Last month we were in Vietnam. You may or may not have noticed that everything I posted had very little to do with what we were actually doing. This is because Vietnam is what we call a “closed country”. A closed country means that no religious missions organizations are really allowed to be in existence. Religious organizations that are born from within the country can only exist with approval from the government and are usually closely watched.
This was the case for the organization we were working with. We were partnered with Campus Crusade for the month. Our host, Lisa*, ran English clubs for local university students to practice their English, held youth group and other student meetings that served more for the purpose of talking about Jesus and discussing the Bible.
We knew, going into the month, that Campus Crusade was watched pretty closely. We knew that we had to be careful with what we said and who we said it to.
For the bulk of the month we helped run English Club. We would meet students at cafes and practice conversational English for about two hours. Occasionally, Lisa would have us share our testimonies and the gospel, which is illegal for foreigners to do with the Vietnamese people.
We had a lot fun talking with the students and building relationships with them. Sometimes our conversations would be aimed at teaching vocabulary. We would discuss objects in a house and go room by room. Other conversations were more fun, like when some of our students wanted to know who our favorite singers were. They giggled that they thought Adam Levine was attractive. Without fail they also asked if we had boyfriends. Teenage girls are teenage girls after all, no matter where you are in the world.
Towards the end of our stay in Vietnam, our ministry situation became more serious. We were notified by Lisa that the police were watching her. They had seen her with us at some point, which raised suspicion about what we were doing in the country.
One of our last nights of ministry, a teammate and I were supposed to go to Lisa’s house to hang-out with some of the students. We received a frantic message that plans had changed. All we were told was that one of the staff members from the hostel that we were staying in would take us to where we needed to go. Confused and anxious we set off. The staff member dropped us off in a parking lot under a bridge. Lisa was there waiting with students. She is always calm, but you could see that she was a bit anxious. She tried to explain in her broken English that we had to meet here because the police were watching her and her house. This is why she couldn’t pick us up and why we had to change locations. It would not have been good for her to be seen with us.
So, there under a bridge, on a tarp, we sat with the students. The night was fun, just hanging out with the students. We played games, shared stories about who is the most important person in our life, discussed Jesus and ate donuts. I did, however, find myself glancing over my shoulder every now and again.
We went home happy and satisfied, but still on edge.
Our last night of ministry in Vietnam, was similar. I was told to bring another teammate to the spot under the bridge. We had a similar set-up to the other night, just with different students. Lisa showed up at the beginning and at the end, but said that she couldn’t stay and risk being seen with us. She told us that years ago she had been arrested, but reassured us that everything was fine. Once again we left having had fun with the girls and feeling full, but still concerned and anxious.
As a team we each got bits and pieces of what was happening. It is hard to know for sure because everything told to us usually comes through broken English. One account said that the police had pictures of us with Lisa. Another, that the wife of an officer was attempting to get a hold of the English Club schedules to then give to the government.
The whole scenario gave me pause. This was no longer just about me on an 11-month trip. The people who I worked with and loved, were putting themselves on the line to love others the way that Jesus calls us to love, and give us an opportunity to love the people of Vietnam. The worst that could happen to me is deportation. Lisa risked being put in jail. I felt selfish. I felt as if I had put her in harms way. Here I was getting ready to leave the country, leaving behind a host who was being watched.
All in all, Lisa assured us that everything was fine and that nothing was going to happen. She is committed to the Lord like no other person that I have ever met. She loves the students with all of her heart, and yearns for them to feel loved by God. Between our team and Lisa, five students accepted Christ this past month. I know that if we were to ask, Lisa would say it is all worth it to share God’s love.
Please pray for Lisa, her family and her safety. Also, please pray for the students who came to Christ this past month. Finally pray for all the students who come to English club.
–Caitlin
*Name changed
