We invited two young couples from our fellowship for dinner last night. One couple are from the state of Arkansas in the USA. The woman in the second couple is from Portland, Oregon but the young man is from the north east tribal area of India. Both couples are teaching English in universities here in Hanoi.
We like to ask questions about people's background and to hear their life stories. The young man, who I will call Keith, shared how he comes from one of the tribes that are highly Christian - perhaps 70% or more. As we talked Keith began to tell the spiritual history of his people. He mentioned the first missionary to there area, a man by the name of Roberts who was led of God to first bring the Good News 100 years ago.
Imagine his surprise when we told Keith that Mr. Roberts son, Dr. Paul Roberts, was a part of our Bayview Church congregation in Toronto. How interesting for two older people from Canada to meet a young Indian in Vietnam whose Christian faith is a heritage from the work of the father of our Toronto friend.
This morning I received an email from a young Filippino couple whose wedding I officiated in Toronto years ago. The photo in the email showed them proudly holding their newborn, while their first born looked on proudly.
This afternoon I rode home from our church office on the back of a motorbike - much faster than travelling in this city, especially in rush hour. The driver was my colleague, a pastor from the Philippines. He and his family just returned from three weeks in the island of Mindenao where terrible flooding took place in the week prior to Christmas. He is tired from being with all of their extended families, plus ministering humanitarian aid (our fellowship sent a large financial gift with him) and spiritual aid to hundreds of people who lost everything in the flood. His mother and sister were among those whose house was swept away.
International connections - one of the great joys we experience as we live and serve here in Vietnam.
We like to ask questions about people's background and to hear their life stories. The young man, who I will call Keith, shared how he comes from one of the tribes that are highly Christian - perhaps 70% or more. As we talked Keith began to tell the spiritual history of his people. He mentioned the first missionary to there area, a man by the name of Roberts who was led of God to first bring the Good News 100 years ago.
Imagine his surprise when we told Keith that Mr. Roberts son, Dr. Paul Roberts, was a part of our Bayview Church congregation in Toronto. How interesting for two older people from Canada to meet a young Indian in Vietnam whose Christian faith is a heritage from the work of the father of our Toronto friend.
This morning I received an email from a young Filippino couple whose wedding I officiated in Toronto years ago. The photo in the email showed them proudly holding their newborn, while their first born looked on proudly.
This afternoon I rode home from our church office on the back of a motorbike - much faster than travelling in this city, especially in rush hour. The driver was my colleague, a pastor from the Philippines. He and his family just returned from three weeks in the island of Mindenao where terrible flooding took place in the week prior to Christmas. He is tired from being with all of their extended families, plus ministering humanitarian aid (our fellowship sent a large financial gift with him) and spiritual aid to hundreds of people who lost everything in the flood. His mother and sister were among those whose house was swept away.
International connections - one of the great joys we experience as we live and serve here in Vietnam.
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