People often stay away from mental madmen but Mr. Ha Tu Phuoc, 47, a driver in Pleiku City in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, take them home and treat them like their father. Phuoc has quietly pursued this charity career for a dozen of years.

Phuoc (second from the left) and his “children.”

In Phuoc’s small house in Ia Rok village, in Chu H’Drong commune, the most valuable asset may be a television. The man was willing to tell his story.

Around ten years ago, a client invited Phuoc to his house, where Phuoc saw this man’s son who was a mental patient. The young man had been chained for 15 years. Seeing the naked, dirty man in a smelly, dark room, Phuoc felt a deeply sorry for him.

The client said that he had to chain his son, otherwise he would kill others. Nobody dared to come close to him. 

“I asked them to release him and allowed me to take him to my home for caring. At first, they dissuaded me to not take misfortune myself but I kept persuading them and finally they agreed,” Phuoc recalled.

Phuoc brought the insane man, named Sau, to his home, living together with his wife, his mother and two children.

“At that time I was not scared because I thought that mental patients are human beings but they are so pitiful. Their lives are even worse than that of animals. Animals can run freely but they are chained. I wish to love and take care of them,” Phuoc said.

Living with Phuoc’s family, the madman named Sau was treated like a family member. Phuoc took Sau with him at work. The madman gradually became gentle and harmless. Five months later, Sau re-integrated into the daily life. He could take meal, change and wash his clothes, did not scream or beat others. Sau’s family has brought him back home.

Since then, whenever seeing mental patients who were chained, Phuoc took them to his home. He could not remember how much mental people that he has brought up. Some of them partly recovered after living with Phuoc’s family and they were welcomed back to his families.

There were times that Phuoc took care of up to 15 insane people, who were abandoned by mental hospitals and had been chained by their families for 10-15 years.

At Phuoc’s home, they were allowed to walk freely and to be cherished. “The most effective medicines for mental patients is to be cherished. If we really love and take care of them, they will be converted. If we cherish them, they will never heart us,” he said.

Phuoc sees mental people as his children and they call him “dad”.

Many families asked Phuoc’s help to take care of these relatives who are insane people. At first, the number of mental patients was only 3-4 and they lived with Phuoc’s family. When the number increased, he had to borrow money from his friends and relatives to build a house for them. This house is larger and better than his family’s house, with bedrooms, a toilet, clean water and dining room.

To do this act of charity, Phuoc said he has to thank his wife, Mrs. Huynh Thi Hac, 38. Hac has joined hands with her husband to take care of mental people for many years.

“At first I was anxious when my husband took insane people to our home. Gradually I’m sympathetic with him and mental patients,” Hac said.

Some families whose mental relatives live with Phuoc contribute VND500,000-600,000 ($25-30) or a ten of kilos of rice per month and some do not give anything but Phuoc’s family still take care all of them very carefully.

“I often get up at 3am to work as a porter. From 6am, I carry goods for my clients. When others get up at 6am, I’ve earned VND100,000 ($5). If I don’t do these jobs, I will be unable to take care of my families and over ten of “children,”” Phuoc said.

Phuoc works from 3am until 10pm to support his big family but he never complains. He spends a certain of time each day to bathe, clean clothes and talk with his “babies”. Phuoc said that going anywhere, he asks others for unused clothes and sandals for his ‘children.’

“I don’t care how people think. I sometimes wore women’s clothes to work. Others looked at me curiously but I think that the good is inside, not coming from clothes,” Phuoc added.

After the talk, Phuoc took some visitors to the house of his “adopted children.”  Seeing Phuoc, mental people sang a song as their hello. 

“They are now very obedient. I allow some of them to work at the garden. Actually, going to the garden is a way of relaxation. It is uncomfortable to stay at home all day,” he said.

Seeing these people, nobody could think that they were really crazy people who were chained by their families.

The house that Phuoc built for his "children", which is bigger and better than his family's house.

Pointing to the youngest man, Phuoc said: “His name is Tran Minh. He is only over 20. His parents were dead. I will take care of Minh and other two kids whose parents were dead all their lives. For others, their families can take them back home whenever they want.”

When they were asked: “Do you want to go home?” All of them shook their head and said: “No, I want to stay here with Dad.”

Hoang Quoc Luong, Vice Chair of the Chu H’Drong Commune, said: “Mr. Phuoc is a kind-hearted man. He does act of charity for nothing. He has taken care of mental people for over ten years. In my own knowledge, all mental patients have become gentle and obedient since they live with Phuoc.”

Luong added that Phuoc’s family is not rich. Phuoc has to work very hard to support his own family of four members.

Readers who want to join hands with Phuoc to help mental patients, please contact:

Mr. Ha Tu Phuoc, Rok village, Chu H'Drong commune, Pleiku city, Gia Lai province

Account: 62010000410167 - The Bank for Development and Investment of Vietnam, Gia Lai Branch

Tel: 0974108968.

Phuoc's home.

"Adopted children" can help Phuoc do some simple things.

The house for Phuoc's "children". 

Phuoc's wife and her "adopted children".

Source: VNE/ VNN