"Mother Whistle" Tran Mai Anh - Sweet great-grandchild from all sufferings

The journey of "lead soldier" Thien Nhan has gone through so many years, so much time on the journey of becoming a mother of journalist Tran Mai Anh. One day, the Fund "Thien Nhan and Friends" (TN&F) is bigger, wide enough to cover hundreds of other children with genital defects. She has worked hard over the years, not only for Thien Nhan, but also for hundreds of other unlucky children.

Journalist Tran Mai Anh was born in 1973, the daughter of journalist Tran Mai Hanh and poet Bui Kim Anh. At the end of 2007, after many legal procedures, Ms. Tran Mai Anh officially became the adoptive mother of Thien Nhan - the boy was left alone in the forest in Quang Nam, was eaten by an animal and lost one of his legs and organs. sex.
How fortunate that a newborn baby was discovered by a family and taken to the emergency room. The name Thien Nhan was also given by the doctors themselves in the hope that in the future he will be an honest boy and do many good deeds.

Indeed, fate smiled on Thien Nhan when he was adopted by Mai Anh’s family. She loved Thien Nhan like her two biological sons, Thien Minh and Hai Minh.
Thien Nhan’s motherhood journey has helped her, a journalist who is surrounded by her parents’ arms, to become one of 50 influential women in Forbes’ honor event in 2017 as a Founder of "Journey of Thien Nhan and friends" of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, free examination, consultation and surgery for unfortunate children with genital defects.

The children called her "Mother Whistle", just like her appearance. She and the strange children see each other as a real family, each member knows how to find and save for themselves sweet drops of happiness countless sufferings.

Journalist Tran Mai Anh once said that people are born with sadness, joy, anger, and hatred. Whenever she was unhappy, she never complained that she was so unhappy. So I think that my life is so "rich" that other people can’t be so miserable and happy like me.

Dear Mai Anh, it seems that people have known you for a long time as Thien Nhan’s adoptive mother, I would like to start this story with your sharing about yourself, an independent individual.

- I think I’m an interesting person, because I like this life. Every day I see life vividly, I am not affected by who is a good person, what profession, what life is like… I always find myself having the joy of seeing the good sides of life. everywhere, every person.

It’s not that I’m optimistic, I see those things. I don’t see anything in this world that is mandatory, so I live comfortably, and so are the people I meet around. Personality The most similar to me, sometimes I want to scold Nhan, but when I look like his mother, I scold him (laughs).

Thien Nhan had to undergo a lot of treatment, so I had to spend time taking Nhan to the hospital, on that journey mother and daughter bonded more together. I have witnessed how my mother communicates with those around me, so I am influenced by her mother. Nhan liked his mother’s personality like that, when needed, he was very "bear". Really, I don’t distinguish between good people and bad people around, only people and people live honestly together, so no one is polite and formal...

The reason why she made the reckless decision to take Thien Nhan back to raise, tied herself to a journey that doesn’t know when it will end?
- I remember the pain and despair of a child when his goldfish died. The iridescent goldfish in the eyes of a child, is me, wonderfully gorgeous as a child.

One day, when I got home school, the fish lay dead next to the water tank. The whole ants flocked to it. I caused this death, because my ignorance poured too much water, so the fish thrashed and fell out of the tank.

Fathers will never understand this feeling because they do not have the opportunity to know the first movement of a baby in the womb.

It was a very light swish, like a tiny fish swishing in the water. It was the mother’s first sense of a small life beginning to grow in her body. It is the first link between the Son and the Mother. It is a tiny, fragile movement that determines a mother’s pride, happiness, or pain.
When people first saw Thien Nhan, the boy showed no signs of life. Dark purple, lost right leg, lost genitals, and covered with ants. No father, no mother, no name, a "nameless child", a "dead man".

The excruciating pain, the boundary of death and survival, made countless mothers and fathers cry and angry. I was very afraid of ants, I cried for my goldfish, I suddenly found that I was forgetting one of my children. I have to take Thien Nhan back, to love, to make up for it... Please don’t give us a fairy ending, because we’re going, going, and I understand I won’t know what awaits waiting for this story ahead.

It has been 14 years after the genital surgery, how is Thien Nhan now, ma’am?

- Thien Nhan is extremely clear, understands the nature of the problem, is not affected by the surrounding factors. Once, Nhan told me that when he grew up he would be a lawyer. Because Nhan said that when he understood the law, no one could refute him. I don’t have to be a lawyer to help others, I have to help myself first.

When Nhan was 4 years old, playing like a baby kangaroo in front of the door, I heard the neighbor’s screams, shouting at the way the police came out to scare children for fun, but many children were afraid to shrink or cry. I call the police to arrest now. I did not have time to rush out to give advice to the neighbor when I heard Thien Nhan’s polite voice, but he definitely called the police here, he was first arrested for the crime of slandering innocent people.

