Vietnam.
This country was a bit intimidating, because right from the start they mentioned our restrictions of evangelizing since it was a closed country. I have to say that it didn’t exactly stop us.
Our work for the month consisted of giving English classes, sitting in on English classes, helping students with pronunciation and asking questions, just simply being available to converse with the students, and helping in any way we could. We were divided into time slots from 3pm-9:30pm. Coming on this trip I have learned that you just never know what to expect and you are at everyone’s will most times. For example, when someone asks you to sing Row Row Row Your Boat, you do it. Or when a mob of Asians come to take pictures with you, you just go with it. So, when a girl came up to us and asked us to attend her friend’s birthday party to evangelize to her, we went.
This moment consisted of nervous giggles, awkward handshakes and name exchanges you couldn’t pay me to remember. Some plates of longan fruit and guava were placed in front of us and we nibbled on that as some of the girls got settled in. We then played a game, we sang Happy Birthday, and had some cake. After that, we were “gifted” a song by them and were serenaded with We Wish You a Merry Christmas. We talked a bit about music and songs and one of my teammates brought up that I play guitar. At this point I thought surely they wont be able to make me play guitar because there’s not one in sight, but lo and behold one appeared to my amazement. Somehow we began singing Can’t Stop the Feeling, missing all the high notes but trudging along, laughing and enjoying the moment. After that song I played a song I wrote about being taken to new heights and depths. At first I wasn’t going to because I was missing a capo but innovation runs deeply in their blood and one was made in 30 seconds out of a pen and some rubber bands from the game we had just played. After my song, the girl who invited us asked us to share something with them. Me and two of my teammates looked at each other all asking with our eyes, “Do we evangelize now? Is this our cue?” But as with most things on the race we just never know anything and hope for the best. After many moments of silence and the girl clarifying that she wanted us to share advice since we were a bit older, I took advantage of just sharing my song and took it verse by verse to explain the meaning behind it. I told them how the song was about God our creator taking us to new heights with Him and deeper into relationship and life in abundance. How we try to make plans but ultimately He knows our steps and how our lives are a broken journey He will one day perfect. I told them about how Jesus was what I held onto. After I spoke, my teammate Bekah shared some of her story and how God has helped her through hard times and how He is her only hope as well. As a closing and fitting finale my other teammate Brooke shared some of her story and explained the Gospel using her tattoo as a visual representation. The girls listened intently and the friend who invited us spoke with them for a while in Vietnamese. We said goodbye after a while and learned that many of them are scared to change religions because of their parents. So many are Buddhists as a cultural obligation. I was also able to explain the gospel to a friend who went exploring with me and got a similar response. They want to follow Jesus and believe in God but don’t want to disrespect their family. It’s an interesting struggle and I just hope that they have a real tangible and undeniable encounter with the one true God one day, and sometimes that’s all we can pray for.
There were many beautiful friendships that formed throughout the squad with students and many conversations full of love and Jesus. A team from the squad was left without a host and depended on the Lord all month for direction. From that I heard stories of going into “massage” parlors or dance bars and evangelizing and treating the women with dignity and respect.
This month in Cambodia we will be doing similar things but we are much more open to talking about God and our work as missionaries. This country is less than 1% Christian and many are new believers who need guidance and more direction. We will be giving English classes and building relationships with students. A month is not too long when I think about it but I know that someone has to plant the seeds and I am willing to be that person.
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
