A service at Plei Mo Nu Church, Chu A commune, Pleiku city. (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

Plei Mo Nu village has 330 households. Most of the locals are farmers. Every Wednesday and Sunday, they gather at Plei Mo Nu Church for a worship service. The Sunday morning mass is usually the best attended. Religious activities, including Christmas, all take place in accordance with state laws and regulations.

Pastor Blik of Plei Mo Nu Church said, “Gia Lai province's Committee for Religious Affairs has a good relationship with the local church. So do the commune police. They visit us every Christmas.”

“I began to attend and manage the church in 2014. Security in the area is good and the state has created favorable conditions for religious activities."

"I tell the locals that God wants them to live a good life and accept responsibility for building a happy family and a prosperous country. Living in accordance with God’s will means loving your neighbor and not doing bad things,” said Blik.

At every mass, the villagers sing hymns together, express their gratitude to God, and listen to the pastor preach the bible.

Rina, a Plei Mo Nu villager, told VOV, “We go to the church service twice a week, on Wednesday afternoon and Sunday morning. We practice singing hymns on Monday and Saturday."

"The Sunday mass is usually the most crowded, because people are off work. Sunday is observed as a holy day while Thursday is devoted to honoring the role played by mothers and fathers.”

Parishioners donate rice to the church to help disadvantaged people. (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

In Plei Mo Nu village the haves are willing to help the haves-not by donating a little money and rice at every service, which the church will distribute to needy villagers. This custom unites dignitaries, and parishioners.

Hnem, another villager, said, “Whenever a family cooks a meal, they save a handful of rice in a jar. Each week they bring the jar to the church for the needy in the village. Others contribute a few cents, or more if they can afford. The money is used for construction, repairs, or celebrations."

"I’ve given loans to 5 or 6 people. Some have repaid their debts. Some haven’t paid yet, but I keep lending them more without interest because they need the money to buy goats, pigs, or a motorbike in order to earn a living.”

Representatives of central and local authorities visit and present gifts to Djonh’s family. (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

Households in the village have built a new-style rural area by growing coffee, pepper, and rice, and raising cattle, poultry, and fish.

As a result, their living standard has improved, according to villager Djonh, who added, “Generally Plei Mo Nu villagers enjoy a stable life. Few people work far from home. Some work at the Tra Da Industrial Zone, about 4 km away. My family grows 1ha of coffee and pepper and 1,800 square meters of rice, annually earning a  profit of 2,200 USD.”