Lovers of the Holy Cross Sister Anna Tran Thi Hien and four other nuns get up at 3.30 a.m. and prepare breakfast for hospital patients. They provide chao (rice cooked with meat or fish) for hundreds of poor patients and their relatives at a public hospital in Dong Ha city in Quang Tri province.

They teach basic education, catechism and how to play musical instruments to 45 orphans and children with physical disabilities aged 1-18. They also feed and wash babies.

Children are sent to local public schools and accommodated by the nuns at church-run Lam Bich Home. Many of the children are deaf or visually impaired and are from the Pako and Van Kieu ethnic groups who live in extreme poverty in mountainous areas. “We try our best to bring Jesus’ love to people in need through our services and loving care,” Sister Hien said.

The nun, who has worked with ethnic groups for four decades, said about 1,500 ethnic villagers have found happiness in their life and embraced Catholicism. Some use their houses as chapels for others to pray on a regular basis.

Tens of thousands of Pako and Van Kieu people live in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces.