You could say Saint Michael Parish was the beginning of Hue and Tam Le’s love story. The couple met many years ago through the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement called Thieu Nhi Thanh The (TNTT). To this day, both Hue and Tam are involved in the ministry. The couple are parents to four girls, with a boy on the way.
Tam has been a member at SMP her whole life, while Hue was baptized at age 12. They credit their parents with helping them get involved in the life of our parish.
“They wanted us to use our talents in the parish,” Hue says. “We’ve just stayed involved all these years.”
The couple has enjoyed watching the children and youth they have worked with through TNTT grow up to become leaders in the church.
“Then we know that we achieved something—we did something right,” Hue says.
Tam and Hue also lend their time and talents to helping with Vacation Bible School, and their whole family serves as greeters. One of their daughters is an altar server, and Tam also serves, lectors, helps with sound, and does liturgical dance.
“We want our kids to see us using our gifts,” Hue says. “We are here to serve, not to be served.”
For the couple, it’s all about setting an example for their children. SMP is their home, and they want that to continue for many years.
“We serve in gratitude for what we have,” Hue says. “We feel like we are blessed with many things, and we want to be involved to give back — not just treasures, but also talent.”
The Le family also likes to get involved with the local food bank and Salvation Army. They also serve at the yearly Vietnamese celebration.
Tam and Hue know that being around other faithful Catholics helps set an example for their children.
“You become who you hang out with,” Hue says. “We have the Ten Commandments we follow. We love that the kids can have that guidance to help them.”
The ministry most meaningful to Tam and Hue is TNTT. They feel it wholly encompasses the Catholic faith and the traditions and beliefs of Vietnamese culture.
“It’s real,” Hue says. “God’s presence is there. We do a lot of retreats to help kids throughout the year. We always have a feeling of the presence of Christ.”
Tam and Hue make SMP home on Sundays. They know they can set an example for their children by continuing this and always giving their gifts. They also know that to build community, you must be a part of it.
“We want to be good stewards of things,” Tam says. “We just want to be good stewards of the things and people God has blessed us with. That’s why we want to be involved in the community.”
In their free time, the Le family enjoys fishing, camping, biking, and other outdoor activities. They also spend October, November, and December preparing a large Christmas light display in their yard.