Our drive-time gives us a virtual cultural tour of the country, almost as if watching a documentary.  In Ho Chi Minh City, as in so many cities, we are struck by the magnitude of people who do not know God (based on statistics), and on the opportunity the Church has to lead them to faith (see Sea of Seekers).

At all points along this trip, we are presented with food and fellowship opportunities, having to manage our time even as we enjoy the moment of drinking it all in (see The Last Straw).

Then at days-end, whether on the bus or back at the hotel, there is often an opportunity for our Church Growth Partner traveling with us to give us a briefing on the work being done or what still lies ahead in our travel (see Projecting a Good Image). 

As this is written and posted on the day of our departure, know that reports will be coming as time allows.  Blessings on your day or evening!

While much of our days are spent visiting churches and traveling to see the churches we visit, the before, after and in-between time is also precious.  Here are some inside looks at what goes on.  These come from an unusual day when, because of our travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Ca-Mau, we visited only one church.  Still many elements of a typical day were present.

Each morning starts with breakfast and a devotion.  On most days, because of the late night go-to-bed and the early-rise for the new day, we have our quick breakfast and then head out, holding an on-the-run devotion.  Vision Team members take turns with the devotion, sharing whatever is on their heart.  These are precious reminders of the power of the word and precious insights into the hearts of the presenting team member (see Moving Message).  At each of our stops, there is some time of sharing by the church leaders (see Leadership Lessons), as they talk about their vision and what the Church is doing.  And at the end of that time, we always have prayer for and with the leaders (see Fruitful Prayer) and their families.  Viewing the church building (be it where they now worship before having a new church building, where a new church building is under construction or a completed church building).  Of course, this always presents the opportunity for a group photo, which in this case was taken at the foot of the Cross of a very large ICM-partnered church in downtown Ho Chi Minh City (see Foot of the Cross).

One more email this time!

It is hard to believe that our time in Vietnam is coming to an end! This trip has been a compilation of amazing testimonies which speak of God's faithfulness in this country and in the hearts of His people here.
Janice

The team had a blessed time this morning after flying back to Ho Chi Minh City from CaMau...south Mekong Delta! We met with the senior pastor of a city church built by ICM back in the 90's... It is growing and thriving with an impactful ministry throughout the region. The team is now at the airport on our way to the Highlands! God's amazing adventure continues! Janice

Still, other memories of the day linger, as our pictures remind us of the privilege we are having.  To close out this entry, see some reminders of our amazing trip on the river … a young entrepreneur taking in the view of us (Floating A-Lone), a view of what lay ahead during a trip (Looking Ahead); a couple … reflective of those living on the river … just checking out their laundry and maybe us latest foreigners (see Hanging Out) and others encountered along our way (see River Traffic).

The last picture (whew!) represents what we experienced in all modes of travel, but especially on the boat, … something we now bring together in a phrase representing much of our experience: Phe-NAM-enal Waters!

May your travels be blessed,

Don

Stop # 4 was to check on the construction started for a chapel (see Constructive Discussion, where our primary Partner contact is talking with the pastor and his wife).  This pastor had lived on this property and had been ill for most of his life.  A visiting pastor led him to Christ and that changed his life forever in many ways, including his being healed from his illness.  With a new mind-set and heart-set, he studied to become a pastor, started a congregation and gave his land for the church building.  Nothing will wash away our sins, … like the blood of Jesus!

This all would have been a full-day, except Janice, Minh (our primary Partner contact) and I dropped the others and rode (the car and on a ferry!) in the dark of night to see a church that had been dedicated in the morning, with 700 attending that service.  From our brief visit, we could tell this beautiful church (see Open For Business) would be a beacon of light for the community.  We believe someone had given a new dedication-Bible to the church, surrounding it with flowers and elevating it on an unusual stand (see A Bible A-Rose).

Blessings abounded as we next shifted to a bus that took us to lunch at a church-orphanage; while the food didn’t please my diet, I could tell from the smile and nods that tasty it was (see So Soy, Don).  The main course, however, was the best anyway, as we again were sung to by beautiful children, this time with real, individual stories of what tragedies brought them under the care of the church, and appropriately to the Foot of the Cross.  The women in our group took the lead this time, praying for the children and wanting to take them all with us (see Love ‘Em & Leave ‘Em).  What you can also see, is the multi-purpose table at the foot of the altar (see Versatile Table).

One of our last views as we left was of a grateful congregant (see Smile of a Believer).  Back in the boat, we cruised further down the Mekong tributaries (see See Cruise), arriving at a chapel that was recently completed through the ICM Partnership.  It’s beauty and the stories of how this congregation has thrived through perseverance and joy in the midst of trials made us want to sing again … Goin’ to the Chapel!  As you can see, that ended on a Good Note!

Traveling in Vietnam is how we gain real insights into the country, and in our case, into the Church Growth Partnership we have.  Yesterday (the 24^th here), we achieved the quintuplet of travel (or is it the ‘high-five’?), as we went from start to finish by plane, car, bus, feet and boat, gaining those insights as we went. 

