If there is one person whom I admire and taught me a lot last year, I guess Mr Mun has to be that person. Mr Manh - the Director of Son Ky Orphanage that we visited in Vietnam. He, a man of old age and little money, cares selflessly for 50 boys of varying ages from 3 to 20, educates them, teaches them values and gives them enormous love so that they can live in security and warmth. He, a man who already does not have a lot, yet still cares for the victims of the Agent Orange, cares for people who are shunned and abandoned by society, people who are deformed, mentally unsound, living in conditions not dignified of any human being. I looked at him, saw how he reach out to those people, and I thought I was looking at a saint.
The orphans were sweet and wonderful. Despite having to wake up at 5am, do chores, and more chores due to the fact that we were there and there were more dishes to wash, school, they still attended our Eng lessons with enthusiasm and attention. They are most disciplined and the older boys look out for the younger ones and though they do not have enough, they are happy with the simple things in life and are even taught to give to the ones even less fortunate than them. They treat us as if we were God's gift but we are not. We are so much more inferior compared to them. They have survived Life's harsh treatment to them and yet belive in finding joy in the little things that God has given to them. Compared to us who only know how to complain of not being met with our demands and wants of material needs.
We also got to talk to the older ones who were around 19 to 20. They self taught English to themselves and they certainly impressed me with their good command of Eng which was acquired through sheer determination. We chatted on various topics during the lesson and I learnt more about the helplessness one feels in a country which is dominated by corruption and weak government. The anger and the inferiority in their tone..
What moved me the most was the visit to the Agent Orange victims. The girl who has to lie there on the bed next to the pig sty all day and all year for the rest of her life.. the man being abandoned by family members and reduced to seeking shelter in this forgotten corner of a makeshift shed which floods everytime it rains and yet though he is mentally sound, he can't do antyhing due to his deformity and hence he just has to lie there, being caged up like an animal. I would always remember the sight of the pig sty, the chilling sounds the pigs make, the stench... and Mr Manh just going forward, gazing gently at each of the victim and without a moment of hesitation, he hugged them and I knew that I am nothing compared to this man.
I remember sitting there on the last day, at this restaurant having lunch and I just sat there staring at the kids at the next table. They were all chubby, celebrating the birthday of one of the boys with 2 HUGE birthday cakes and it was obvious they were the rich ones. I felt a flash of fury at why these boys can celebrate birthdays in such an extravagant manner and yet the orphans had to make do with only 2 meals each day.
But Life is unfair. War is unfair. The orphans didn't ask for it. The Orange victims didn't ask for it. But you see? The rich fat little boys also didn't ask for it. It is not their fault. Sometimes Life can be so helpless. There is actually very little we can do except to just help with what little we have.