Next stop was for lunch at a Cu-Chi (area north of Ho Chi Minh City) church, where the pastor told our Partner (see Innerview) of his life that preceded his new life with-Christ, the details which are best not mentioned in an email or blog.  During the war, he lost his lower left leg and all fingers but thumb and forefinger on his left hand…. yet he knelt when we offered to pray for him.  Following this time in the church, we moved to their simple living quarters for a splendid lunch (see Table Hands) prepared by his wife (see Soup’s On).  And then on to the Cu-Chi Tunnels.

These tunnels (see Cu-Chi Coup) were instrumental for the Viet Cong, serving as their base of operations for the Tet Offensive.  Much of what we saw was “fascinating”, albeit with a bias (see Watchful Eye) toward one point of view.  Our tour guide pointed out (see Sticking To It) the three levels of tunnels that were designed and employed.  Fascinating as this was, there’s never anything like taking a test-drive, so on to the tunnels we went.  Our next tour guide demonstrated how the soldiers would find the tunnel’s start (from their maps), brushing away the hiding-leaves and then entering (see Going Down) by pulling the leaves-covered top down as they went, totally camouflaging the entry.  But again, there’s nothing like a test-drive, so someone had to volunteer!  (see Tunnel Vision – In)  Fortunately, a flashlight was available, which permitted me to see the bat that flew by me as I crawled through the tunnel, arriving (yeah!) at a larger entrance (see Tunnel Vision – Out) after following some sketchy directions and many loud voices at the finish line.  

#3 coming up …

See the full gallery on Posterous