It seems you cannot travel for more than 3 or 4 blocks in this city without seeing some sign of construction. It may be something small like a new entrance way. It may be something larger like adding two more storeys to a small building - we are watching them put the roof on the fourth floor of one, just 100 meters from our building.
It could be a significant project like the one next door and 19 floors below us. We are not sure what is happening but it is interesting to watch. The elementary school was built as a quadrangle with a large uncovered space in the center. That space was used as parking for parents' motorbikes when collecting their children; as the outdoor gymnasium, as the assembly hall, etc. However over the past two weeks crews have knocked down two of the quadrangle walls. We are waiting to see what will replace them. Work goes on 24 hours a day. Fortunately with ear plugs we hardly hear the machinery at night. :)
Then of course there are the large office and apartment towers across the street that had been built before we arrived. We have watched the painting of walls and balconies and other finishing work being gradually completed.
Often as I look over these and other building projects, I also look over the city, and am reminded that Jesus is building his church here in Hanoi. It is not as visible as all of this construction. In fact as I have related in an earlier blog, there are only two Protestant church buildings (as far as I can discover) in this entire city of 6 million people. But buildings are not needed for Christ's church to continue to grow. The stones for His building are people, and each week His church is becoming larger here.
"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house ---." I Peter 2:4, 5
Spiritual construction is going ahead, one life, one family at a time. This city and country will be blessed in wonderful ways as Christ's church is built. Thanks for your prayers.
It could be a significant project like the one next door and 19 floors below us. We are not sure what is happening but it is interesting to watch. The elementary school was built as a quadrangle with a large uncovered space in the center. That space was used as parking for parents' motorbikes when collecting their children; as the outdoor gymnasium, as the assembly hall, etc. However over the past two weeks crews have knocked down two of the quadrangle walls. We are waiting to see what will replace them. Work goes on 24 hours a day. Fortunately with ear plugs we hardly hear the machinery at night. :)
Then of course there are the large office and apartment towers across the street that had been built before we arrived. We have watched the painting of walls and balconies and other finishing work being gradually completed.
Often as I look over these and other building projects, I also look over the city, and am reminded that Jesus is building his church here in Hanoi. It is not as visible as all of this construction. In fact as I have related in an earlier blog, there are only two Protestant church buildings (as far as I can discover) in this entire city of 6 million people. But buildings are not needed for Christ's church to continue to grow. The stones for His building are people, and each week His church is becoming larger here.
"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house ---." I Peter 2:4, 5
Spiritual construction is going ahead, one life, one family at a time. This city and country will be blessed in wonderful ways as Christ's church is built. Thanks for your prayers.
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