We must learn never to underestimate what God can do in 1 month, 1 week or even a day’s time when we meet someone new. Before I left for the Race, a few people had wondered if what we are doing was really worth any value since we are really just in each country for 1 month, what impact could we make, they wonder.
I hope this blog will help clear up some of their thinking.
Meet 4 of my new friends from Vietnam, who I now consider my little brother and sisters. We met the second day that I had arrived in Vietnam, they were volunteers to drive us to the Elderly home, one of the locations where we visited. We became fast friends as they were fascinated with my Asian background but that I spoke English well. I was happy they were so warm and inviting.
Over the course of the month, I had spent almost all my free time with my new friends, going to cafes, eating meals together, trying to get into their english class but getting all of us kicked out, karaokeing, and correcting their English compositions. I got sick and my friends came to visit and brought me awful tasting medicinal herbal drink but the love behind it was so sweet. They took me everywhere on their motorbikes, weaving in and out the streets of HoChiMinh City. They showed me so much love for their young age and they didn’t even know the Lord.
We had bonded enough that the topic of God came up. It led to some good discussions and questions from them. They mostly wanted to know what the difference between Christianity and all other religions was. I shared with them that when you accept the Love of God, you have a relationship with Him, not a religion. Dan understood, but I could tell that the wheels were churning in Thi’s mind. They are all so intelligent and asked good questions. On the last few days in Vietnam, Thi, Achieve, Dan and Phuong took us to a beautiful park and bought a cake in our honour. On my last day, the gang came to my hotel at 7 in the morning to spend the last few hours with me. I can’t express how loved I felt or how touched I was from their loving actions.
We sat in the park, all 4 of us silent, soaking in our last moment together. Tears streamed down my face at the thought of saying goodbye to my dear friends, and Thi leans over and tells me to not cry and she wants me to be happy. I am amazed this beautiful 18 year old girl is telling me not to cry as she clearly seemed to have more strength than me.
I hold her hand and we sit some more. We carved our initials on a tree to mark the occasion. Before we left, I pray for them asking the Lord to continue to plant the seed He has sewn in them and to bring to them people that will nurture their growth to one day accepting His love and knowing Him personally.
I hold her hand and we sit some more. We carved our initials on a tree to mark the occasion. Before we left, I pray for them asking the Lord to continue to plant the seed He has sewn in them and to bring to them people that will nurture their growth to one day accepting His love and knowing Him personally.
God, I am thankful that you have brought to me these brothers and sisters. They have indeed touched my life. Though they do not know you yet, I pray that you protect their hearts and surround them with people who will nurture them to know you on a personal level. Meeting them has reminded me of your promise: “No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)
Meeting them for a month has touched me for a lifetime. Seeing or hearing about them to come to know the Lord will be all worth the brief meeting and intro to Jesus.
