It wasn’t that long ago that the most I knew about Vietnam was that Forrest Gump and many of our fathers and grandfathers fought in a war there, once upon a time. I didn’t have a desire to go there, and would’ve rather found a World Race route with Thailand listed. And yet, I’m here! My team this month is in Da Nang, Vietnam, and it is wonderful. This country surely doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
It rains almost every day this time of year in Da Nang, but that doesn’t stop us from regularly making our way down the streets until we can feel the breeze from the South China Sea and taste the salt on our lips. Our first full day here, before we started ministry, we threw on our swimsuits and sprinted into the ocean, screaming and laughing. We splashed around for a good bit before an official looking man with a whistle yelled at us vehemently to get out—turns out the large, scary looking red warning flags were not meant to be ignored.
Growing up in land locked Minnesota, I didn’t see the ocean until 2008, off the coast of Oregon. It completely captivated me. For some of my teammates, being near the ocean feels like being home (lookin’ at you, Floridian friends!). For me, being near the mountains of Nepal felt like home, but this has the feeling of rarity, something so special, knowing that this elusive feeling the sea gives me is limited and I couldn’t ever possibly bottle it up, so I need to soak it up as much as possible right now. Even when the high winds are whipping invisible bits of sand into my bare legs and the sky is grey and dreary, the steady waves leave me in awe.
Our host this month is a man we call Mr. Daniel. If I could have another grandfather, I’d want it to be him. He’s a Korean man who followed the Lord’s calling to Vietnam just a couple of years ago. He is truly one of the most incredibly generous people I have ever met, and so full of quiet wisdom and kindness. I have so much to learn from him and the way he lives life fully from the overflow of his giving heart.
Another prominent figure this month is Ms. Kim, who lives with us and makes us laugh daily. She’s a spitfire, this one. She can yodel with the best of ‘em and wants to start the first fan-dance team in Vietnam. She plays guitar, lets us into our room when we’re locked out, and has a speed walking pace that could rival an Olympians. Gosh, I love these people.
While social media may lead you to believe that we’re not actually doing anything meaningful here, let me remind you that Instagram never tells the full story. We’re partnered with a cafe this month that invites college-aged students in to learn English for free. English is one of the most valuable skills people can learn in this part of Asia, as it opens up countless doors and opportunities in the job market and elsewhere. These students are hungry to learn—they come to this cafe in their free time after class, some of them every day, and work tirelessly on their vocabulary and pronunciation. Teaching English certainly has its challenging moments, but I feel blessed to be able to help such willing young people in a relaxed, comfortable environment.
We also lead an English Club every night, which includes discussion topics on all things fun & relevant—managing money, healthy relationships, sports, and food, to name a few. And of course, there’s karaoke night at the cafe, every Saturday night. So far I have sang selections including “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber and “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. Life is weird.
As you probably know by now, Vietnam is a closed country. That means it’s illegal for us to be here with the intent of sharing the gospel—we can’t pray in public and we have to be careful about the people we meet up with. We’ve been questioned by police once (though it was not nearly as scary as I thought it was going to be) and the “m” word (missionary) is strictly off limits. All of it is such a good reminder that this was never in our hands anyway—God is King and will work in His own time. We are merely His tools, doing what we can where we are with what we have.
Thank you all for reading! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas remembering the true reason for the season. I will be eating Korean barbecue and exploring an ancient city this Christmas—surely one I will never forget.
With Love,
Samantha.
Prayer Requests:
-That the Lord would provide for squad mates who are not yet fully funded
-Peace in the battle against homesickness—especially during this holiday season
-For me as I step into a new leadership role in Cambodia next month
