Our team of ten has now been in Vietnam for three days. We've had some challenges with the technology here so we are slow in being able to share what we've seen and experienced. Team member Kody has put together a short video of our day of travel in. Hopefully more will follow.

Vietnam is beautiful, hot (103 degrees yeststerday) and filled with beautiful, gracious people. We attended ICM's first church in Saigon on Sunday, attended the breathtaking dedication of a church on the outskirts of Danang on Monday and this evening (Tuesday) participated in the opening cereremonies of a special event here in Danang. It is a three day event celebrating the 100th anniversary of evangelical Christianity in Vietnam. Tonight's event was held in a beautiful coliseum, with all íts 8500 seats filled. The last song included a pararade of the Vietnamese tribes in native dress. It was spectacular. One team member remarked: "I think it's a little taste of what heaven will be like-- where there will be people of every tribe and nation." People, many who have served in Vietnam, came from all over the world for this event. The man to my right was a Vietnamese from Paris, France. The man to my left was a doctor from Greensboro, NC who is Vietnamese. (Irony here- I'm from Greensboro. And no, we had no idea someone else from our town would be here. A "God wink.") This nation is changing for Christ.

The dedication service of the newly built church on Monday was incredible- music supplied by a 65 person choir. The building itself is exquisite with a tall steeple that can be seen from miles around. The people at the church had been praying for more than 30 years for their own church building. Now this church is a beacon in a community in which the closest church would be more than 20 miles away. It is transforming that community.

We are all honored by the opportunity to see what God is doing in Vietnam through ICM. ICM already has built or under construction 244 churches in Vietnam, with a 100 church goal this year, in honor òf the 100th anniversary. To be here, witnessing the fruit of the past and seeing the opportunities to support the body òf Christ in Vietnam in the future, is nothing short of a miracle.