This month, there were team changes on the squad; all of the men stayed together as one, and it’s been a bit of a ride this month. Team ‘Sco Ducks was placed here in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon in southern Vietnam. We’ve taught English at several spots in the city and played more language games than I can remember. We’ve made friends with many in the city and it’s cool to see a culture so different from ours. From remembering to take off your shoes to learning how to use chopsticks, it’s been a perspective shift, but a welcome one to be sure. Personally, I’ve been learning lessons on joy, surrender, and being present. Let’s dive in!
HCMC has a population a sliver larger than New York City, and possibly has more scooters/motorbikes than the entire country of the USA. Crossing the street here is a lot like playing frogger and dodgeball at the same time, so it’s good training for footwork. Badminton, soccer, and shuttlecock (similar to badminton but with your feet) are the sports of choice here in the city. There’s a wide variety of food to try here, the most popular ones being Pho (pronounced Fuh), banh mi, and spring rolls. Vietnam has a love for rich food, and a lot of it! If you’re going to be on a team with six other men, you’d better hope there’s an abundance of food to go around.
It’s been amazing this month getting to know the rest of the guys on my squad better. From learning eachother’s stories to making inside jokes, it’s been a month of awakening for this team. It’s crazy to me to see the difference of this team from the Philippines to now. Everyone has bought into what the Lord is doing. There’s no doubt we’re a stronger team because everyone is turning to the Lord at all times. Prayer is more frequent, there is obviously more joy, and everyone is being included. I think this is what the Lord had in mind when he created community. We still have a ways to go and will continue to grow, but we’re on the right track.
I’d say my personal walk has paralleled that of the team’s this month. I started off the month distracted and unmotivated. I watched countless hours of Scrubs, napped frequently, and sat there wondering why I wasn’t growing this month. Crazy, right? I finally got a bucket of joy splashed in my face last week and woke up to what was going on in my heart. I had made the race about growing, not God.
My race had become a selfish endeavor; I was trying to grow into the man who God wants me to be without God’s help… It’s a lot like asking somebody for advice but they’re not allowed to speak or move. The bucket of joy I was talking about was our last morning at an English class with little kids who loved me far better than I loved them this month. They retrained me how to laugh at myself and loosen up a little bit. In my quest to grow, I had forgotten to love and why I came on the race in the first place: to trust the Lord with my entire being.
So there’s a short little bit about what’s going on here on the race. On the 1st of February we head to Siem Reap, Cambodia to serve in a school. We’re thankful for the challenges and fun of Vietnam and are looking forward greatly to what God is going to be doing, as well as the joy the rest of the race will bring! Stay tuned this next week for a photo blog of the past five months!
