Those banh chung cakes seem to bring the warmth of Spring and the feelings of the mainland to the soldiers who are guarding the Fatherland's sea and sky day and night.
Soldiers and civilians gather to wrap banh chung
Radar Station 600, Regiment 551, Naval Region 5 today is busier than usual with bundles of lush green dong leaves washed clean, neatly arranged next to baskets of pure white sticky rice, carefully washed green beans and squarely sliced fatty meat. All ingredients are ready for the special banh chung wrapping session of officers and soldiers of Radar Station 600 and more than 200 members of the working delegation of Naval Region 5 including delegates from provinces, cities, businesses and press reporters from the mainland visiting.
In that warm atmosphere, the distance between the island soldier and the working delegation seemed to be gone. Regardless of military or civilian, everyone gathered, some guided the arrangement of leaves, some measured rice, some put beans, some put pieces of meat in to make a complete cake. The members of the working delegation kindly guided, shared cake wrapping experiences, and told simple stories from the mainland. And the soldiers shared with the working delegation about life on remote islands, about night shifts, about the sacred responsibility of maintaining the "Radar god's eyes", protecting the Fatherland.
For Sergeant Nguyen Cong Truong Nghia - Radar Station 600, Regiment 551, Naval Region 5, this is also the first time he has wrapped banh chung himself. "At home, every Tet holiday, I only help my family with a few chores, I have never wrapped banh chung myself. Coming to the island for work, and being able to wrap banh chung with the aunts and uncles in the delegation, I find it very meaningful and touching" - Sergeant Nghia shared.
According to Captain Tran Huu Toan - Political Commissar of Radar Station 600, Regiment 551, Naval Region 5, the activity of wrapping banh chung with the working delegation is not only of material significance, but more importantly, of spiritual value for officers and soldiers of the unit. "For soldiers, especially young soldiers who are celebrating Tet away from home for the first time, the concern of the working delegations is a great source of encouragement. The banh chung wrapped with their own hands with people and representatives from the mainland helps soldiers feel more clearly the close bond between the army and the people" - Captain Toan said.
Captain Tran Huu Toan said that during Tet days, the combat readiness duty at Radar Station 600 is still strictly implemented 24/24 hours. "Happy Spring but not forgetting tasks. That is the principle that is thoroughly grasped to each officer and soldier" - Captain Tran Huu Toan emphasized.
The heart of the rear
Many delegates in the working delegation could not hide their emotion when directly participating in wrapping banh chung with the soldiers. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoai - a delegate participating in the working delegation, emotionally said: "In the mainland, wrapping banh chung is a familiar thing, but when I go to the island, holding a dong leaf, measuring each bowl of rice, I clearly feel the hardship and sacrifice of the soldiers. Each banh chung here is not only a Tet dish, but also the heart of the rear sent to the soldiers at the forefront of the waves and winds.
Bên nồi bánh đang đỏ lửa, tiếng cười nói rộn ràng hòa cùng tiếng sóng biển. Những chiếc bánh được gói tuy chưa thực vuông vắn, hoàn hảo nhưng ai cũng trân trọng. Bởi trong mỗi chiếc bánh ấy là sự sẻ chia, là tình cảm chân thành giữa quân và dân, là niềm tin gửi gắm cho những người đang ngày đêm làm nhiệm vụ bảo vệ chủ quyền biển đảo.
Ms. Dong Thuy Thuy Ai - a delegate from Can Tho city, celebrating Tet early with soldiers on remote islands for the first time, could not hide her emotion: "When directly wrapping banh chung with the soldiers, I understood that to have a full Tet on remote islands is a very elaborate preparation process. These banh chung, although simple, contain a lot of affection and appreciation from the mainland for the officers and soldiers.
