At the beginning of 2013, on a trip back to Vinh Long to visit his parents, Mr. Tran Van Tinh (Tony Tinh), the IMM Group’s founder, witnessed such a pitiful situation that he is always moved whenever he mentions it.
At lunchtime, an acquaintance from his family’s charity group came and announced that a woman had been left near Can Tho overpass. The woman, who was from another district, came to this place to earn her living. She and her child did various jobs in order to live. She unfortunately contracted HIV at the age of 35, and therefore people who lived near her lodging-house kept away from her. The hospital refused to continue to treat her because she had no money left. When she came back home, her landlord threw her furniture out onto the road and no longer allowed her to rent. Because the ambulance driver and hospital staffs did not know where to drop her off, they had to leave her under Can Tho overpass.
Hearing this, Mr. Tinh drove his car there to help the poor woman. When he arrived, the woman was unconscious and her 10-year-old child was holding her and crying. A lot of curious people, who were standing around, were so afraid to get closer. The policemen from the commune were at the scene, “preparing” to report in case the woman would pass away. The situation became more desperate because of the rising flood and raining. When Mr. Tinh’s car arrived, a lot of passers-by started gossiping, “Who is this woman? She must be very lucky to be picked up in a car!”
Mr. Tinh and his aunt, who was a member of the charitable organization, carried the woman and her old and worn-out belongings to his car. At that time, Mr. Tinh only thought that he could not leave her alone under the overpass, and if she died, she should have a decent death. Recalling his father saying, “Once a person is dead, no one else should blame him,” he brought her back to his house. At that time, there was not much space left in his house for the sick woman and moreover, Mr. Tinh’s father was paralyzed. His family discussed with their neighbors and together set up a temporary tent on the vacant land near his house so that she and her child could have a safe place to thrive. The next day, Mr. Tinh’s parents asked the local government to register them as temporary residents so that they could arrange her funeral if she died. Mr. Tinh helped her child to get a job as a servant in a neighboring house, and everyone arranged things so that the child could go to school.
After that, the local Red Cross Organization was informed about the case and took her to a place for AIDS patients in order to take care of her according to Vinh Long province’s policy. Not a long time after that, she peacefully passed away.
In fact, there is no need to plan and prepare in advance to do good things. We only need to have a good mind and a merciful heart. Mercy and compassion cannot be judged by matter or exterior appearance, because a merciful heart is boundless.
IMM Group
