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"I just hope you have a warm Mid-Autumn Festival, without feeling sorry for yourself"

As the full moon of August is about to rise, children everywhere eagerly welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival with colorful lanterns and sweet cakes. At Vinh Phuoc An Pagoda (Nuoc Man Hamlet, Hung Hoi Commune), where there are hundreds of orphans without their parents, the Mid-Autumn atmosphere has become warmer thanks to the heart of Mr. La Thanh De, who has devoted all his heart to bringing the children simple yet loving joy.

The 31-year-old man's daily happiness is to prepare ingredients and cook for the less fortunate. Photo: Provided by the character.

For many days, Mr. De has been busy preparing: personally choosing the ingredients, kneading the dough, shaping the filling, shaping and baking each batch of fragrant mixed-filling mooncakes. Each mooncake is a heartfelt gift, carefully preserved and cared for by him before handing it to the children. “I pity the children’s destitute fate, I just hope they have a warm Mid-Autumn Festival night, without feeling sorry for themselves. No matter how hard it is, they are happy, as long as the children smile, I am satisfied,” Mr. De emotionally shared.

Make moon cakes by hand to give to disadvantaged children.

Receiving the fragrant cakes from Uncle De, the children cheered and smiled. Their voices and laughter echoed throughout the temple yard, blending with the shimmering light of the lanterns. Little Lam Thien Le (10 years old) innocently said: "Uncle De loves us so much, he always makes delicious food for us to eat", then ran after him like a family member.

La Thanh De hopes that orphans will have a meaningful Mid-Autumn Festival filled with warmth and love.

This is not the first time that this sentiment has been expressed. For many years, Mr. La Thanh De has been going to Vinh Phuoc An Pagoda every day, quietly cooking, giving rice, porridge, cakes, and milk to the less fortunate. He is the “chef of love”, the one who contributes to making the Mid-Autumn Festival for orphans no longer quiet, but complete and warm, like enjoying a reunion Tet in the arms of a family.

More than 10 years as a special "chef"

At the age of 31, La Thanh De has spent more than a decade working at the charity kitchen, where he cooks meals filled with love every day to send to the poor, orphans and patients in need. Now, the name La Thanh De has become familiar and dear to many local people. Unmarried, he devotes all his time and passion to the journey of sharing and spreading love.

Preparing to make fruit bowl – the dish that the orphans at Vinh Phuoc An pagoda wish to eat.

To maintain the charity meals, he uses the income his parents share from renting out rooms and his personal savings, and occasionally receives help from like-minded volunteers. He does not solicit donations, only when he encounters cases of serious illness does he call on the community for support, and all donations are made public and transparent.

Every week, he only has one day off, Sunday. On the other days, De's kitchen is always on fire, providing from several dozen to hundreds of meals every day. He alone takes care of everything: shopping, preparing, cooking, dividing the food, and then delivering it to the needy. What many people admire is the meticulousness and dedication in each meal. Whether it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, the ingredients are fresh, cleanly prepared, and beautifully presented.

Delicious meals were prepared by a young man from Ca Mau for poor patients with his kind heart .

Instead of adding MSG or sugar, De cooks the soup from bones, pig feet, and vegetables to create a natural sweetness and nutrition. On rainy days, when the children are sick, he changes the dish to make it more suitable. A charity porridge pot cooked with 20 kg of chicken, carrots, corn, beans, etc. is always delicious and full of love. For the patients, each portion of rice has three main dishes: soup, stir-fried vegetables, plus a cup of sweet tea or a carton of fresh milk.

“Perhaps, De’s kitchen is the first charity kitchen that I have seen such a meticulous and elaborate investment. There are dishes that require a lot of money and effort such as: chicken fried with fish sauce, shrimp balls, braised pork, chicken stir-fried with lemongrass and chili. Yet he does it very well and properly, everyone who sees it praises it,” said Ms. Nguyen Bich Van (a resident of Chau Thoi commune).

Many people advised De to save money, but he just smiled: "When giving to the needy, the meal must be more delicious than what you eat. The way you give is better than what you give. Wherever the kitchen is, your heart is there." For him, loving meals are a way to warm and give hope to the needy.

Mr. De thinks about practicing opening his heart to be joyful, looking at life lightly to love and share together in life. Photo: Character provided.

Having been involved in charity work since his early twenties when he joined the Chau Long Pagoda Charity Association, De witnessed many unfortunate lives and decided to open a charity kitchen at the pagoda. For more than a decade, he has not only cooked but also donated rice and necessities, helping the poor and students far from home, especially during the tense Covid-19 pandemic. He also campaigned to build charity houses, support mothers raising sick children, and care for orphans and lonely elderly people.

Mr. La Thanh De gives gifts to a poor family.

With kindness, perseverance and a heart full of love, that Ca Mau boy lit the fire of kindness in everyday life, spreading the warmth of humanity everywhere.

Qinghai

Source: https://baocamau.vn/mang-tet-doan-vien-den-voi-tre-mo-coi-a122874.html