A 37 year-old monk, Thich Hanh Trung, has driven a taxi for nine years in order to bring up over 30 disadvantaged children in the southeastern province of Dong Nai.

Monk Thich Thanh Trung prepares food for the children (Photo: SGGP)

SGGP reporters traveled over one kilometer of a marshy red pathway to An Lac House of Love, Long Thanh District.

Children rushed to the yard and clasped their hands to greet us politely, monk Trung was cleaning the house with some children at the time and had specks of dust on his robes.

Having invited us into the house, Trung poured us some water and talked about his charity.

Thich Hanh Trung has been a monk for 20 years. He began his monastic life at the Vinh Duc monastery in District 2, HCM City. While leading a religious life there, he also learnt how to drive cars. The monastery’s leaders usually assigned Trung to drive to meet and see off visiting monks, nuns and guests.

On charity trips, the young monk had met a lot of orphaned and disabled children. He was determined to build a house of love to bring up these unhappy children.

In the eight years that Thich Hanh Trung studied Buddhology at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in District 3, HCM City, he always thought about how to carry out his idea.

When he graduated in 2000, happy news welcomed him. An overseas Vietnamese, living in Germany, had spent all her savings to buy an 8,000 square meters of land and gave it to Trung.

The woman said that she was very moved when the monk told her about his desire, so she decided to help.

The land was located at Bau Lam Hamlet, Loc An Commune, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province.

Having land, the monk began to present his idea to benefactors. As a result, many of them had donated money and materials to build a house. Since then, the name An Lac House of Love was born.

Trung knew that he could not just expect the help of benefactors. Knowing how to drive cars, he had a bright idea.

He asked a benefactor to help him to borrow money. With the loan, he bought a taxi to earn more money to help bring up the children.

Sine 2001, he has driven a taxi to earn money to bring up disadvantaged children, as well as save to upgrade and broaden the house.

Currently, Trung has to drive to pay for the upkeep of the house and the bank’s interest, around VND20 million (US$1,176) a month.

Though there are over 30 orphaned and disabled children, monk Hanh Trung does not hire anyone to help him.

In his free time everyday, the monk and children prepare meals together. He usually teaches them to love other disadvantaged people, as well as teaching them to be independent.

“I will rent my car out to have more time to take care of the children,” the monk said.