“Good Morning Vietnam” is of course the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Vietnam. To be honest with you I never heard of the movie, don’t judge me, it was a year after I was born. But I am now eager to check it out after seeing it on t-shirts everywhere I go.
So far being in Vietnam has been an enjoyable experience. I have dodged mopeds while playing Frogger in the streets, eaten at food stands lined up along the streets, and met many people from all over the world. Ministry looks totally different this month; it is about building and establishing relationships and being led in whatever direction God takes me. We do have planned daily activities, then the rest of the time I go and do whatever my team and I feel led to do. This is a great task to learn because you learn to be more alert and tuned in spiritually, that you can be used in a manner that’s not about you, but the needs of others around you. You acknowledging someone through a small gesture may be that very thing a person needs to avoid a nervous break down or walking in a direction of feeling hopeless, unnoticed, or unloved.
“BUY SOMETHING”, has been a term that I hear everyday, about 5-10 times a day depending on if I leave my room. Women and men walk around all day selling bracelets, sunglasses, paintings, fans, and whatever they can fit in their baskets, hoping tourists will find appealing. You say “No, thank you” so much it just becomes a part of human vocabulary, where you kind of don’t even notice them or care that they’re there.
One particular night I was in front of my hostel surrounded by the crowd of the night, when I heard the often-familiar word “buy something”. I heard it once and kind-of disregarded and ignored it, but then the second time something grabbed my attention. It was something in this young lady’s spirit that connected with mine, not sure what it was but I knew that God’s eye was on her and I needed to talk to her. For the next couple of days after seeing her, she would smile and we would stop and talk. Every time I saw her, she would share a little more of her life with me. She also had the brightest smile that could light up any room.
One night I was sitting at a local restaurant getting ready to have dinner when she came to greet me. I invited her to take a break and have dinner with me, so she did and we sat and got to know each other. Here’s her story: She is 24 years old, married, has two little girls, one 5 months and the other is 6 years old, but lives in the country side with her parents, that live about 36 hours away by bus. Her husband sells paintings during the morning, and she watches the baby and makes bracelets, then she goes out at 4pm-11pm selling bracelets while her husband watches their daughter. During those 7 hours she walks up and down streets hoping people will buy from her, she may sell something and she may not. The bracelets are no more than $2 a piece, and what she makes from that is what she uses to help support her family. She finished high school and her English is pretty good, but she cannot afford to go to university. I asked her one night if she could do anything in life what would she want to do, she said she wanted to go to school to become a chef because she loves to cook.
Another night, I decided to join her, to experience what she does nightly. So we walked and she would stop to talk to people sitting on the streets eating, go into restaurants, passer-bys, whomever she came in contact with. She got a lot of “no thanks”, people ignoring her, and just no sales. I felt like I could have cried, just with all the rejections, but she just continued on with the biggest smile on her face. She said,” It doesn’t bother me. I just have to do what I have to do, and move on.” I only walked around with her for an hour and a half and it was a lot. I cannot imagine 7 hours.
We have now become wonderful friends and just seeing what she does daily to support her family, without complaints says a lot. Sometimes I take things for granted and want to complain at not having it the easy way. This is a woman of character: she is selfless, hard working, loyal, and committed to do whatever it takes to survive and provide for her family. This is a woman that is greatly noticed, not necessarily by people on the streets, but by her Father in heaven. Never look down on people; they may be your very teachers.
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