I teach my children the time they don’t even know how to say that, it’s the law to protect themselves and with the law people are equal. Of course, children can’t understand complicated theories, but in many everyday situations I follow the law to behave, Thien Nhan and his two brothers gradually absorbed it.

Nhan is also a very strong guy. During the long journey of healing, there was a rare time when only a single tear quietly rolled the corner of his eye and ran down his cheek and once he sobbed, crying not because his mother was in so much pain, but because of his mother. oh so long. Surgery after surgery in this never-ending journey is a frustrating feeling that is more terrible than pain.

The first time the doctor peeled off each layer of bandages tightly wrapping Thien Nhan’s beautiful bird after major surgery at Bologna hospital (Italy), Thien Nhan tightly grasped his mother’s thumb, sweated out of pain, his lips were pursed. Tight to the point of bleeding, the person tensed on the hospital bed.
Later I asked him why he didn’t cry. Thien Nhan said: "I’m in a lot of pain, but screaming and struggling is difficult for the doctor to do, it’s even more painful, if not clever, the doctor will cut the wrong bird and lose my mother’s billions of dollars."

Usually children are very sensitive and easily feel sorry for themselves if they realize that they are different, but through the stories she shared about Thien Nhan, it seems to me that the boy soon understood and was not affected much?

- That’s because my mother and I are always transparent. Thien Nhan was not born my belly. That is the truth and Nhan is the one who, above all else, has the right to know that truth. There were times when I wondered if I should tell her how her story came to me, but in the end, I chose to face it. Fate is like that, don’t avoid it so that it becomes more complicated and tragic than life.
Any concept created by humans, humans also have the right to create other concepts. Nhan was not born the womb, but who forbid Mai Anh’s mother giving birth to Thien Nhan the heart. But the heart is even more fragrant, more vibrating than the belly - since childhood, Nhan and I have understood the same.

Every night before going to bed, the children who like this mother the most cry out: "Oh my god, there are too many children, I have to take attendance without losing any of them". Then I chanted according to the age of 3 children: Baby Dragon, Baby Monkey, Puppy. Each one excitedly "Yes!" fortunately, my mother did not miss me.

When I asked again, who gave birth to the children, they would scream "Mom". Thien Nhan puppy will scream most proudly because his mother gave birth to him a fragrant heart, and the two brothers only the belly.

Children, no matter how small, even if they can’t speak yet, can understand many things if we share information with them honestly and properly.

When he adopted Thien Nhan, journalist Tran Mai Anh was working at Heritage magazine, receiving a civil servant salary, and had a warm family with two 5-year-old and 3-year-old sons.

In her situation, adopting a healthy child was something few people did. Raising a child brings terrible damage both physically and psychologically, even more rarely anyone dares to admit it. Bringing Thien Nhan Quang Nam to Hanoi, Mai Anh knew she was starting to embark on a difficult journey that she didn’t know when it would end - the journey to help Thien Nhan become a normal child.

You and your partner created Thien Nhan & Friends, an inspirational journey, how did this come about?

- In 2010, Thien Nhan went to Italy for surgery after being supported by many people. However, after returning to Vietnam, the wound became infected. The beautiful bird costs 1.5 billion but it’s so desperate. The whole family cried. I tried again to invite a doctor to Vietnam to examine Thien Nhan. At that time, my family and Uncle Roberto already had feelings for each other.

I persuaded Roberto: Come here, Vietnam is a new country, I will invite you to visit Ha Long Bay. Come here for a checkup and then I’ll go on a trip.

I asked again: In case you came here by the way, if Vietnam had other babies similar to Thien Nhan, would you help with the examination?

Uncle Roberto was very kind, he said yes. I started researching everywhere, looking up the newspapers, looking for families with children with genital defects. Announce in the press that a doctor comes here to check on anyone in need? I was surprised when there were 110 applications sent in at the same time. Quite a lot more than I initially anticipated."

By the time Dr. Roberto went to Vietnam instead of visiting Ha Long Bay, he had 110 patient records waiting in front of him.

The difficult thing is, after examining the children, the doctor cannot tell them that I have finished the examination, the child is very sick, thank you, please come home. That can’t be! So a new story arose: The doctor had to go to Vietnam for the second time, after the examination, to perform surgery. And that is the third milestone, a milestone that opens the long journey after that.
To this day, how many boys and girls have called you Mom?

- All pediatric patients are operated by TN&F, including adult patients. The TN&F Foundation also sponsors a number of cases, so that the children get the best care and development.

We have a "Children’s Day" for the children to meet, bond with each other, also an opportunity to think together more things to do, to do for the fund. That day was Thien Nhan’s birthday (July 15).

As a journalist, what does your career mean to you and your TN&F journey?

- The TN&F journey that I am on goes hand in hand with my current journalism career. From the relationships in my career, I have known more about TN&F.
The pen of your colleagues not only describes the journey, bringing information of the journey to more patients, but you actually participated in that story, using your time, energy and money. themselves, contributing time and enthusiasm to the hospital, to the children.

