LONG TRIPS…
In addition to the “Hong An’s Rice” program to help the elderly with food every month, the Hong An Association also sponsors the "Emergency Help" program to assist the poor people in isolated areas. Each trip requires a lot of time and preparation for the Sisters.
Here are photos of the Daughters of Our Lady of Unity of Bac-Ninh, as they organize trips to the poor minorities in the villages of Tuyen Quang Province.
Because of the great distance to the villages, the Sisters depart before dawn and return very late the following day. They are exhausted when they return home.
The Congregation often sends college students to accompany the Sisters on these long trips. While helping the Sisters with their mission, these students have first-hand experience with the pain and suffering of underprivileged people. In order to serve for a long time, it is necessary to love the poor. These poor people lack material necessities and help for their mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. The students notice the contrast of lifestyles—ranging from the size of families to treatment of illness with traditional herbal remedies instead of modern medicine. After each trip, the Sisters confess, “I am very fortunate! This trip makes me want to work harder so there is less suffering.”
In order to help the younger generation grow in sensitivity and care for the needs of the poor, the Dominican Sisters often organize trips and encourage young college students to volunteer. These experiences also help the young volunteers recognize the blessings in their own lives.
The Sisters of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Hue have always been excellent helpers for the victims of floods in Central Vietnam. Thanks to the large number of benefactors, the Sisters help the people suffering from natural disasters in many places! 
The Dominican Sisters of the Good News of Nghe An visit and celebrate with lonely cancer patients.
MASSES AND PRAYERS FOR BENEFACTORS
From the beginning, the Hong An Association composed this daily aspiration to God: “If our work pleases you and is beneficial to many people please continue to preserve and expand what you have started. God bless the benefactors, Sisters and the poor people we are serving.”
Additionally, the Hong An Association enrolls perpetually for daily prayers and monthly masses from several different Congregations of Sisters:
1. Sisters of Mary Queen of Bui-Chu,
2. Daughters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Bui-Chu,
3. Dominican Sisters of Bac-Ninh,
4. Daughters of Our Lady of Unity of Bac-Ninh,
5. Sisters of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Hue,
6. Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena of Xuan-Loc)
to pray for all the benefactors who contribute to helping the poor.
The Sisters of these 6 Congregations will pray for all the benefactors as follows:
- 23 Masses every month.
Msgr. Joseph Hoang Minh Thang will also celebrate 30 Masses a year for the intentions of all the benefactors of the Hong An Association.
This is a total of 308+ Masses each year! Add to those blessings 1793 prayers said by the Sisters every day. In addition, the poor who are helped by the Association agree to show their gratitude by praying for the benefactors. (Updated by Oct. 2020)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
What is the connection between the Hong An Association and the Kontum Missionary and Friendship?
The Hong An Association is a branch of the Kontum Association (Kontum Missionary and Friendship - KMF), so they share the same President, Msgr. Joseph Hoang Minh Thang and the same Executive Board members. The KMF is recognized as a non-profit organization in the United States. The Federal Tax ID is 42-1757220.
- If I want to help and support the poor by making regular donations to the Hong An Association, what is the most convenient way to send this donation?
If you want to make a one-time contribution, you can send a check or money order to:
HOI TU THIEN HONG AN
P.O. Box 310935
Houston, TX 77231
And please make payment to the Order of: “Hoi Tu Thien Hong An”
Or DONATE ONLINE
If you choose to make monthly contributions, you can choose from these two ways:
- Via PayPal: From our website, (www. htthongan.com) with a credit card. The website will prompt instructions and the system will automatically withdraw the amount you specify on the same day, each month.
- Via mail: You can inform the Hong An Association and we will mail pre-paid postage and addressed envelopes (about 10 at a time) for your convenience.
- In which areas of Vietnam do the poor receive help from the Hong An Association?
The Sisters of 13 different Congregations serve the poor mostly in the Central Region and the North Region. (Insert the link here) Each Congregation serves in a different area and participates in a wide range of duties so that the Association can reach out to the poor people; especially the lonely elderly people, the sick, the lepers, the mentally ill, and the disabled in those specific areas. In addition, every three to six months, the Sisters travel to remote areas to offer any help possible. These isolated areas are usually ethnic minority villages.
At this time, due to a limited budget, the Hong An Association can only support the Sisters with these existing programs: The Hong An Rice Program and the Emergency Help Program.
- Are the contributions transferred to Vietnam through the Vietnamese government?
Absolutely not! The contributions are distributed according to need and sent directly to the Sisters in the Congregations without any third-party involvement. The Hong An Association has never encountered any difficulty with transferring the contributions to Vietnam. Contributions are sent every quarter (January, April, July, and October).
- Do poor people receiving help have to be Catholic?
No. The Hong An Association and the Sisters willingly help simply the "poor in poverty, unable to work.” Help for the poor is not based on religion or ethnicity.
- It is my understanding from Hong An Association that a bag of rice for one person per month is $5 (USD). If I want to help one person, should I send $5 (USD) monthly?
Yes, that is correct. You can help one poor person for only $5 a month! If you want to avoid postage fees ($0.50) every month, you may want to consider sending payments for three months, six months, or one year at a time.