VietNamNet Bridge – With a pick on his shoulder, Dinh Van Vat, 71, strolled towards the Bua River to visit his family’s rice field.

Dinh Van Vat visits his rice field. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

Although he’s blind, Vat is still well-informed on every aspect of his life in his hometown of Mang He Village, Son Bua Commune, Son Tay District in the central province of Quang Ngai. If they aren’t told before, no one can realise that he’s visually impaired.

With 44 years living in dark, Vat’s senses have become strong enough to perceive everything and assist him in all the work he needs to do in his daily life.

When Vat was 20 years old, his eyes were bright, so he volunteered to join the resistance war, like other men belonging to the Ca Dong ethnic group. He prevailed in many violent struggles.

In 1973, when he was marching, he was hit by poisonous chemical substances and tear gas and his eyes gradually drew dimmer until he was totally blind.

When the resistance war ended, Vat returned to his hometown with the sadness of a blind man.

Not wanting to be a burden, he tried to work. Once, he fell down on a rocky road. In a moment that was surely destiny, a girl named Dinh Thi Det helped him — and then they got married.

Since then, Vat became determined to practice walking and working. And he asked his wife to lead him to the Bua River bank so he could start tilling his field.

Many times, he accidentally dug on his foot, or fell into the river, but he was not discouraged.

“Then I sold rice and bought buffaloes. I used to have 30 buffaloes. In many local meetings, people call me ‘king of rice’ because no one in the district has as much rice as me,” he told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper.

Support the poor

Members of the Ca Dong minority group in the district not only admire Vat for his determination, but also for his kindness.

In the period of 1980-90, escaping poverty was an obsession for local people.

One day, Vat asked his wife, Det, why children cried a lot at night. His wife told him that all of the villagers were hungry due to the rice shortage.

Vat immediately told his wife to cook soup for local children and deliver rice to other people in his village.

“All of the people in the village ate my rice for half a month, and then support rice was brought into my locality,” said Vat.

Now poverty is not severe in the village, and Ca Dong people know how to enrich themselves. But when they remember the difficult days, many people are grateful to Vat.

Dinh Thanh Dua, former secretary of the Son Bua Commune Party Committee, said that when local people were living in poverty, dozens of households were helped by Vat.

Over dozens of years, Vat’s rice store helped many people to overcome needy circumstances, said Dua.

The most daring decision from Vat was not delivering rice to poor people, but presenting land to the poorest people in the village so that they could earn their living.

So far, more than 50 poor people in the commune have received land from Vat.

Dinh Van Tin received rice from Vat many times. Later on, he was presented with 1,000sq.m of field from Vat. He then overcame poverty.

“My family owes Vat a debt of gratitude. Now we do not worry about poverty, so whenever Vat suggests I help others, I’m willing to do so,” said Tin.

Dinh Van Ton, secretary of the Son Bua Commune Party Committee, said that the Son Bua Commune was founded in 1999. He worked as deputy chairman of the commune people’s committee.

“I’m a leader, but still lack rice for daily meal. Vat presented me with more than 2,000sq.m of field, then my family had enough rice. I’m obligated to Vat for my life,” said Ton.

Every people in Son Tay District talk about Vat as a good example for how determination can enable people to overcome difficulties and obstacles in life. 

Source: VNS