This month our ministry looked different compared to the last 3 months for several reasons.
The first reason was because this was our first Asian country and with that came new culture, new food, new languages and new challenges.
- Everything was much more fast paced. We no longer could rely on “Africa Time” (where everything would start at least a 30 min late).
- Our “missionary chic” wardrobe (long skirts and flowy shirts) no longer fit in with the professional dresses and pumps that dominated the streets. The first time I was told I needed to look “less sloppy” for ministry; and let me tell you that’s difficult when you are living out of a back pack and “put together” is not even a part of my at home wardrobe.
- The first time it took half the month to learn how to say something as easy as hello and goodbye (Xin chao! (sin chow!)- Hello and Tam Biet- Goodbye). We did get pretty good at ordering street coffee with just hand gestures.
- Breakfast lunch and dinner all looked like the same meal. And we never actually knew what we were eating.
- Every store, home and public building had ancestral shrines with food and incense burning.
- It was not uncommon every time we entered a small shop or home to be immediately chased back to the door by someone frantically pointing at our shoes. We were definitely not used to the “WEARING SHOES-NO SERVICE”. No wonder everyone wears flip flops here.
The second reason, this was my teams first month in a big city. Despite what you might think, Ho Chi Minh City has a lot of American chains, cute coffee shops and most importantly WiFi. We had all the creature comforts of America and it was difficult at times to find a healthy balance between the distractions we are used to and the quite unplugged time we had experienced in Africa. I found it more difficult to make time with my team and the Lord and found myself filling my life scrolling on social media and binging on coffee and ice cream.
- All these comforts seemed to distract me from the underlying spiritual needs. I would walk right past the shrines in the entrance straight to the (insert material object, coffee or A/C here) without even batting an eye.
- Instead of talking, many of my team members, me included, turned to numbing our feelings by scrolling endlessly on Facebook or eating dinner with one hand on our phone. Yet as the month progressed I began to become more aware of this habit I tried to limit my mindless internet use.
- This month gave us a little taste of what we will face when we get home and how we would respond to the over connected disconnect.
- I made an effort to use the internet for my growth not my detriment. Instead of turning to social media I swiped past those apps to my Bible app. I had discovered that the internet allowed me to listen to an audio bible. Currently I am reading through the Bible and this app was so helpful once I got to the lists of genealogies and laws in the old Testament. Instead of losing momentum like I had in the past I gained momentum and started longing to read/ listen to the Bible. I tried to turn the WiFi from a weakness to a strength.
Lastly, this month was different because Vietnam is closed country. This meant it was illegal to openly share about our faith and our ministry. This meant no mention of God, Jesus, Christianity, the Bible or the “M-word” … Missionary. Even our internet was monitored by the government so I apologize for the few cryptic posts.
- The first month we had constant WiFi and we could not openly share our faith when surrounded by an over sharing community similar to America. I could share pictures of my food, coffee, selfies and what the toilets looked like but could not share about the journey God had me on and the ministry I was doing. I feared my status updates and pictures would look more like vacation then a kingdom journey. I had to think that by not sharing about our ministry was ministry in itself. By not posting I was protecting my host and the work he is doing.
- Looking back, it’s easy to say this month was more about seed planting but in the midst of the month I did not feel like I was contributing to the kingdom.
My Breakthrough!
One of my biggest revelations from this past month is that I am no longer ok with a passive faith. At home I believed in a “don’t ask don’t tell” faith. I would never offer my faith to anyone, unless asked directly. I was vaguely “busy on Sunday mornings” and would always hesitate when I said I went to a Christian High School. Although I was becoming better with this before I left, I never felt like proclaiming Christ from the rooftop until I came to Vietnam. Like any little kid, the second you told me I couldn’t share about Christ that’s all I wanted to do. I got so used to being open about my faith for the past three months that I had to hold my tongue when someone asked “what brings you to Vietnam?”
I want to firmly say “Vietnam, I’m here because Jesus sent me!!”
