Farmer eyes record as Ho Chi Minh's biggest fan

Soc Trang (VNA) - A farmer in the southern province of Soc Trang has been
nominated for the Guinness Records Vietnam, because of his 30-year obsession
with the life and times of President Ho Chi Minh.

Nguyen Van Nhung, who lives in Thoi An Hoi Commune, Ke Sach District, has
spent the last three decades collecting Ho Chi Minh memorabilia, including
over 1,500 photos, thousands of articles, paintings and poems by the
national icon. "I've been fascinated with Uncle Ho since I was a child,"
Nhung says. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about him, as did
soldiers stationed in our town. I developed a deep respect for our leader
when I was quite young."

As a poor farmer, Nhung often worries about getting enough to eat, but he
insists his library of President Ho documents is his solace in life.

Among his treasures, Nhung boasts a 3m by 4m print of a photo of the late
President. "Another of my favourite pieces was a present from the provincial
department of culture. They held an exhibition on Uncle Ho, but didn't put
any captions on the photos. So I took it upon myself to describe the photos
myself. People were very grateful, and the department presented me with a
set of Uncle Ho photos of my own," Nhung says.

Ever eager to add new treasures to his collection, Nhung travels to
libraries, cultural centres and news agencies to collect documents on Ho.
Veterans, officials and teachers also regularly donate special items to him.

Nhung's library is divided into sections including Ho Chi Minh abroad, Ho
Chi Minh at military bases and Ho Chi Minh with his people. "A lot of local
school kids know about my collection," he says. "Kids from Thoi An Hoi
Junior School often come here to study or borrow books before their history
exams."

A teacher at the school, Nguyen Thi Lan, also comes to Nhung's house to
consult his library. "His house is next to the school, so it's really
convenient for students and teachers to op in and visit," Lan says. "Nhung
doesn't just have books; he also knows countless stories and can recite
historical events about Uncle Ho which really makes history come to life."

Nhung's knowledge about President Ho is really unrivalled, said Truong Minh
Quan, chief of Ke Sach District's Culture and Information Office. "Since
Nhung invited people to come and see his collection eight years ago,
everyone here has learnt more about the life a career of Ho Chi Minh."

Quan says his office regularly sends Nhung documents about the Vietnamese
hero, so they can be added to the Uncle Ho collection. The provincial
administration also gave him 20 million VND (nearly 1,200 USD) to help store
his library and helped him build a new house when flooding threatened his
home in 2005.

"Nhung's collection is definitely worthy of its world record nomination. I
hope he gets it," Quan says.

Nhung is eager to share his passion with the world. "I'm just a farmer. I
haven't had a good education, but collecting stories and photos about Uncle
Ho has inspired me to be a better person," he says. "Uncle ho is a role
model for everyone whatever their background and nationality."-Enditem