Thien Nhan journey and nonfictional dreams

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That journey has been connected the two fates by love, goodness and kindness. In her newly released book - "Hanh trinh yeu thuong" (the Journey of love), Mai Anh confides, "Please, do not give us a happy ending of the fairy tale because we are still moving forward and we may not know what is waiting for us ahead."

Thien Nhan and his godmother Mai Anh.

1. As we all know, 11 years ago, an infant (later named Thien Nhan) was left in a remote place by his mother or someone else we did not know. He was lying there on two papaya leaves and was severely injured by insects. Currently, Thien Nhan is a strong, intelligent and humorous secondary school student. The defects of his genitals have been healed.

Although Thien Nhan's journey over the past 11 years has never been easy, our "brave tin soldier" has confidently started his normal life as every other kid.

Fortunately, he has been sufficiently supported during his difficult journey by his godmother. Ms. Mai Anh, with her love as of a mother and real motherhood, has overcome social prejudices, taking care of, nurturing and rearing her disadvantaged son, Thien Nhan.

Even today, she keeps making all-out effort to bring up Thien Nhan and teach him to become a good person, living his life with gratitude to the community and care for others.

Ms. Mai Anh has written stories about Thien Nhan in a diary over the years and she has just published a book named "The Journey of Love" based on her diary. The most touching and meaningful sentence of this book may be "My heart gave birth to you".

"The Journey of love" by Ms. Mai Anh.

Many people say that they have cried a lot after watching "Thien Nhan’s Fire" programme by Director Dang Hong Giang. However, people still should read the book as you will really feel the power of love which mother Mai Anh has spent on her child Thien Nhan, as well as extreme difficulties that both mom and son have overcome over the past years.

Thien Nhan has gone through several 10-hour surgeries to have a new genital. At each time, mother Mai Anh always nurtured and encouraged Thien Nhan.

Many touching stories were recorded by Ms. Mai Anh.  For example, waking up after an operation, Thien Nhan told mother Mai Anh: "When I have grown up, I will care for you".

Additionally, "The Journey of Love" tells us many other stories in a very humorous and optimistic way. Mother Mai Anh also makes readers admire her positive and optimistic views despite difficulties and hardships in life. So it can be said that kindness and goodness may arise from physical and mental pains.

Luckily, mother Mai Anh often receives spiritual support and material assistance from the community, generous organizations and people. First, those who have helped Thien Nhan return to normal are doctors of the Quang Nam General Hospital, as well as doctors Roberto, Greig, Na Huong and  others.

2. At a recent meeting named "Thien Nhan journey and friends", Mai Anh, Greig and Na Huong did not talk about what they did but their ongoing journey with charitable activities. "Thien Nhan journey and friends" has become a renowned social programme, bringing smiles back to needy children.

Thien Nhan was born like a destiny’s choice awaking people’s love for not only him but also other disadvantaged children.

The Management Board of the "Thien Nhan journey and friends" programme.

Many unfortunate fates, many little boys and girls who face genital problems are being supported by the "Thien Nhan journey and friends" programme.

Since 8-2011, doctor Roberto and other Italian and American doctors have come to Vietnam 10 times to conduct free surgeries on 230 similar patients, and provide free checkups for over 800 children. To date, there are still more than 1,000 patients with genital defects awaiting medical examinations.

Moreover, the "Thien Nhan journey and friends" programme in collaboration with various hospitals held 3 workshops, to exchange experience relating to urology and reproductive genitals.

The programme also raises fund to equip surgical instruments for Vietnamese hospitals. In 2017, the "Thien Nhan journey and friends" programme has planned to organize surgeries and health checkups for 500 children with genital defects in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.

To meet this end, members of the "Thien Nhan journey and friends" are actively collaborate with international medical exports to transfer modern technologies and surgical techniques to Vietnamese doctors.

This October, the very first group of Vietnamese doctors will go to the US for a training course, and hopefully they will help realize unfortunate child patients’ common dream – to be a normal person and live a normal life.