Along with other forces, over the past few days, religious entities in the province have also called and mobilized religious dignitaries and fellow Buddhists and laity to join hands in activities to support Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control. In the spirit of public health, the cooperation of religions has contributed greatly to spiritual encouragement, bringing faith and practical support to everyone in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Buddhists join to take care of F0 at Medic Binh Duong
Devotion for the community
In order to join forces and share with the province in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Standing Buddhist Association of Vietnam in the province has propagated and mobilized the monks of pagodas and establishments including Buddhist compatriots in the province to actively participate in charity, relief and support to help people who are facing difficulties and lack of necessities, food, and medicine in the area within their reach.
In a series of practical activities to join hands in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, a meaningful activity of Binh Duong Buddhist Association is the participation of monks and young Buddhists in volunteer, service, and support of the frontline against the Covid-19 epidemic. Specifically, during the epidemic, hundreds of volunteers have participated in supporting activities such as vaccination, Covid-19 testing, community sampling, distribution of necessities to people in areas of blockade and quarantine, and 60,000 rice meals for quarantined areas in the province.
From the beginning of the epidemic until now, in addition to timely deploying and propagating guidelines and regulations on disease prevention and control under the direction of all levels and along with monks and Buddhists in the province, Venerable Monk Thich Thien Hung, Chief Secretary of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of the province, also directly participated in many other activities such as supporting people in blocked and quarantine areas, giving gifts to frontline forces fighting the epidemic, local supporting and coordinating human resources to participate in disease prevention and control, sharing about the activities that he has been participating in. Venerable Monk Thich Thien Hung, said: "With the spirit of the Buddhists, when the people spread the world facing difficulties, I have to enthusiastically take the lead to help people and contribute to bring a peaceful life to everyone.
Facing the complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic, in order to share a part of the difficulty in serving human resources with medical facilities participating in F0 treatment in the area, the Vietnamese Buddhist Association also issued a notice calling for young Buddhists with good health, service spirit, seriousness, responsibility in work and discipline to register for volunteering to serve F0 at medical facilities. On August 11, Binh Duong Buddhist Association saw off 12 volunteers who are monks on the way to take care of Covid-19 patients at Binh Duong Medic Hospital.
Venerable Monk Thich Thien Hung said: "In order to join hands in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, Venerable Monk Thich Hue Thong, Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association, has called on monks and Buddhists to join together. With the diligence in studying and the spirit of the Buddha, despite knowing that there are still many difficulties and high risk of infection ahead, the monks still enthusiastically registered and actively participated in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic to serve the people. Venerable Monk Thich Thien Hung also added that they had just spent the months of pure practice and ended the summer retreat. Therefore, Binh Duong Buddhist Association will continue to mobilize and call on monks to simultaneously participate in anti-epidemic activities.
To help localities prevent and control Covid-19
Recently, the Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee of the province coordinated with the Diocese of Phu Cuong to organize a departure ceremony to bring 184 volunteers who are priests and religious people of Phu Cuong Diocese to participate in activities to support disease prevention and control in Tan Uyen town. Despite knowing that the epidemic has many potential risks and participating in the support of the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic is a very difficult task, with their kindness, they did not mind difficulties and volunteered to participate in order to contribute to the protection of public health.
Father Tran Van The, one of the volunteers participating in this support activity, said that the volunteers' mentality is always ready to join hands with the people of Binh Duong province to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic. “Hopefully our actions will contribute to encouragement and comfort for Covid-19 patients and all their loved ones. It is our gratitude to the local government for welcoming us and giving us the opportunity to serve," said Father The.
Mr. Nguyen Van Loc, Standing Member, Head of the provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization cum Chairman of the provincial Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee, said Binh Duong is going through an unprecedented difficult time before the Covid-19 pandemic. The entire political system from the province to the grassroots, branches, levels and people from all walks of life have participated with the highest concentration and most drastic actions to control and prevent the Covid-19 epidemic. Over the past time, many organizations, individuals and business communities inside and outside of the province have shared and supported human resources, vehicles, goods and funds for the province's disease prevention and control including the contribution and support of valuable resources as well as human resources of religious organizations in the province.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Loc, the joint participation of religious organizations in disease prevention and control activities is of great significance. Religious organizations have directly supported human resources for localities and medical facilities and served at quarantine points; they have participated in tracing, sampling and many other activities in disease prevention and control. The supportive participation also contributed to create responses in society; thereby, mobilizing many other organizations and individuals to participate in Covid-19 prevention and control.
Reported by Hong Thuan – Translated by Vi Bao
