This is a summary of my time in Vietnam and some of my thoughts 🙂
Month 5: Nha Trang, Vietnam
Ministry: Coffee shop ministry- Teaching English at the church- Teaching English at the school
Team Ascension- Rachel, Grace T., Grace C., AT, LB, Jamie
What each day of the week looked like:
Sundays: Church 8:00- The first Sunday we attended a wedding that was right after the preaching, the second Sunday we attended a 3 hour long deacon election meeting right after the preaching, and the third Sunday was pretty normal. We each had headphones that allowed us to hear the translator talking in the microphone. Super cool!!! The first Sunday after church we went to the Nha Trang Center for Grace’s birthday…we ate lunch, had cake, and went bowling for her big day. The next Sunday we all ate lunch at the Nha Trang Center after church, and then some of us got fish massages!!! (long story, ask for pictures if you’re interested). Super weird. Then Jamie and I relaxed by the ocean for the rest of the day. Our final Sunday in Nha Trang was spent hiking Fairy Mountain and spending the day with new friends.
Mondays-Thursdays: Rotation of coffee shop ministry 9:00-12:00 or 2:00-5:00, teaching English at the school from 6:00-7:00, and teaching English at the church from 7:00-8:30.
Fridays: Only off-day of the week…We arrived in Nha Trang in the middle of the week, so our first Friday was a normal ministry day. The second Friday was an off-day, and we went to VinPearl Land amusement park/aquarium/water park. For our last off-day, Grace Chase and I went with Thao Teddy and Tien to eat street food (names I can’t remember or pronounce) and tour the Long Son Pagoda. We also got the most delicious ice cream ever and cruised around on the back of their motorbikes. Fridays were fabulous.
Saturdays: Rotation of coffee shop ministry 9:00-12:00 or 2:00-5:00, teaching English at the school from 6:00-7:00, and teaching English at the church from 7:00-8:30.
Challenges of the month:
Emotional and mental exhaustion from the type of ministry we were doing, having to use my voice 24/7, only having 1 off-day per week, rarely having evenings off, realizing we are pretty much at the halfway point for the Race and all the worries that brings
Awesomeness:
Being so close to the ocean, hiking on Fairy Mountain and seeing the beautiful view, our balcony that had a sweet view of the sunrise, riding on the motorbikes, the coffee shops overlooking the beach, exercising by the beach, getting sushi and pizza at the Nha Trang Center, FISH MASSAGES, bowling, VinPearl Land (the aquarium, the wave pool, the water slides, the rides, and dancing with a random group of people to the ‘Macarena’), singing karaoke with the girls from the English class (especially singing “My Heart Will Go On” with Linh), having to dodge the motorbikes in traffic when we cross the road, dancing to songs in Syrup Coffee Shop, going to the wedding reception with Nga, talking to Nga about nails and hair and boys, laughing belly-style laughs with my team, telling my entire life-story to my teammates and being completely loved and accepted by them, attending a Vietnamese wedding, getting street food and ice cream rolls with Thao Teddy and Tien, sitting on the big rocks by the ocean with my music and journal and Bible, practicing active listening in every conversation I have, getting to know my new teammates better, discovering a bat flying around in our room and all the laughter this generated, having good wifi so I could talk to my family and friends, getting to use my teaching skills pretty much every evening…so much more.
Sights/Colors:
Motorbikes, the ocean, the mountains, sunshine, people with masks over their mouths because of the dirty air, college kids everywhere
Sounds to remember: Motorbikes, the ocean waves crashing, music playing in every restaurant and coffee shop, my teammates talking, Nga and her family downstairs, people talking in Vietnamese, lizards and mice squeaking, birds chirping
Favorite Verses of the Month:
Galatians 5:25- Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
James 1:19- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
Acts 2:44&45- And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
Proverbs 15:17- A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.
Matthew 5:14- You are the light of the world- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
Proverbs 15:28- The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking…
Proverbs 16:1- We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
Proverbs 18:2- Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
Acts 12- The story of Peter’s miraculous escape from prison…too cool.
Philippians 2:10&11- …at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Acts 17:24&25- He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve His needs- for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.
My own personal Bible readings: Acts, Proverbs 1-19 (really chewing and meditating on each chapter…man, so much good stuff in Proverbs), memorized Psalm 34 (favorite verses of Psalm 34…”those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy” and “taste and see that the Lord is good.”), started reading ‘Love Does’ by Bob Goff and ‘The Science of Ant Communication’ by Pamela Paterson.
At the beginning of the month, this realization hit my teammates and I…we are at the halfway point on the World Race…what??? Can’t believe we are on the downward slope now.
Tons of thoughts started to swarm around in my mind– what will I do when I get home in July, where I will live, where I will work, etc. I became distracted from our ministry. I wasn’t excited to go teach English, I was more concerned about looking up jobs online. I wasn’t pumped to go to the coffee shop to talk to people, I would rather be filling out job applications and looking up apartments. I was consumed with these thoughts for a couple days.
Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me in His word…
…make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5)
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. (Proverbs 16:1)
This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
Every single moment is a gift from God. Once I pondered that and planted it into my heart, my days were merry. I was filled with joy to be alive, to be healthy, to be in Vietnam, to be surrounded by people who love me.
Wherever you are, be all there. And let tomorrow worry about itself.
BE engaged
