Remembering a Journey of Kindness

A Heartfelt Trip for the Elders

At that time, there were 12 retired staff members (still alive) at the Branch, all in their late 70s and 80s. Among them, only Mr. Pham Anh Dung, who served as branch director for six years, had the opportunity to travel to many parts of the country during business trips; the others had never set foot outside their hometowns. They expressed a desire to go on a tour to “see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears” the changes in the country they had fought and worked so hard for over the years, contributing their modest efforts to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. Now that the country has undergone a transformation, with magnificent economic, cultural, and welfare projects springing up everywhere—even just seeing them on TV brings joy. Therefore, the desire to visit these places in person—"to have walked through Phu Xuan and Dong Nai"—is a deeply cherished wish of the elders.

The branch leadership, both understanding the seniors’ hearts and expressing their gratitude to previous generations, decided to fund the trip using the welfare fund. The agency provided a 15-seat bus to take the seniors on a 12-day tour. I volunteered to serve as the tour guide, while Mr. Le Bá Hùng—head of the BIDV Quảng Bình Retirees’ Liaison Committee—served as the tour leader, responsible for caring for the seniors. The leadership also assigned Ms. Dang Thị Huệ, Deputy Director, to contact Mr. Nguyen Xuân Trường via mobile phone daily to track the group’s itinerary; if the group encountered difficulties, she was to reach out to the leadership of sister branches in other provinces for assistance.

At 6 a.m. on June 2, 2002, the tour group consisted of 11 seniors (Mr. Phan Thuc was ill and could not join). Each senior wore a cheerful expression, greeting one another joyfully and enthusiastically. The entire leadership team and many branch staff members came to see them off and wished the group good health and a safe journey.

Along the way, the elders expressed a strong desire to visit Dong Thap Muoi, Duc Nam Can, Ho Xuan Huong, and Da Lat; to see the people, villages, and towns of the South; to observe the operations of the Investment and Development Banks in the partner provinces; and to take the opportunity to visit comrades who had worked at the Quang Binh Construction Branch during the years of the anti-American struggle, with whom they had shared life-and-death experiences.

Thus, the tour unfolded with a schedule as urgent as the “blitzkrieg” tactics of the war to liberate the South. In the morning, they set out at 7 a.m.; at noon, they ate lunch at any restaurant they encountered along the way; and in the evening, they stayed at BIDV branches in the respective provinces. After dinner and settling in for the night, they would rush back to the bus to stroll through the streets and visit old friends. Each day, the group covered 300 to 350 kilometers. In this manner, the group traveled through the provinces of Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Binh Thuan, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Ca Mau, Vung Tau, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and Thua Thien Hue. On June 12, the group returned to Quang Binh.

By the time the bus left Hue City to return to Quang Binh, everyone in the group was in good health; the person who gained the least weight was Mr. Quat, who gained 1 kilogram, while everyone else gained at least 2 kilograms. Throughout the entire trip to and from the North, the elders chatted and laughed cheerfully. Their travel supplies included cold medicine, cough medicine, stomach medicine, and antibiotics, but only a few used them sparingly, while the rest brought them back unused. I breathed a sigh of relief; the elders’ sightseeing trip was safe and joyful.

An unforgettable journey with BIDV across the country

On the way from Hue to Dong Hoi, I took the opportunity to summarize the main highlights of the trip with the seniors. I asked, “What impressions did this sightseeing trip leave with you?” and all the seniors enthusiastically shared their thoughts. I compiled the impressions they found most profound:

First impression: At every branch the group visited, the leadership team welcomed them with respect and warmth. The seniors were treated to delicious meals, comfortable accommodations, and enthusiastic tour guidance. In many places, leaders reminded administrative staff to “provide soft foods for seniors with weak teeth.”

Second impression: The headquarters and working facilities of the Investment and Development Bank branches were spacious and modern; the bank’s staff and officials were well-dressed, polite, youthful, and highly competent. Every branch showed growth in professional performance.

