The love of a Buddhist nun

An abandoned baby was found in Ho Chi Minh City, fighting for her life at just 6 months old.

Little baby Hoa Quynh

The child was left right in front of Tien Phuoc 2 pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City on July 11. Buddhist nun Nguyen Thanh discovered the young child and named her Nguyen Thanh Hoa Quynh.

If a finger is placed in her palm, she will squeeze it very tightly, as if asking for help. Doctors discovered that she is suffering from heart disease and a brain condition called hydrocephalus, which is a large amount of fluid surrounding the brain.

Budhist nun Nguyen Thanh took the baby in her arms and found that the baby was having difficulty breathing so she took her to the hospital.

Doctors from Children’s Hospital 1 and the Heart Hospital diagnosed Quynh with dilated cardiomyopathy, heart valve disease, hydrocephalus and is suffering from malnutrition.

Doctors said she needs intensive care and regular treatment however, she cannot undergo an operation at this moment due to a high risk of death. Her health is very weak now and she has no parents or relatives. Despite her pain, she seldom cries or is upset. Visitors often bring a smile to her young face.

The pagoda takes care of Hoa Quynh as well as 20 other orphans. 14 of them are aged 1 month to 3 years. Nguyen Thanh has to hire baby-sitters when she can as she has to handle jobs of the pagoda as well. However, sometimes, she must do it all by herself.

Most of children in the pagoda suffer from skin disease because they can’t be properly cared for by just one person.

As a nun, Nguyen Thanh is a vegetarian, but she is trying to save enough money to buy fish or meat for her children. She never minds any hardship and is only concerned about how her children can have enough food to eat, clothes to wear and access to health care services.

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