The morning walk was brisk and even the mountains struggled to freshen the air against the endless array of motorcycles that polluted this town. My team and I arrive to school and we see kids concentrating in their desks. As we walk throughout, shy little faces pop up through the doors and windows and slowly wave hello while giggling with their friends. As recess breaks out, we start to play handshake games and climb through the jungle gym and hold hands with the little loves that God placed in front of us that afternoon. Even though most of these kids were deaf or autistic, all that my eyes saw were children that were so happy and thankful to have new friends to play with. They were no different than you and I. We communicated with our smiles, our high-fives and our laughter. We discovered the value of show, don’t tell. They showed us what Jesus’ love looks like; full of laughter, silliness, freedom and wholeness. These kids stole my heart.
A few days later we went on a coffee date with our new friend, Katara. She told us that it was okay to talk to people about our faith. “I do it, God is always with me so there’s nothing to be afraid of.” It was so refreshing to hear that, since we were currently living in a closed country. Most of the people here in Vietnam do not believe in God, it’s highly illegal to evangelize other religions besides Buddhism to the locals. During our first week here, we were filled with so much spiritual darkness and felt like our light had been snuffed out. Vietnam is beautiful, there’s so much greenery and the people are super friendly, but there is a sadness that hides behind their eyes. The parks, the coffee shops and even the beaches look so good on the outside, but on the inside there’s a tension unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s missing an essential ingredient for happiness, freedom.
Upon meeting Katara, she introduced us to a plethora of new connections and friends. One of which was the school where we played and had so much fun with the kids. One night, she and Leo led us in an underground worship session. We walked through a dark alley and up into a beautiful studio full of artwork and sang praises to the Lord. The Holy Spirit was so tangible in the room that night. It was seriously one of the most beautiful nights of the race. Sometimes His light shines brightest in the darkest places of the world. We discovered our freedom within that place. Katara has been one of my biggest inspirations, because she chooses to love Jesus even though He is not believed in by the masses in her country. She chooses to follow the One whom she loves, to worship freely in a land that forbids it. She chooses to spread the gospel, even if no one notices or gives her applause.
When this month first began, we struggled a lot because we felt so alone in Vietnam. I thought that my team and I were the unsung heroes. I thought that we were going to be the ones that lived undercover lives for Jesus. The Lord revealed to me that Katara and many of our other friends are the unsung heroes. The quiet heroes, the ones who get little to no credit for all of the work that they do, and yet still relentlessly pursue what they believe in, despite their circumstances.
I’m so thankful that the Lord brought Katara into our lives; she’s the woman of peace that God delights in. I love that I am able to call her my beautiful sister in Christ. The body of Christ is alive and well and it’s thriving all over the world.
Love, B.
*due to being in a closed country, location and names have been changed to protect the wonderful people we’ve been blessed to know and love.