Third impression: I had the opportunity to visit many scenic spots across the country. The cities, plains, mountains, rivers, seas, bridges, roads, etc., are so beautiful, majestic, and magnificent that they are beyond imagination. Books and newspapers can only describe a fraction of it; seeing it with one’s own eyes reveals the grandeur and achievements of the reform process. I saw that Uncle Ho’s words, “After defeating the Americans, we will rebuild the country to be ten times more beautiful than before,” have become a reality. For the first time, I marveled at the vast expanse of sky and water at Năm Căn, rode a motorboat traveling at 70 km/h on the Cà Mau River, stood on the 20th floor of the Quê Hương Hotel to gaze at the glamorous Saigon skyline, visited Đầm Sen Park with its artificial beach and the lifelike Phong Nha Cave replica, and rode a horse beside Prem Waterfall... it was truly fascinating....

Fourth Impression: Meeting Mr. Le Văn Vi and Ms. Nguyen Thị Viêm in Đà Nẵng, Mr. Trương Quang Tơ in Quảng Ngãi, Mr. Phan Đình Trung, Mr. Ngo Đa Kỳ, and Ms. Le Thị Mười in Phú Yên, Mr. Nguyen Văn Đó in Bình Thuận, Mr. Vo Khắc Sang in Long An, and Ms. Nguyen Thị Thủy in Lâm Đồng. These were cadres from the Quang Binh Construction Unit during the anti-American war who returned to their hometowns or were reassigned to the South to build the industry after liberation and later retired in those provinces. After missing each other for decades, we met with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow; our greetings and questions were choked with emotion, and the small gifts exchanged brought tears to our eyes. Will we ever meet again......

Fifth Impression: In Quang Ngai specifically, the delegation was deeply moved by two events. The first occurred on the evening of June 2, when the branch leadership hosted the elders at the provincial People’s Committee guesthouse. Just as they were toasting each other with a full glass of beer, Mr. Doan Phuc Quat, the oldest member of the group, fainted. Administrative staff from the Quang Ngai branch helped us carry Mr. Quat to a rest room, called a doctor to examine him, and bought some delicious porridge to have ready for when he regained consciousness. Many of us in the group were worried; if Mr. Quat’s condition worsened, the group would have to return home.

We shared this concern with Mr. Phan Duc Tu, Director of the Quang Ngai Branch. Mr. Tu reassured us: “Don’t worry, if Mr. Quat is still unwell tomorrow, we’ll arrange a car to take him to Quang Binh and have someone accompany him to care for him so the group can continue the tour.” Many of us were so moved we had tears in our eyes. Fortunately, after regaining consciousness and eating a bowl of delicious porridge at midnight, Mr. Quat recovered completely. It turned out he was just exhausted from traveling over 400 kilometers that day. Once he was well again, Mr. Truong, the driver, joked with him: “Tomorrow there’s a bus from Quang Ngai heading to the Central Office; I suggest Mr. Quat returns on the Quang Ngai bus so the group can continue.” Mr. Quat pleaded, “I’m fine; I’ll be over the fatigue by tomorrow. If you make me go back, I’ll really get sick.” The group still allowed Mr. Quat to continue the tour, and strangely enough, he fully recovered, walking the entire tour route without any issues.

The second event occurred on June 10. On our way back, we arrived at the Quang Ngai Branch at 6:00 PM, where six delegations of officials from the Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Ha Tay, Thanh Hoa, and Yen Bai Branches had already stopped by for a tour and work-related activities. The Quang Ngai Branch hosted all seven of our groups—nearly 100 people—at the Song Tra Hotel. A rare cultural exchange took place between the Quang Ngai Branch’s cultural troupe and our seven groups, lasting from 7:00 PM until past 10:00 PM. The atmosphere was so joyful that two elderly gentlemen, Mr. Tran Duc Buu, 73, and Mr. Le Ba Hung, 69, even volunteered to take the stage and sing.

Upon returning to Dong Hoi, the leadership of the Quang Binh Branch warmly welcomed the group back, and the director promised to arrange another trip for the seniors to visit the North at a suitable time. The elders’ tour to the northern provinces took place in June 2004. This trip left them with many new impressions; one of them even recorded a 16-page travel diary on A4 paper.

By the end of 2005, Mr. Doan Phuc Quat fell seriously ill. When I visited him at the provincial hospital, I joked, “I hope you recover soon so we can take a third tour of the country to the Northwest and Central Highlands.” He forced a smile and said weakly, “Even if I die this time, I’ll be fully satisfied. I just hope you all stay healthy and continue the journey.”

N.V.M

*Former BIDV Quang Binh employee