Since I applied to the World Race, Vietnam has been been the elephant in the room.
As the only country on our route where evangelism is explicitly illegal, we have been coached on very specific ways to keep ourselves safe in a nation full of very real persecution.
While Christianity is not categorically illegal here, evangelism is. But what is Christianity without sharing your faith? According to James 2:14-26, it’s dead.
Man’s declaration of Vietnam as a “closed” country is not a license to overlook an entire nation full of people who are desperate for hope.
So, we have come around the world and across Asia well beyond our borders of comfort into a nation that is considerably hostile toward our King for the glory of His name.
The enemy wants to paralyze us with fear of persecution or failure or whatever, but
fear is a choice and we have chosen Jesus instead.
We proclaim His promises over our team:
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear
but of power and love and self-control.”
[2 Timothy 1:7]
“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
[Joshua 1:9]
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been
perfected in love. We love because He first loved us.”
[1 John 4:18-19]
Sharing the Gospel this month will be much more relational than openly evangelical, and I look forward to sharing stories of how the Holy Spirit is infiltrating this nation and piercing the hearts of the Vietnamese.
Please pray for us as we share the Good News here in Vietnam and pursue the hearts of those whom God created and is chasing after as well.
We long to be filled with the Holy Spirit daily and live in the boldness and confidence of Jesus Christ. Pray for the relationships we have begun to build and join us in asking the Lord to schedule divine appointments for us to share the Gospel every day!
Thank you for your continued support!
