Plugging in
March 4th, 2024 Drew and I have learned that slow travel can feel too indulgent without certain things. Exercise, at least through walking, biking, and running, is needed to balance frequent eating out and abundant family meals. Personal reading and consistent homeschooling require diligence and make us appreciate our family's free time much more – whether at the beach, pool, or just playing with toys in the hotel room. We have continued our morning family Bible studies and watched intermittent sermons, though we miss our worship with friends and being at our home church on Sundays. As far as balance, this year has been better than last. We feel healthier, and the kids are more comfortable with long travel and being in a different culture. In addition to visiting with family and sightseeing, we have prioritized intimate time with just the four or five of us to reconnect and relax. Lastly, and most importantly, we have begun to find ways to plug into the community and share our faith. The easiest but perhaps most limited impact we have had is by being generous with those we meet on the street. During our last trip, my mother inspired us to focus on elderly women and disabled people. There are few panhandlers in Vietnam, but many individuals will sell lottery tickets, baskets of fruit, or trinkets to earn a living. It takes no effort on our part to either tip generously or give without receiving any product in return. One day, we visited a local, non-touristy beach. Though the tides were low and safe for children to swim in, which is rare in this province compared to other beaches in Vietnam, we sadly saw a beach littered with trash. It broke our hearts knowing that this section stood in contrast to the touristy and hotel beaches just down the shore, which were nearly spotless. Abby had the idea to come back and help clean it. A few days later, we hopped on our bikes and rode back with rubber gloves and trash bags in hand. We went at noon when no Vietnamese person was crazy enough to be at the beach because of the intense sunlight. Most prefer being covered from the rays at all times! For the next two and a half hours, our family picked up litter from the beach, and the kids helped between swimming and playing in the sand. When we ran out of bags, we felt as if we barely made a dent, and because there seemed to be no enforcement against litter there, we were unsure if our efforts were all that helpful. Nonetheless, treating this beach as our own felt right. We were very proud of the kids for the idea and pitching in. As far as sharing God's Word and supporting those who do, we prayed and asked our friends at home to pray for doors to open. He has answered our prayers! These last seven weeks, we have seen God's hands at work – through established churches and church plants, community service projects, and faithful messengers who have dedicated their lives to serving Him. We have found ways to contribute to such efforts through our time and resources. We have also begun to witness to our family here about our testimonies and the Gospel. There's nothing like being away from America to make you appreciate our many freedoms – such as freedom to worship. God-willing, our future generations will still have those. There was a time when I took them for granted, so much so that I departed from my faith for several years. I was living for myself and for the "fun" of this world when, in reality, that fun caused me to sin and have much heartache. Though we did not know each other at the time, Drew was on a similar departure from his faith. Finally, and by the grace of God, we each returned to Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit who compelled us to do so and encouraged by friends and spiritual mentors. Within the next year, we met each other and began our lives together. It is no secret that we love Vietnam and the fruits of this culture we see in our family here – from their close-knit nature to multigenerational living and pure kindness of heart and generosity. Yet we know this is all temporary – our time on earth and even our good deeds. Only through Jesus can we have eternal life and peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7). We are grateful to have begun to explore how His Word and love are being spread in this country. No matter where you are, faith in Christ gives you freedom. We have been inspired by the passion and hearts of His servants on the ground, and we ask that you pray for them and their communities. We will also pray for them and look forward to staying involved in the years to come.