When we talk about this trip-to-date, we might as well say “our plate has been full!”  That would cover the early mornings (Out of the hotel at 4:30AM yesterday morning to catch our flight!) and late evenings (Minh, Janice and I returned to our next hotel about 9:15pm), but we might also be talking about the food we’ve been fed…always plentiful, always wonderful.  Indeed our plates have started out full at every meal, and yesterday morning was no exception, as we buffet-ed among more food categories than we knew existed (see where we stayed and ate, Overnight & Over-easy).

This day of travel was spent in the Ca-Mau Province, beginning with (after the group picture, of course, this time wearing our new ‘cone hats’; see Get The Point) an hour-and-a-half boat-ride (check out our mode of travel in Rear View) to the 1^st church, a sizeable congregation (180 worship weekly in this thatched structure) that has outgrown its home-and-worship ‘building’ (see Out-Growing People) and will now apply to ICM for a Chapel.  Here we also heard the voices of angels, as the children were prayed for and then sang “This is the day the Lord has made” to us (see Got Your Back). 

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2

Greeted by an early beautiful day (see Good Morning Vietnam!), breakfast, devotion time (Devoted To Him) and a quick pic (On The Run) on the hotel rooftop, our group was on the bus (see Busing’s In) and underway still bright and early.  Over the course of the day, we covered a lot of ground (and water), visiting 4 churches (representative pictures include Well, Aisle Be!, Upper Room, Taking A Bow & Cross-Hold) and seeing wonderful fruit from ICM’s partnering to build these churches.  Stories of trials (for a comparison of our living conditions, see Pastor’s Quarters, … er Waters) and victories abounded as the leaders we met were overjoyed to share what God is doing through His Church in Vietnam.  Along the way, we were provided with meals (Playing Chopsticks) and rich fellowship time (Meeting Tabled).  For the almost perfect day, however, there was one collective sinking feeling (see Water You Doing?!, #’s 1 – 4) as we were crossing the Mekong River.  All-in-all, we thank God for the amazing day, …including taking the a-pealing last picture (Chiquita Bandito).  Blessings to you and thanks for visiting and praying.

All is going well. We are so very blessed by all the testimonies of God's faithfulness in the midst of many challenges. Visited a church built by ICM over 12 years ago which has a huge evangelistic focus - they saw over 800 people make a commitment to Christ in 2010!

Please continue to pray for our partners, the pastors, and their congregations here in Vietnam. And here's a slice of life in Vietnam - transportation, Vietnamese-style!

In that our experience up to the point of writing this is strictly our travel, the ditty below reports our thoughts:

Perhaps (Reflections in the air)

We’re headed now for Vietnam.

Our flight is in the air.

It didn’t start out rosy, though,

And here’s what I can share.

Chicago snow delayed all flights,

And forced our group to wait.

With long lines, … our sole certainty

Was that we’d all be late.

But fin-al-ly our 1^st flight left,

And then before we knew,

The plane descended through the storm,

Chicago was in view!

O’Hare was oh-so crowded as

Each tried to change their flight.

Despair upon the faces showed

Their overcoming plight.

But what was real’y happening?

We searched to find a clue.

What should we all be looking for?

What would God have us do?

Perhaps a test to have us learn

To wait and trust in Him?

Perhaps a chance to fellowship, …

Not focus on what’s dim.

Perhaps to nudge us all to pray

For wisdom from above.

Perhaps to use us in this place

To share His grace and love.

And maybe so we now can see,

He doesn’t let time lapse.

He simply carves it out so we

Can ponder on … “perhaps.”

Blessings to you from wherever we encountered our first internet connection...

All are in good spirits as we board the next flight to Ho Chi Minh city! Vietnam, here we come!

International Cooperating Ministries, or ICM, is an intra-denominational ministry that partners with church organizations in other countries to build churches or church-related buildings, and to use translated Bible teachings to nurture their believers.  To date, there are over 3,700 projects (mostly churches and mostly in rural areas) built or under construction in 58 countries, including Vietnam.  About 400 projects are under construction in many of these countries (collectively) at all times.  The Bible teachings are called (in our language) Mini Bible College and are made available for broadcasting or small group use in 27 languages.  Content materials include Study Booklets, Leaders Guides, Student Workbooks and audio on players that are iPod-sized, solar powered and do not allow the users to change the content.  The Mini Bible College audio and Study Booklets are available for streaming or download for no charge on www.minibiblecollege.org 

Our group of 15 will be leaving Monday morning, February 21, arriving in Ho Chi Minh City Tuesday evening and returning home on the evening of February 28.  Our travels will be mostly in the southern part of Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City being our ‘come back’ point between visits south and then north of there.  The areas covered are shown on the attached map.

May you be blessed in reading about and seeing the trip highlights.  Please pray God will use our presence as one of His presents (of encouragement) to the people we meet with in Vietnam, and that He will allow us to be blessed by what we see of Him in those we encounter.

Greetings to all of you who will be following us on the upcoming Vietnam Trip.  We'll be on our way this Monday - stay tuned!