The events which had Dada uprooted from his town of Sóc Trăng to settle in Cambodia are very complicated. Suffice to say he had to go due to circumstances of the times and his personal situation. Dada told me, at that time he was very much in financial difficulties and did not have any connections in Cambodia. He was truly in a dilemma, having reached an impasse (ahead of him is the abyss, and a tiger is coming after him).

Wandering aimlessly through the streets, then returning to his temporary abode, he felt so desolate and in almost complete despair.
What an odd fellow Dada is, he cultivated under Buddha, but under dire circumstances, would pray with the gods and spirits instead.
This time, he prayed to Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực, whose statue was in his province and whom the local people strongly venerated. He prayed to him most sincerely, and his prayers were eventually answered.
In his dream, god Nguyễn Trung Trực advised him to be at such and such location the following day, and at such and such time, a benefactor would come to help him. He should also follow the itinerary as instructed.

The following day, just as his dreams had predicted, there was a couple who came and asked for his name, then handed him a basket containing food and a packet of money. They said that Nguyễn Trung Trực, the god had instructed them to do so.

Dada was very excited, and started walking towards the Vietnamese-Cambodian border, but all the while he kept worrying about not having no legal papers nor any relatives in Cambodia. And from one surprise after another, as if guided by the divine spirits he came across a few poor Cambodian women who invited him to stay and look after an unsightly, desolated pagoda which no local monk would accept. Then, gradually they knocked on doors and managed to get official papers for Dada to legally remain in Cambodia. And so, Dada was able to settle down in the early days of his stay in this foreign land.
Dada affirmed that it was clearly the god Nguyễn Trung Trực, who has manifested himself to help him a total of three times. He still remembered, upon the last time, the god said : “This is the last part of Vietnamese soil under my jurisdiction, keep going forward and someone from the other side of the border will continue to help you.”

In due time, Old_Guru will tell other stories of other people which involve the god Lê Văn Duyệt and Saint Trần Hưng Đạo.

Old_Guru 12-08-08