Hello Friends! It has been too long! I hope all is well on the other side of the World. As promised, some highlights from our trip to Ho Chi Min City, in South Vietnam. Vietnam is a BEAUTIFUL country, but HOT… Seriously the humidity level was a 100% +, we were actually relieved when we returned back to Bangkok. We are aware that it is these qualities that make the country so lush and beautiful.
Our adventure began with a bumpy take off. When we arrived at the Vietnam airport, the taxi we had scheduled through a Groupon package was not there. As if not having a taxi was bad enough, the travel agency had not instructed us on our hotel location or any directions there after… So we were stranded. Praise the Lord for Carl who bought a SIM card and researched a lovely hotel and taxi as well as all of our excursions for the week. Talk about flying on the seat of our pants… I think we decided God was teaching us patience Haha… Needless to say, we received a refund for the Groupon travel package….
Any way…. Our first day in Vietnam, we traveled to the Chu Chi tunnels. This was about an hour and a half outside of the city. The Chu Chi tunnels were in a remote location that was under attack during the Vietnam War. Fun fact, In Vietnam the locals call it the “American Liberation War.” Talk about laying low as an American. Upon arrival we were met with the jungle and an intricate 250 meter tunnel system that was built when the B52 bombs were introduced to the war. The earth around the tunnel system is still riddled with craters from the munitions pattern. It was here that we learned how the Viet Cong cunningly tricked and captured American Soldiers. Carl and I both left the Chu Chi tunnels with an extreme amount of respect for our Vietnam Vets and what they endured on behalf of our government.
The next few days we spent a great deal of time being tourists’ and walking around the city. We visited the War museum where the Communist censorship and manipulation of the truth left us sick to our stomachs. We explored the Liberation Palace that has not been touched since our last helicopter left ground in the 1970’s, and we did some shopping. Even though the Vietnamese have been persecuted and imperialized over the last 200s years, the people there are lovely. This was evident when on our last day we explored the country side with a tour guide named Typhoon Honey (I kid you not). He was wonderful! He lead through a major River Delta where we rode a river boat, tried some native fruits and tea, rode a Tuk Tuk through a country village to a traditional Vietnamese Lunch in the jungle. It was truly magical.
I think Carl would agree with me, that we were truly grateful for this trip. Even though the beginning was rocky, we were thankful for our family time together. We recognize that God has us in South East Asia this season and we will rejoice and take advantage of it.
Thank you all for your continued support and love. We have just hit a season of great home-sickness and covet your prayers. That being said the following prayer requests are very timely.
Carl is currently in India, so Tripp and I are holding down the fort: Please pray for Carl as well as Tripp and I.
God is in the process of weaving great networks of believes together in Bangkok: Please pray for our patience and awareness of how God would use such broken vessels to bring together his kingdom in Thailand.
PS. We will have a ministry update soon