The Long Road To Forgiveness

On June 8, 1972, I ran out from Cao Dai temple in my village, Trang Bang, South Vietnam; I saw an airplane getting lower and then four bombs falling down. I saw fire everywhere around me. Then I saw the fire over my body, especially on my left arm. My clothes had been burned off by fire.

I was 9 years old but I still remember my thoughts at that moment: I would be ugly and people would treat me in a different way. My picture was taken in that moment on Road No. 1 from Saigon to Phnom Penh. After a soldier gave me some drink and poured water over my body, I lost my consciousness.

Several days after, I realized that I was in the hospital, where I spent 14 months and had 17 operations.

It was a very difficult time for me when I went home from the hospital. Our house was destroyed; we lost everything and we just survived day by day.

Although I suffered from pain, itching and headaches all the time, the long hospital stay made me dream to become a doctor. But my studies were cut short by the local government. They wanted me as a symbol of the state. I could not go to school anymore.

The anger inside me was like a hatred as high as a mountain. I hated my life. I hated all people who were normal because I was not normal. I really wanted to die many times.

I spent my daytime in the library to read a lot of religious books to find a purpose for my life. One of the books that I read was the Holy Bible.
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In Christmas 1982, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. It was an amazing turning point in my life. God helped me to learn to forgive — the most difficult of all lessons. It didn't happen in a day and it wasn't easy. But I finally got it.

Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed.

Napalm is very powerful but faith, forgiveness and love are much more powerful. We would not have war at all if everyone could learn how to live with true love, hope and forgiveness.

If that little girl in the picture can do it, ask yourself: Can you?

通往宽恕的长路——“我相信”系列

     我的家乡在越南南部的Trang Bang。1972年6月8日，我冲出村里的Cao Dai庙，只看见一架飞机正在俯降，随即四枚炮弹从天而降。我看见周围火海一片，自己的身上也着了火——左臂烧得尤为厉害。身上的衣服也被大火烧了个精光。
     尽管当时才九岁，但对那时的感受我还记忆犹新：我会变成个丑八怪，所有人都会把我当怪物看。我那张照片就是在当时拍下的——在从SAIGON 去往PHNOM PENH的一号路上。直到一名士兵给了我点喝的，还往我身上泼了水，我终于昏了过去。
     几天后，我才意识到自己住到了医院里。在那里，我度过了14个月，经历了17次手术。
     出院回家的日子无比艰辛。我们的房子被毁掉了，所有东西都没了，生活度日如年。
     尽管疼痛、瘙痒和头疼时刻困扰着我，但长期的住院经历使我开始想成为一名医生。但是当地政府削减了我的学时。他们想让我成为这个国家象征。我再也不能去上学了。
     我的心里充满了怨恨之情。我憎恨我的生活。我憎恨一切正常的人，就因为我并不是一个正常的人。好几次我真的想结束自己的生命。
     于是，白天我就泡在图书馆阅读那些关于宗教的书籍，去寻找我生命的目的。其中一本便是圣经。
     1982年圣诞节，我接受了耶稣基督成为我的救世主。这是我生命中一个重要的转折点。在神主的帮助下，我开始学着去宽恕——这是所有我需要学的东西中最困难的一课。这成果并非一朝可见，也并非轻而易举。但是终于，我学会了。
     宽恕使我不再憎恨。尽管依旧伤痕累累，疼痛缠身，但我的心已经安如止水。
     汽油弹的威力固然巨大，但相比之下，信念、宽恕以及爱的力量却更胜一筹。如果每一个人都可以学着心怀真爱、希望和宽恕去度过每一天，那么我们身边将再也不会有战争。
     如果那张照片中的小女孩都能做到这一点，那么问问你自己：你行么？