Viet Nam is technically not a “closed” country but in many aspects it certainly is:
For the first time in 100 YEARs, the Bible was allowed
to be published in Vietnamese and distributed in Viet Nam. To think that for a hundred years before me, Christians doing the same thing I was doing in that moment, had been beaten, imprisoned, and even killed. The ability to give this book to a Vietnamese person was so important that people had literally died trying to give this gift.
photo by AJ LeVan
He walked up to me while I was sitting in the park, playing my little baby martin guitar. Just minutes before I had sat down, I had walked around the park, people everywhere, asking Jesus to just bring someone to me that I could become friends over the month. Well before I know it, an hour or two has passed in conversation with my new friend.
He told me about his country, the corruption, the weather. Then he told me about his family–how his wife, daughter, and uncle all live in Washington and he is simply waiting month after month to try to get a visa to join them. It has been years since he has seen them.
Time after time that I came to the park, I got to hangout with him, play guitar and just hear about his life. He is lonely. His longs to be with his family; they are all he talks about. He longs to find happiness in the corruption that surrounds him.
My last time visiting him, he wrote out his daughters phone number in America, tears welling up in his eyes as he told me how much it would mean to him for me to call his daughter when I’m home and tell her how proud he is of her, how much he loves her, and how much he desires for her to stay in university pursuing her dreams.
I certainly did not have in mind befriending a 45 year old man. Jesus had other plans.
Jesus wanted me to show him there’s still hope and joy in this world.
And that he is never alone.
photo by AJ LeVan
The same day I first met Andre, I also met Hope*.
She had been walking around, for what i could see was hours, but probably had been a lot longer. She was looking for work. She comes to the park every day 8am-5pm to paint fingernails and toenails. This is her only line of work; it’s the only chance she has to make a few dollars to eat and pay rent.
At first, when she came to ask me if she could paint my nails, I grew annoyed and blew her off like I did most street vendors who beg you to buy something from them. Later I had a brief exchange of smiles and a small conversation that left me with a knowing that she, too, would become a dear friend of mine this month.
She is 52 years old. Has been married 5 times; each time with her husbands dying or leaving her. She has one son who refuses to talk to her. And one sister who will sometimes allow her to come to stay with her when she needs. She has no base of education other than primary and secondary school. She believes she is detestable, ugly, and a terrible person, worth nothing but the trash she receives as food. She works day and night to get a few dollars to eat and pay rent. well… those are the things SHE sees.
But what I see MORE SO is that she is beautiful, smart, and talented.
When this woman smiles and laughs, I swear the environment around us gets a little more beautiful. She has learned english just from conversations in the park and listening to tapes; that’s incredible. She is a woman full of compassion and her heart breaks for those she has lost and those who are hurting now in the world.
Everytime I saw her, I just couldn’t help but exclaim to her how beautiful she was and how much Jesus loves her, deeply and truly, more than any man on earth ever could. The last day we hungout, I got to give her a Bible and tell her about the hope and joy I have in Jesus, even admist the really hard times.
She gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek as she reminded me once again,
“I have a sympathy for you (aka a liking, love, well-thought). You are dear friend. You must come back to Viet Nam to visit me. You are family.”
This woman IS beautiful and there IS hope for her… she had to be told.
photo by AJ LeVan
Met her the first night in Viet Nam. She is the owner of a small shop next to the hostel we were staying at for the month. I walked in and was immediately greeted by this beautiful 25 year old lady, absolutely stunning, beaming with joy, and full of laughter. She, of course, showed me around her shop and showed me everything.
Throughout my stay in Viet Nam, I got the chance to meet up with her many times–teach her how to play guitar, go swimming, enjoy chatting at her shops, her teaching me Vietnamese, etc. With her personality, style, fashion, desires, likes, etc…she would fit in American culture perfectly. lol. but there was something about her that I just couldn’t seem to figure out.
Her beauty and joy were so real, yet she seemed to mask hurt and steer clear of anything religious.
Over the few weeks we got to spend together, I would definitely say we became close friends. Fortunately, we are still able to communicate through email. I definitely believe Jesus allowed us to meet
for some many reasons, but a big one being: displaying to her where true joy and love come from… Jesus… and that through Him there is so much grace and mercy for us, even when we mess up in life.
photos by AJ LeVan
I also got the chance to meet so many women and their children on the streets selling different things. I simply loved seeing them while I was walking and just getting to stop and give ’em a hug and just listen to them about their day or whatever. I couldn’t always buy something from them (I wanted to give them everything so that they didn’t have to spend literally day and night into the wee hours of the morning WITH their children out selling food, fans, bracelets, etc. But through it all, Jesus showed me just the importance of having and sharing His love.
This little boy I saw almost every day. He’s nine years old and has the most adorable little business shpeel that breaks down nearly every time to buy something from him. The last day I saw him 3 times that night. He kept trying to get me to buy a bracelet but all the bracelets were idols of worship to Buddha. So I asked if he had any ones with Jesus on it.
His reply: Who’s Jesus?
….
“Closed” country… my God is BIGGER than that.
His love for them will not be bound by regulations and limitations.
*names have been changed for their protection
