IMPORTANT MESSAGE: this blog has been edited for safety purposes.
One of my teammates from my last team used to say that when we told stories to her she sometimes imagined cartoon characters acting out the words we used. Well, this month my mind has worked much like that. As we have entered a semi-closed country, we have to be very careful with what we say in public, the amount of people we go out with, and interactions with other teams in the city of Da Nang.
This has often put my headspace in a place of cartoon characters with spies and secret agents hiding around corners and behind sunglasses reading newspapers. It is so crazy to be in a place where you technically aren’t welcomed and yet feel at home.
This month our ministry involves speaking English with V1etnamese students from local universities in coffee shops around the city and let me tell you, WE LOVE IT.
There’s just something about joining Jesus where He isn’t technically welcome.
Our days usually start off slow since the students are attending classes at their respective universities. This means that I have plenty of time for diving into the Word of the mornings. Sometimes I pack my backpack with Bible and beach towel and make the 2-minute walk to the beautiful shoreline just around the corner from our hostel.
Around noon, I head back to the hostel, stopping only at the corner store to grab fried rice before I head upstairs to meet my team for lunch. Speaking of my team, you should meet them! After month four in Cambodia, our leadership decided it was time for team changes.
Top Row (left to right): Kimberly, Me, Heidi, Amber
Bottom Row (left to right): Candace, Cassie, Vanessa
I cannot lie to you and say that I do not miss my first team, because I do. Spending four months together chasing after Jesus all over southeast Asia made me grow close to them. But, I know that the Lord is in it because I absolutely love my new team too. These girls are so joyous and I am loving my time with them so far.
Anyways, we spend time together as a team for lunch and through part of the afternoon until our first group leaves for aaaaaaa club at 2:30pm.
Anyways, we spend time together as a team for lunch and through part of the afternoon until our first group leaves for English club at 2:30pm.
Some days we only have one club and other days we have two. It can quickly get exhausting when communication is difficult, and you are trying to teach them a language that, half the time, doesn’t make sense to you even though it’s your native language.
Did you know that you can spell the word “fish” like this… “ghoti”?
Think about it like this..
the “gh” in “cough” makes the “f” sound
the “o” in “women” makes the “i” sound
the “ti” in “station” makes the “sh” sound
There you have it… g h o t i… fish.
And how about this…
cough
rough
though
through
Why do none of those words rhyme?
Mind-blowing right?
After two hours of attempting to teach these students about English and mostly laughing at our failed attempts to explain the things that don’t make any sense, we end up heading back to the hostel full of stories to tell the rest of our team.
One thing that has brought humor to the class is when the V1etnamese students repeat after me and end up with a country accent. My teaching team, Vanessa and Amber, are always giggling in the background when I ask the students to repeat words after me that come out with a southern drawl. The students never really understand why we are laughing but it’s because there are now college students speaking English with a southern drawl in V1etnam. Again, we try to explain to them about how there are different accents within the same language.
The students never really understand why we are laughing but it’s because there are now college students speaking English with a southern drawl in Vietnam. Again, we try to explain to them about how there are different accents within the same language.
Just last week as we were riding through town, one of the students shared with me that she became a Christian two years ago. The rest of her family follows Buddhism and she is the only one that believes in Jesus. “It’s kind of lonely to be the only one,” she told me. I had the incredible opportunity to encourage her in her faith and share part of my testimony with her. It was definitely one of my favorite conversations on the race so far.
Through these clubs, more and more students are learning who Jesus is. This is something that we like to refer to as the aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Sometimes you cannot stand on the street corner and shout the name of Jesus. Instead, you have those whispered conversations in a coffee shop or on one of Da Nang’s beautiful bridges.
The good news is this: our God is not limited to our ability. He is not limited to what we are and are not allowed to do or say. He is not limited to what government regulations are in place. He is not limited to our understanding.
He is the God who is above all and in all and He has the ability to work through all. Through you, through me, and even through those who have yet to hear His name.
Our God is not done in this country. He is still calling for His children.
Join me in praying for this city, for this country and for this world.
Peace and blessings,
Shelby
