Vinh Pagoda, located in Lien Tan village, Thuong Loc commune, in HaT inh province, has a long history. Devastated by war, the pagoda was left only with its foundation, but local people later set up a temporary altar on the grounds of the old pagoda for worship.

Nguyen Xuan Dieu, chair of Thuong Loc commune, said in 2018 that Venerable Thich Dong Phap came to head the Vinh Pagoda. 

Poor in materials, but rich in love

Vinh Pagoda now is not only a place for locals to practice spiritual and cultural activities but also a warm home and shelter for less fortunate children.

Monk Phap said when he took over the pagoda, there was no place to live and the pagoda was desolate so he had to build a temporary thatched-roof shelter.

His wish was to live there and take care of and restore Vinh Pagoda. He said he was surprised to discover that some children were being left by their biological parents in front of the pagoda with messages saying they hoped the monk would take care of the children.

The first child came in late 2019 when a newborn was found in the main hall. The monk believed this was predestined, so he accepted the child and began raising him, though the facilities were very poor.

At present, the pagoda is raising eight abandoned children. The smallest is three months old and the eldest five. There are also five disabled children in difficult conditions.

The children were all abandoned at midnight or early morning. One of them was placed in front of the pagoda, while the other was left in the main hall.  And another child was seen blue because of hunger and cold at midnight.

The monk said he had experience in taking care of orphaned children at a pagoda where he had stayed previously, so he knew what he needed to do.

He had to stay late at night to prepare milk, change diapers, and bring the children to hospital if they got sick. The milk and supplies for the children were donated by benefactors.

After adopting the children, the monk, together with local authorities and several agencies, gave names to them and applied for birth certificates, their "passports into life”. 

Conditions have improved in recent years, as many Buddhists came to help the children, while benefactors donated necessary items for daily life.

With financial support from benefactors, a shelter was set up to accommodate the children.

“The children were born in different circumstances, but they all share the same fate of being abandoned by their relatives. Seeing them grow up day by day in the love, care and protection of Buddhists, I feel secure and warm,” he said.

Child to return to mother’s arms

Venerable Thich Dong Phap notes that being present in this world is a blessing. He remembers the case of a newborn baby abandoned by his mother a year ago.

It was early in the morning in late June 2023, when he heard a baby wailing. Venerable Phap ran out and saw a newborn in a plastic basket. There was a piece of paper inside the basket, written by his mother, which said the baby was just two weeks old, and because she could not raise the baby, she was seeking help from the pagoda and the monk.

Some months later, a young woman, about 20 years old, came to see the monk and said she was the mother and wanted to see the child. She said she was a university student and could not raise the child. But she missed the baby and said she would return one day to get the baby back.

Dau Tinh