My Love for Vietnam

(Traffic in Vietnam. I took this from inside a taxi.)

I have loved and been fascinated with East Asia almost my whole life. It started off with a love for the Chinese and Japanese cultures. My dad loved martial arts and so we used to watch movies from that genre a lot. My sister and I grew up watching anime, reading manga (for the record, not all anime and manga are demonic or perverted), and listening to Japanese music (Jpop). My family ate Chinese food often and visited Japanese gardens. These two cultures have been a big part of my life. Within the last few years I've fallen in love with Korean culture as well. I watch Kdramas, listen to Kpop, and eat Korean snacks. My husband and I go on dates to Asian restaurants and visit Asian markets often. I read a lot of books about reaching people in East Asia and the testimonies of what God is doing there.
      Needless to say, it has been my dream to go to Asia. When my husband (Joey) and I received the opportunity to go to Vietnam I was so excited. Though, I didn't know anything about Vietnam when we heard about the opportunity except that it was somewhere in Asia. On the day of our departure I looked at Joey and squealed, "We're going to Asia!" many times. Then, when we reached Hong Kong for our layover, my squeals changed to, "We're in Asia!" At the end of last year, God challenged me to change the focus of my love for these regions. It's okay to love aspects of the culture but God pushed me to have a greater love for the people. Finally being there and seeing so many of the people, I began tearing up because He gave me such a love for the East and Southeast Asian people through my time of study and prayer beforehand! I had such a strong desire for them to know Him.
      Vietnam has quickly become a country I adore. These people are kind, loving, generous, and funny. I have gotten emotional often just thinking of my longing for them to know God. I didn't know much about the people or culture before the opportunity arose, but I did a lot of research leading up to our trip. It gave me such a heart for the people that were around me when I arrived. I wasn't there long, but I am never going to forget what I have gotten to experience in Vietnam. It is now the country I love most in Asia because I can't help but think of all those I met there.
      I knew I would go to Asia one day but I admit I never expected it to happen so soon. Throughout our trip, as I looked out at all the people, I was in awe of God. I have had the privilege of meeting many Christians and I know it is all because of Him. In a country where being a Christian can get you persecuted (you can lose your job, family, etc), there is little earthly reason for them to choose to follow God. Even the fact that they have heard of and have a desire for Him; that is the Holy Spirit moving! I cried when I heard Vietnamese Christians singing worship to God because this is a serious commitment they are making. They are putting their livelihood on the line. They counted the cost of following Him and found Him worthy. It was such a sincere and loving worship. I know there are many, despite the danger, who are working to tell others about Him and it is absolutely beautiful.
      The people in Vietnam now have my heart. I love them so much! It may not seem to make sense with how few days I was there, but I have such a longing for the Spirit to keep moving there and for people to keep coming to God and getting saved. Being back home now, I long to see them again. I've found so much comfort in Paul and his own longing for those he spent time with and poured into. In 1 Thessalonians 2:17 (GNB), Paul says, "As for us, brothers and sisters, when we were separated from you for a little while — not in our thoughts, of course, but only in body — how we missed you and how hard we tried to see you again." I don't know when or if, even, I will be able to go back to Vietnam but I won't stop praying for the people, reading testimonies about what He is doing there, and reaching out to those I met.
      Again, Paul says what I've been feeling so perfectly in Ephesians 1:16-19a (GNB), “I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, and how very great is his power at work in us who believe." I want them to know God and to be filled with His Spirit. I want them to walk boldly in their faith and experience a closeness to Him. I want them to know His great love for them and to reach others.
      I don't want to keep the things I learned and saw in Vietnam to myself, so I am dedicating the next few posts to sharing about my trip there. I hope that you too will get a heart for Vietnam and join me in praying for these people. You have no idea how much that will mean to the Christians there.

(Stuck in a traffic jam in Vietnam. Again, photo taken from a taxi.)