Student residence in Vinh (Vietnam): a place where love and faith take root
En Vinh, Vietnam, la residencia de estudiantes de las Hermanitas de la Asunción es mucho más que un simple lugar de alojamiento. Tras un año de acompañamiento, una hermana da testimonio de la riqueza de los lazos que se han tejido, de la vida fraternal y del camino de fe compartido con las estudiantes. Una experiencia en la que los gestos cotidianos se convierten en fuente de crecimiento humano, espiritual y misionero.
As I look back on the journey we have made this year supporting the students at the LSA residence, I realise just how quickly time has passed. What began as hesitation and anxiety in the early days has now become a precious treasure. For me, the LSA hall of residence is neither a grand undertaking nor anything extraordinary. Yet, it is woven from countless little stories of everyday life. These are the bursts of laughter shared whilst cleaning the dusty corners of the rooms, the words of care and encouragement exchanged on returning from lectures, the beaming faces during fellowship gatherings, the moments spent preparing meals together and sharing them around the same table, and the moments of prayer experienced in fellowship.
A year is not a very long time, but it has been enough to gather all these little fragments of life and weave them into a true treasure of love kept in my heart. From it, I have drawn precious lessons, rich human and spiritual experiences, and many blessings that will continue to accompany me on my journey.
As I look back on the past year, my heart overflows with gratitude. I give thanks to God for all the gifts He has bestowed upon me through the Congregation, the sisters of the Vinh community and the students. This time spent living, sharing and supporting the young people at the student residence has been a true blessing for me.
This residence is not merely a place of accommodation for students who have come to pursue their studies. It is also a space where faith and fraternal life are nurtured, and where, little by little, a second family is built. At first, just like the students, I was somewhat hesitant and reserved. Most of them had left their families and their home villages for the first time to pursue their studies in Vinh. The anxieties associated with a new environment and the demands of university life were plain to see on their faces.
In my role as a mentor, I have always strived to be, above all, a sister; someone who can listen, understand, and support each and every one of them. For the LSA hall of residence is a home that opens its arms wide to welcome, protect and encourage the dreams of these young people.
Walking alongside them, I have gained a deeper insight into the aspirations, questions and concerns of today’s young people. In a society marked by numerous pressures and temptations, young people need not only a safe place to live. Above all, they need solid human and spiritual support. The hostel is precisely this space of peace and inner growth.
Evening times of communal prayer, Eucharistic celebrations lived with fervour, sharing sessions centred on the Word of God, and prayer vigils in the spirit of Taizé have helped them become more deeply rooted in their faith. I sense a quiet spiritual strength that nourishes their hearts day after day and helps them move forward with confidence.
Beyond spiritual life, the residence is also a place for personal development and learning about community life. I am delighted to see the students helping one another and preparing simple yet heart-warming meals together. The bursts of laughter around the table, the evenings spent revising side by side, and the acts of service in the simplicity of daily life are gradually teaching them to listen, to respect differences, to share and to love one another as members of the same family.
At present, the hall of residence is home to thirteen students, spread across the first, second and third years of university. Each has her own story, character, talents and personal journey, but together they form a small, close-knit and supportive family.
Our hall of residence is situated in the heart of a predominantly non-Christian neighbourhood. The presence of these thirteen young Catholics is like the ‘discreet leaven’ mentioned in the Gospel. Admittedly, they sometimes face certain difficulties, but their respectful behaviour, their simplicity, their spirit of sharing, their concern for cleanliness and their care for the poorest become so many silent ways of sharing the Good News. Through them, I discover the full power of Christian witness lived out in the simplest everyday gestures.
Among the fondest memories I share with the sisters and the students are the charitable activities. I remember their generosity: they never hesitated to brave the sun or the rain to collect recyclable materials or sell packets of cashew nuts to raise funds. Despite the winter cold or the sweltering heat of Vinh, the students and sisters would hand out bowls of hot soup to the poor and sick and to those in need. Seeing their beaming smiles as they served others, I could sense their growth in charity and their sincere desire to live for others through the simplest of gestures.
Their youth, dynamism, generosity and enthusiasm have been a constant source of encouragement and hope for me. Through them, the Lord has taught me to listen more attentively, to trust in the discreet workings of His grace, and to discover His presence at the heart of life’s simplest realities.
I give thanks to the Lord and to the Virgin Mary for watching over our home and for filling it throughout this year with peace, brotherly love, and the love of God. May this blessing continue to accompany all those who cross the threshold of this house, so that it may always remain a place where faith, hope and charity flourish, a place where every young person may feel welcomed, loved and encouraged to become fully the person God calls them to be.
Sr Phước