Beautiful Hanoi, Vietnam Children

COME, take a stroll with me down memory lane.  I want to share with you a memorable conversation I had with the Lord while on an international  7-day mission trip to Hanoi, Vietnam  in 2013.  In conclusion, God caused me to realize that Vietnam is a country whose wheels turn more slowly; patience and perseverance among travelers and visitors are the key; being flexible; and finally, understanding that time is not money…relationship building is!

The mission trip had been organized by Buckner International, a world-wide humanitarian organization that operates orphanages in many countries all over the world.  Our mission team consisted of just eight dedicated travelers on a maiden voyage to Hanoi, Vietnam to deliver some new shoes, personal, school and medical supplies to the children in an orphanage supported by Buckner.  We were also to teach English as a second language, and serendipitously instill the love of Christ to all persons we met along the way.

Reprinted below is my conversation with the Lord about an assignment given to me by our Buckner tour guide.  Realizing that the people of Hanoi, Vietnam believed in Buddhism, I was surprised when the Holy Spirit led me to deliver our group’s private morning devotions from Acts 19:10.  You see, I knew that our permanently assigned Vietnam government official (who holstered two guns and a rifle) who shadowed us everywhere we went would be in attendance.  And Buckner had been forewarned not to apotheosize while in the country.

Well, after being reassured that it was permissible for our group to hold private prayer meetings in our hotel, I further questioned the Lord as to why he wanted me to present the gospel from Acts 19, knowing that a Buddhist believer would be in attendance.  I asked the Lord why He had in a dream forbidden Paul  to preach the Word in Asia and instead to go over to Macedonia .  Was it because of Confucianism and Buddhism which had been worshiped in that region long before Jesus Christ was born.

The Holy Spirit convicted me that I was wrong in my query.  Paul would later preach throughout all of Asia (see Acts 19:19) and lay the foundation for such a time as this.  Furthermore, I had no idea what God was up to.  He actually told me, My child, this trip is not about you, but about what I am about to do for a Buddhist believer in your mist.  All you have to do is trust and obey.

I would personally love to hear from you guys out there.  Have you ever stepped out on faith and taken a risk for God’s Kingdom?  Please feel free to send me your comments along these lines. I will proudly and wholeheartedly print them.  Some times in our walk with the Lord He tests us just to see if we are sincere in our adoration and obedience to Him.  I learned just this week, that God never takes a situation from bad to worst.  So although I have never learned if Mr. Chong’s son was healed, I do know that God is able and that He never fails.

Our mission team’s role in all of this was to come to Vietnam and to water the seeds which God had assigned to be planted some 2000+ years ago.  Always remembering that only God gives the increase.

Scripture Lesson:  I Corinthians 3:6-9  “I [Paul] planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

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