At this time four and a half years ago, I was planning and dreaming of an upcoming trip to Vietnam. I wasn’t sure exactly what I had signed up for- I just knew it was something that my heart needed. I was anxious of how Papa could ever use me and was wondering where the money that I was raising would come from. Six months later, I got on a plane that would drop me off in Ho Chi Minh City to spend the next 3 months. That was the beginning of a journey that would change me and my heart more than I ever knew at the moment.
Today, I sit in a hotel in Da Nang, a city that’s about a 20 hour bus ride from where I used to call home in Vietnam. I’ve spent the last week exploring this new city, touring old food favorites and experiencing new foods, reintegrating back into a culture that I fell in love with, and meeting new friends. My heart is full and I am in awe of the grace and growth that I have and continue to experience from the L0rd.
In many ways, the girl that types this from her bed in Da Nang is so different from the one that landed in Ho Chi Minh. She understands Papa’s heart and his love for her so much better. She is more open and vulnerable and is more confident in who she is. She has experienced a lot of life between then and now and instead of retreating from things in fear, she jumps into new adventures in boldness and faith. In some ways, she is the same. Her heart for meaningful conversations and for meeting people where they are is the same. The growth areas she has experienced in the last 4 years are some of the same she is now being asked to dive deeper into and peel back more layers in. Once again, Vietnam is capturing her heart and is being used to open her eyes, mold her heart, challenge her, and to push her closer to the L0rd. This month will be one that is marked with peace, boldness, and growth- even if she doesn’t quite know what that looks like yet.
I am so excited to be back in Vietnam. I was eager to be here, but didn’t quite realize how much I’d missed it until we landed the plane. It’s been a lot of fun being able to share past experiences with my team, but also learn about and tour a new part of this country right alongside them. Due to restrictions here, our work includes a variety of things. Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse of some of the things our month may include:
We help out locals with their English through games and conversations at a local pizza shop 3 times a week.
We build relationships through volleyball and aerobics at the beach.
We build friendships through girls nights where we cook dinner together followed by small group English study.
We spend time at coffee shops getting to know friends we meet at the beach, the staff, etc. and continue to invest in them through English help and relationships.
Our weeks here are flexible, yet full. We have several different work opportunities here and it is so fun to see each team member shine in their giftings. I cannot wait to share with you more stories from our month!
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