On the occasion of ending school-year, we, the Postulants of the Redemptorist, went to Vĩnh Trung Parish which is about 50 Km from Buon Ma Thuot city, central highlands of Vietnam, for delivering donation (Rice, secondhand clothes…) to the Ethnic Minority, EĐê people.
After the three-day journey, I was really touched and moved to tears by seeing The EĐê’s lamentable situation. They live below the poverty life. That made me write down to let everyone understand the life of the EĐê
EĐê ethnic group with more than 200,000 inhabitants living in the heart of Daklak Highlands uses the Malayo-Polynesia language.. They dwell in stilted houses with sloping roofs. Besides farming and breeding, they hunt wild animals, taming elephants and picking fruits. Their culture is original with many well-known epics.
However, about more than 500 inhabitants live in Vinh Trung Parish, more than half of them converted into Roman Catholic for 3 years ago and the others are in the process of attending catechism class to become a Catholic.
Their life is extremely needy that I have never seen people who are too poor like this: no water, no electric, illiterate and lack of food. They live in the valley, jungle and far from church, school, and hospital... Every Sunday, they go to church on foot in the early morning and come back home after lunch (some Parishioners prepare lunch for them).
They reside in low-roofed houses which look like coops for the cattle, not for people. One of my friends said that this is the hell of the world. They really live below the poverty life.
Father Peter Nguyen Van Thai, the Parish priest has appealed everybody’s generosity to aid them in building a road from their village to the church and offering corrugated iron sheets to roof their house. He also trains them in improving the life.
People usually say: “The way to a man's heart is through his stomach”, or “A hungry belly has no ears”. It is a judicious comment. Nowadays, The Church encourages everybody not only in missionary works but also in improving the material life for people. Therefore, we should be responsible for sharing in affairs of the Church.
After the three-day journey, I was really touched and moved to tears by seeing The EĐê’s lamentable situation. They live below the poverty life. That made me write down to let everyone understand the life of the EĐê
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| Delivering donation to the Ede in Vinhtrung Parish, Buonmathuot Diocese |
However, about more than 500 inhabitants live in Vinh Trung Parish, more than half of them converted into Roman Catholic for 3 years ago and the others are in the process of attending catechism class to become a Catholic.
Their life is extremely needy that I have never seen people who are too poor like this: no water, no electric, illiterate and lack of food. They live in the valley, jungle and far from church, school, and hospital... Every Sunday, they go to church on foot in the early morning and come back home after lunch (some Parishioners prepare lunch for them).
They reside in low-roofed houses which look like coops for the cattle, not for people. One of my friends said that this is the hell of the world. They really live below the poverty life.
Father Peter Nguyen Van Thai, the Parish priest has appealed everybody’s generosity to aid them in building a road from their village to the church and offering corrugated iron sheets to roof their house. He also trains them in improving the life.
People usually say: “The way to a man's heart is through his stomach”, or “A hungry belly has no ears”. It is a judicious comment. Nowadays, The Church encourages everybody not only in missionary works but also in improving the material life for people. Therefore, we should be responsible for sharing in affairs of the Church.