I think Thien Nhan’s journey to 14 years, preparing to enter the 15th year is thanks to hundreds of articles by many colleagues. And up to now, many journalists who are not journalists when coming to Thien Nhan’s journey have become volunteers, hospital attendants, sponsors for children, sharing the same role. To shoulder the burden so that I can rest so that I don’t get tired, it’s really worth it.
Journalist Tran Mai Anh and doctors in "Thien Nhan journey" - a program of reconstructive surgery of the genital organs for underprivileged children.

Thien Nhan - an ill-fated infant 14 years ago miraculously survived 72 hours in the forest when a part of his body was eaten by a wild animal. Today’s Thien Nhan’s story is no longer sad tears but completely brings a more cheerful color.

14 years have passed, the night he fell asleep in the strange bed of his adoptive mother on the first day of his new family, the 18-month-old boy that year has become a stronger man than imagined. The painful and beautiful memories of 14 years seem like yesterday.

Anyone who follows her can easily see that her life seems to revolve around Thien Nhan and the TN&F project, I am very curious to know in that amount of time if she has to trade anything?

- Actually no, you see that my personal page shares a lot about Thien Nhan because it is my responsibility to share with the person who helps my child that it is alive and existing.
I still play all the time. I hate people who keep imposing their thoughts on others, usually people will think that a mother with many children will be busy taking care of children, many children have surgery, they are busy with surgery and have no time to do other things.

Life has many activities other than going to work, people can go golfing, go to the movies… each person will have different preferences to use 24h, so never take your 24h out to apply it. put someone else at all. I live like that, but I’m still happy. I don’t need anyone to live my life for me.

Fundraising programs and projects I see that you often use the word "fairy", do you believe in fairy tales?

Fairy tales are born the hearts of people. Only the human heart can create miracles, not a cry for the Buddha or a magic wand.
Like me, suddenly falling into that situation rather than intentionally doing good deeds, then many people will be like me, will be good in some part of their being, their soul.

Many people also say "how do you do such things", actually I fell into the flow of life that it has created, in my journey there are many people who have joined that flow. I went through and I know, I want if possible I open other streams to let it run on its own, each person will be the protagonist of the flow of life.

That journey is not about coming home work every day, just taking care of themselves, not everyone wants that, but they don’t have the flow to take care of others. But if you want to take care of others, you need not only kindness, but it must really be the flow you want.People with salt water must swim in salt water, like brackish water fish, they only swim in brackish water... dropping in other places will not promote their strength, only yawning. I have been pushed away by the current, I think I will start many other salty, sweet or brackish water streams. Each person will be the main character of his life.

I keep trying to live a good life, but I accidentally forget a part of me. Helping others is the same, we keep thinking that we have to put in a lot of effort and do something great to help people. But that’s not necessarily the case, small things begin to help a person.

Charity does not mean that I am redundant, I have a lot of this, I give it to others, but that I give people what they need and what I also want to give. Just a little kindness, slowly, like a camel going through the desert, slowly going through the tiring heat to reach the final destination.

Tran Mai Anh once said, in her family, only lovers stay. In such a simple way, she let those who care about her know that she and her husband broke up.

Did the broken marriage story have much impact on your mother and children?

- We can’t stay together. Never affected. Thien Nhan took care of his mother, he said, "I can love anyone, I can go anywhere, but whenever I want to marry someone, I should discuss it with you". She knows her mother’s recklessness, so whenever she needs to be rational, she should discuss it with each other for the rest of the time, just do what her mother does.

There are moments in life that force us to go through them in the most equanimous way. This life must save pain, save suffering, save tears, thousands of other children are still waiting to be scheduled for surgery, there is no place for my grief.
So how many years have you not "recruited" a father for your children?

- It’s okay, it’s my responsibility to raise children and live happily. My children live happily and fully. Unless there is no father, my child is sad, I give birth to a child, I have to be responsible for my child and hope for the best for him to grow up.

I do not depend on and be influenced by something to raise and let my son grow up and live happily. This life I live, I don’t have to regret anything.

I would like to ask you one last question, what are you still unsatisfied or worried about about the TN&F project?

- I remember once when I was a kid, I broke my mom’s thermometer, and the mercury splashed on the ground. I went to collect them all and they finally fused into one.Later when I grow up, I see that each person’s life is like tiny mercury beads. If I look closely in the sun or in the dark, I can see there are glittering rays, if I hurry, I can’t see it.

In this journey, a baby Thien Nhan, there have been many other children. And every unfortunate fate in this life has meaning, it is always the beginning of another story. So I never thought that I would close my life.

After the surgery, Thien Nhan and I opened our lives to welcome other children. And continue to unfold the story of more babies in need of surgery, other life stories.

 - Thank you Mai Anh and wish you and your children always happy with the journey you have chosen.