We have just returned from 8 days in Hanoi. As we see here in Ho Chi Minh City, so in Hanoi, there are such great contrasts. You can still see elderly woman sweeping the street gutters clean with a "corn broom". Men and women can be seen with a pedal cart, collecting bits of garbage that they have collected to be recycled and earn a couple of dollars.
In Ho Chi Minh, they recently completed a 68 story office and apartment building which towers and glistens over the city. But Hanoi is the capital, and it is not co-incidental that a taller skyscraper, 72 stories high will soon be completed. It has been developed by a Korean firm and with two 48 tower apartment buildings is a one billion dollar project. In every way it is a world class development.
Many expats come to Hanoi as tourists. Some can come to make better salaries than they could back home. Some come just to "get away" from home and others just for adventure. And some believers come and enjoy significant spiritual growth and opportunities to serve while in this city.
We enjoyed our visit with expat believers at Hanoi International Fellowship. It was a pleasure to preach there twice and enjoy fellowship in this vibrant congregation. Attended by about 400 people from all over the world, this interdenominational church has a strong presence in the international community. A wide variety of people attend, from Nigerian students completing an IT degree to people working in foreign embassies; from people employed by NGO's to people employed by international firms.
As many of you experience if you are in a multi-ethnic church, there is something special about worship with people from many nations. We do believe it gives us a taste of heaven. The Apostle John writes in Revelation of what lies ahead for all of us: "--- before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne ---. And they cried out with a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb". Revelation 7:9 - 10.
Looking forward to joining that crowd one day!
In Ho Chi Minh, they recently completed a 68 story office and apartment building which towers and glistens over the city. But Hanoi is the capital, and it is not co-incidental that a taller skyscraper, 72 stories high will soon be completed. It has been developed by a Korean firm and with two 48 tower apartment buildings is a one billion dollar project. In every way it is a world class development.
Many expats come to Hanoi as tourists. Some can come to make better salaries than they could back home. Some come just to "get away" from home and others just for adventure. And some believers come and enjoy significant spiritual growth and opportunities to serve while in this city.
We enjoyed our visit with expat believers at Hanoi International Fellowship. It was a pleasure to preach there twice and enjoy fellowship in this vibrant congregation. Attended by about 400 people from all over the world, this interdenominational church has a strong presence in the international community. A wide variety of people attend, from Nigerian students completing an IT degree to people working in foreign embassies; from people employed by NGO's to people employed by international firms.
As many of you experience if you are in a multi-ethnic church, there is something special about worship with people from many nations. We do believe it gives us a taste of heaven. The Apostle John writes in Revelation of what lies ahead for all of us: "--- before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne ---. And they cried out with a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb". Revelation 7:9 - 10.
Looking forward to joining that crowd one day!
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