Transformed by Jesus Christ Crucified to bring hope and joy for all human beings as well as for all creation, the Sisters of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Nha Trang set up a Protecting and Promoting Life Program at the Tình Thương Home [Home of Love], and developed a social work center of charity in La Gi, Binh Thuan, Vietnam. Through God’s grace and thanks to benefactors’ contributions, the Sisters have been burying aborted fetuses, saving babies from abortion, raising orphans, and supporting people with disabilities and the needy. On the occasion of the 20-year journey of protecting and promoting life, let us review a pro-life and love journey at the Tình Thương Home.
The Sisters have been collecting and burying the aborted fetuses since 2005. In the beginning, they knew that Vietnam was one of the countries with the highest abortion rates globally. In addition, they found many aborted fetuses wrapped in plastic bags and thrown away in the landfills of La Gi town, Bình Thuận province. Seeing the painful reality of abortion as well as the difficult situation of many lonely pregnant women, the Sisters decided to collect the aborted fetuses in the clinics to bury them in the cemetery. In 2006, the Sisters took over the Protecting Life Program to save unborn babies. First, they established the Tình Thương Home as an orphanage to care for orphans and abandoned children. At the same time, they welcomed and supported unmarried pregnant women, who were often students and migrant workers, and intended to have abortions, to take refuge at Tình Thương Home to keep their fetuses.
Later, many lonely young pregnant women from other areas came to take refuge in Tình Thương Home. After giving birth, many mothers left their children with the Sisters to care for and returned to their lives. Sometimes, the Sisters found the abandoned babies in front of the gate of the orphanage, and there was no information about their mothers. For many years, more and more children were saved and raised in the orphanage. Some of these children were returned to their mothers; some were adopted; Many of the children remain in the orphanage with the Sisters.
When raising the orphans and abandoned children, the Sisters try their best to provide a healthy environment for the children. They serve as parents, caring for and educating the children. They bring them to the church to be baptized and teach them to grow in faith. They send them to school and also help them study at home. They try to provide children with a healthy lifestyle through nutritious food and many fun activities, such as picking vegetables in the garden, entertainment, dancing, and playing sports.
In addition to serving children at the orphanage, the Sisters at Tình Thương Home extend their Pro-Life Program to help people with disabilities and those in need improve their lives. They set up a kitchen at the hospital in La Gi town to serve free soup and hot water to patients each morning. They build charity houses for low-income families in remote areas. They also provide cows and support to low-income families to help them improve their economies. Moreover, they support some food and a portion of living expenses for people with disabilities and lonely elders in La Gi, as well as the surrounding areas.
The journey of 20 years of Promoting and Protecting Life at the Tình Thương Home, including protecting babies from abortion and promoting life for the needy, has become a hymn of thanksgiving and praise to God and to thank many benefactors. According to the Sisters, each day at Tình Thương Home describes the loving providence of God to human beings and all creatures. Each day expresses a strong bond of kindness and love among volunteers, benefactors, and those in need of a helping hand. Each day at Tình Thương Home has not only its challenges but is also full of love, joy, and hope. Therefore, all the Sisters and the children, and the needy at the Tình Thương Home, always offer prayers and sacrifices to express their gratitude to God, to the benefactors, and to those who accompany them in the Protecting and Promoting Life Program.
Writer: Men Thanh Gia NhaTrang’s Charity