregivers but also those who sow the seeds of personality and guide the souls of each child. Sister Hoang Thi Chien, who has been with the orphanage since its inception, shared: “The children are like a family. Even though they are not blood-related, when they come to the orphanage, they are all truly loved. Each child has a different personality, but all are taught to love, care for and help each other.”

The stories of 25 children who have grown up, got married, and have stable jobs are the sweet results of the nuns' silent but persistent journey of love. For Sister Maria Hoang Thi Lua, Director of An Vu Shelter, each child in the shelter is considered a part of her flesh and blood. Sister Hoang Thi Lua shared: "The nuns did not give birth to the children, but they love them just like their own mothers. Sometimes when they go away for a day or two, they miss them, and when they hear that the children are sick or have to work far away, the nuns worry like parents worry about their children."

Up to now, a total of 137 children with special circumstances have been taken care of by An Vu Shelter. Each child welcomed is an additional responsibility, but also an additional love from the nuns for the journey of "mothers who did not give birth but have the merit of raising".

As a family, the older children know how to care for the younger children and help with housework for the nuns at An Vu Shelter.

Spread love, continue the journey of charity

In society, there are still many unfortunate lives, abandoned children, children who are not fully entitled to call "parents". And it is shelters like An Vu that have done extraordinary things: giving back the opportunity to live and study to children who seem to have lost all future. However, to continue to take care of and educate more children, the shelter needs support from the community, both spiritually and materially. Sister Maria Hoang Thi Lua said: "We just hope that the children will grow up with full affection, become useful people for society and improve themselves. But in reality, to maintain our activities, we really need the companionship and sharing from kind-hearted people".

An Vu orphanage is not only a place to nurture but also a place to help unfinished dreams take flight. Each clear eye, each innocent smile, each confident step of the children is a testament to the power of kindness. The children who grow up today in the arms of the nuns will carry with them loving memories in the future and who knows, they may be the ones to continue the journey of "welcoming a child, nurturing a dream". Family is not only a place of blood, but also a place where hearts find empathy.

Not only do they go to school and class like normal children, the children at An Vu Shelter are also taught to read and write by the nuns, who shape their personalities, teach them to share, be self-disciplined and live responsibly.

On the occasion of Vietnamese Family Day June 28, an occasion for us to honor the sacred value of the home, let us give our love to “special homes” like An Vu Shelter. There, family relationships are formed not from blood, but from the heart of sharing, from the unconditional love of “mothers without children” and from the belief that love can heal everything.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/9/174564/mai-am-an-vu-noi-tinh-than-khong-nam-o-huyet-thong