They have also experienced loneliness and social isolation due to COVID-19 containment measures, such as social distancing and lockdown. In addition, Fr. Son has also seen negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, especially on vulnerable children such as those from poor, near-poor households.
Therefore, Fr. Son and his friends, volunteers, benefactors have launched a program to provide free milk for children and nutritious soups for the elderly. After a month of launching the program, Fr. Son has raised a total value of more than 600 million VND (approx. USD 26.000). Donors of the program are priests, religious, lay people, former students, and students of the Jesuit Student Ministry. 1.200 households received financial supports from the program.
Fr. Son used the image of the jar of the widow of Zarephath to refer to the providence of God through generosity of many benefactors. Like the jar of the widow, which was filled whenever her flour run out, the fund of the program is also “filled” by generous contributions of benefactors.
