“I started to imagine a picture in my head. A picture full of black coffee. You can imagine my heart being exactly like that. It was full of anger, hatred,” she said. “I tried pouring out my bitterness a little bit at a time. It was so hard to do it. I’m a human being. No way. But then I kept doing that. Slowly, slowly, the black coffee became less and less. And one day, there was no coffee left to our.”

“You see me today?” she added. “I am always smiling. Always laughing. I have no bitterness at all.”

In addition to sharing her story and the lessons of strength and strength of forgiveness she said that she has learned from her experience, Phúc said she was at the UW to share a message of peace.

“I believe that peace, love and forgiveness will always be more powerful than bombs,” she said.

She also encouraged the crowd to try looking at “The Terror of War” in a new light.

“When you see that little girl, running up the road, try not to see her as she was then — wounded, suffering, crying out in pain and fear. Try to see her as she is today — as a mother, as a new grandmother, and a survivor, calling out for peace,” she said.

Phúc’s visit came as part of an effort by the Children’s Library International to raise funds for a children’s library in Phúc’s name, now under construction in Trảng Bàng.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.