As most of you know Vietnam is a closed country. It is free religion but you cannot share the gospel unless you are asked too. Vietnam is a Buddhist country. Over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices. About 7 percent of the population is considered Catholic. And about 1 percent of the population is Protestant.
The Christian Church in Vietnam is also split. There is government registered Christian churches and there are also underground churches. These two types of churches are divided; they do not consider each other to be ‘real’ Christians.
While in Vietnam we have visited a number of registered churches. We have been to all Vietnamese style church and we have also been to an international church with all foreigners.
Being in a closed country has been pretty difficult. Not being able to tell people about Christ or why we are really here has been frustrating and annoying! Ministry this month has been not much. We have done more ministry within ourselves than in the Danang community. We visited an orphanage about 3 times (once a week) and we have been to various youth groups. Other than that we have been having a lot of girl/guy time, and worship sessions.
Speaking of worship. Let me tell you about that one time we got in trouble with police in Vietnam.
One night all 4 teams went down to the riverfront and did some worship. While worshiping we started to draw a crowd. At one point there were about 200 people crowded around listening. A few people had gotten into some awesome conversations with people who asked what we were doing. And a few people even got to share the gospel. Towards the end as group we all prayed out loud for the city of Danang, the churches, the people and the country of Vietnam. When we were done people crowded around to take pictures of us, to talk, or just to take a look. Our contact showed up at the end and was pretty nervous because we drew such a big crowd. As we began to leave the police showed up and we all got nervous. They wanted to know where we were staying, how long we were staying and what we were doing. They had a few witnesses that called to say we were evangelizing and praying out loud (which we didn’t know was against the law). They eventually wanted to see our passports and visas and kept asking for them. We all had to go back to the hotel and get them so that they at random could pick 10 people to show their passport and visas to them. I was one of the 10. The police were telling us that they were doing this because they wanted to help us, and that it is free religion in their country..
Not only was I nervous, but I was frustrated at the police, mad at the witnesses that called the police, thankful for our contact and his father who communicated to the police for us and thankful that I was not alone during that time. I was with 27 other people who were feeling the same way I was. There were people who were scared of getting deported, there were people angry, there were people who were frustrated cause they wanted to go to sleep. God gave each of us different ways of handling things.
Thank you God for having your hand of protection around us during the night of worship. Thank you God for giving me 27 other people during the hard days in Danang. Thank you God for always being there for us when we need you!
Thank you God for not giving us a sense of fear, because we knew you were there in that situation!
The Christian Church in Vietnam is also split. There is government registered Christian churches and there are also underground churches. These two types of churches are divided; they do not consider each other to be ‘real’ Christians.
While in Vietnam we have visited a number of registered churches. We have been to all Vietnamese style church and we have also been to an international church with all foreigners.
Being in a closed country has been pretty difficult. Not being able to tell people about Christ or why we are really here has been frustrating and annoying! Ministry this month has been not much. We have done more ministry within ourselves than in the Danang community. We visited an orphanage about 3 times (once a week) and we have been to various youth groups. Other than that we have been having a lot of girl/guy time, and worship sessions.
Speaking of worship. Let me tell you about that one time we got in trouble with police in Vietnam.
One night all 4 teams went down to the riverfront and did some worship. While worshiping we started to draw a crowd. At one point there were about 200 people crowded around listening. A few people had gotten into some awesome conversations with people who asked what we were doing. And a few people even got to share the gospel. Towards the end as group we all prayed out loud for the city of Danang, the churches, the people and the country of Vietnam. When we were done people crowded around to take pictures of us, to talk, or just to take a look. Our contact showed up at the end and was pretty nervous because we drew such a big crowd. As we began to leave the police showed up and we all got nervous. They wanted to know where we were staying, how long we were staying and what we were doing. They had a few witnesses that called to say we were evangelizing and praying out loud (which we didn’t know was against the law). They eventually wanted to see our passports and visas and kept asking for them. We all had to go back to the hotel and get them so that they at random could pick 10 people to show their passport and visas to them. I was one of the 10. The police were telling us that they were doing this because they wanted to help us, and that it is free religion in their country..
Not only was I nervous, but I was frustrated at the police, mad at the witnesses that called the police, thankful for our contact and his father who communicated to the police for us and thankful that I was not alone during that time. I was with 27 other people who were feeling the same way I was. There were people who were scared of getting deported, there were people angry, there were people who were frustrated cause they wanted to go to sleep. God gave each of us different ways of handling things.
Thank you God for having your hand of protection around us during the night of worship. Thank you God for giving me 27 other people during the hard days in Danang. Thank you God for always being there for us when we need you!
Thank you God for not giving us a sense of fear, because we knew you were there in that situation!
Even though this past month was a very restful month, God still worked through us. He taught us stuff through rest, he taught us how to rest, and he taught us how to love people more. He taught us how to love the people who were against us during the worship night. He taught us to love the police, and the people who called the police on us. He taught us to love each other as some people were anxious, some were mad and some were calm. But the biggest thing he taught me is he did not give me a sense of fear.
