My month in Vietnam was spent largely teaching English and building relationships. The church in Vietnam is controlled very tightly by the government. Though there is freedom of religion there is not freedom of assembly, so they are not able to even gather together without permission from the government. I have been told, I don't know how accurate, but that the problem the government has with the church is that it views it as a tool that the American government can use, and so it is a question of power not religion. Much of the evangelical church is underground there, and so for our contacts safety, and for the continuation of their ministry, there are certain details I will leave out, but i'd love to go for a cup of tea with you if you'd like to know more!
We taught English through conversation and through classes, that we each took turns teaching. The lesson I did was on learning styles, and I worked with 2 of the girls on my team and we did the lesson twice, we played frisbee, and went to elderly homes. The oldest women I meet was 97!!! She asked me if we brought candy and when I said no she told me that i was beautiful, but she couldn't understand why I didn't bring candy! I loved going to the elderly homes, but it was also heart breaking. At the Catholic elderly home there were about 10 ladys in each room, with a bed side table, fan, and their beds, which had a hole in the middle which when uncovered was their toilet. Some of them had mental issues, others were sick, and some so frail they could hardly move. If we didn't have a student with us to translate we couldn't understand each other. They were so beautiful tho, with georgous smiles, an we happy just to sit there an hold hands, each of us speaking to the other in our own language. Some of the women couldn't sit up so I just sat with, and sang to them. Some were blind, some sick so I just sat with and prayed over/with them. When a student was free, the 3 of us would have conversation! At the Buddhist elderly home it was set up similar, but there were many more women in each room. It made me sad to think of these women spending the rest of their days here, without any family. But I also know that they are beloved daughters of God, and He has not forgotten them. God also showed me that beauty is truely in the eyes of the beholder. You an I can debate about what beauty is, but that just goes back to the eyes of the beholder, so God told me to choose to see things through His eyes, to see beauty as what he see as beautiful. Our ministry was very relational, many students had never even heard of Jesus, and other had no idea who He was. I hope and pray that seeds were planted and watered through our time there. I got to meet some incredible people, both from Vietnam and abroad.
In my quiet time this month some of the things that God taught me are:
-In Matthew 14:13-21 when Jesus feeds the 5000 it struck me that they are thinking logically, as they have always thought, but Jesus has more than normal for us, and He takes the opportunity to bless people, and preforms a miracle. When we change how we do things, and how we think, we get different results.
-In Joshua 13:1-7 Joshua is old and there was still much of the promise land to posses, but just like our inheritance with patience, as we seek and follow God He fulfils His promises. The land wasn't just poof! given to the Israelites, they had to go in and get it!
i made so many friendships, and it was hard to say goodbye, but they are in my prayers and i'm so blessed to have meet them and spent time with them!
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." [Romans 15:13]
