Bui Thi Thom paints with her mouth
Bui Thi Thom, 24, was born with a congenital disability that left her unable to walk or use her limbs. Abandoned by her parents as an infant, she was raised at Thanh An Bui Chu Orphanage in Nam Dinh Province, the only home she has ever known.
In Thom’s memory, there are no images of her parents. To her, the orphanage is not just a shelter but her true family.
Because she could not move, her childhood was spent lying on a bed, gazing out through a small window where sunlight filtered gently through the leaves. While other children played and ran freely, Thom could only watch in silence.
Eventually, Thom learned to move around her room using a homemade wheelchair, something like a skateboard. Despite her optimism, she admitted to moments of deep vulnerability.
“There were nights I couldn’t sleep. I would just lie there, lost in thought, asking myself: Why was I born? Am I just a burden to others?” she shared.
Sister Pham Thi Tuoi, who runs the administrative office at Thanh An Orphanage, recalled, “Thom is such a kind, thoughtful child, it breaks my heart. She once told me she didn’t want to eat too much because if she gained weight, it would be harder for the sisters to lift her. I couldn’t hold back my tears when I heard that.”
Sister Pham Thi Tuoi and Thom
Nearly a decade of painting by mouth
Thom had loved drawing since childhood, but with severely weakened limbs and the inability to even sit up, holding a brush in her hand was impossible. Yet, she never allowed her disability to kill her dream.
At age 6, she began basic education right inside the orphanage under Sister Tuoi’s guidance.
To practise writing, Thom had to lie flat on a mat, gripping the pen between her teeth and dragging out each letter with painstaking effort. In the beginning, her neck would ache, and the pen would constantly fall from her mouth.
Despite the pain and setbacks, Thom never once complained or considered giving up. Over time, thanks to her persistence and incredible willpower, she not only mastered writing with her mouth but also excelled academically, especially in mathematics. Only the most complex problems required Sister Tuoi’s help.
By the age of 10, her passion for art began to bloom. She experimented with mixing inks and spent hours drawing simple flowers and houses.
She was so engrossed that she would often forget to eat. Only when her neck ached unbearably or her jaw went numb would she realise that night had already fallen. Occasionally, she would ask the sisters to take her outside so she could observe nature and find inspiration for her work.
Reflecting on the moment she completed her very first painting, Thom became emotional, “It was just a simple drawing of a flower, but I was so happy. That was when I realised that I, too, could create something beautiful.”
By 2020, after nearly ten years of painting with her mouth, Thom had begun producing expressive landscape pieces filled with emotion and meaning.
A shining star in the orphanage
For Thom, painting is more than a passion, it is a language. A way to express her thoughts, dreams, and hopes for a world she’s never fully experienced, but always yearned for.
“Whenever I pick up a brush, I feel like I’m truly alive. It’s as if I can walk freely in my own world,” she explained.
In 2021, her life took a new turn when a doctor visited Thanh An Orphanage as a volunteer. Moved by Thom’s talent and perseverance, the doctor helped organise an exhibition featuring her paintings.
To everyone’s surprise, Thom’s work touched the hearts of many.
Her first exhibition marked a turning point. From being a quiet girl painting in a forgotten corner of an orphanage, she became someone people admired, not just for her talent, but for the strength and determination behind every stroke. Many visitors offered to buy her artwork as a gesture of support and encouragement.
Sister Tuoi proudly shared, “Through her extraordinary resilience, Thom has become a shining star in the orphanage. People love her not just for her art, but for her unwavering spirit.”
Thom revealed that she has long dreamt of becoming a professional artist, not only to fulfil her passion, but also to inspire others who, like her, have faced harsh beginnings.
“I want to become an artist so that through my paintings, I can tell people who are struggling like me that no matter how cruel life gets, as long as you keep trying, things can get better. That’s how I found light in what once seemed like a dark life,” she said.
Recently, several artists have come to Thanh An Orphanage to teach her more about painting techniques, helping her take one step closer to her dream. Though the lessons are short, every bit of knowledge is absorbed with deep gratitude.
Thom has even submitted her work to the The World Around Me art competition, and proudly advanced to the second round.