We flew home to Vietnam from Malaysia last night. We had our three month visa letter in hand, our passports and, with the $45 fee we were certain that we would get into the country again. However since an earlier plane had unloaded a number of visa seeking people, we had to wait in line for about 20 minutes before receiving our processed passports, now containing the all important visa stamp.
We turned to move toward the immigration line when we bumped into two young women, obviously Western tourists. They explained that they had just arrived without a visa or visa letter, having been assured they did not need one. They had learned that if you stayed for less than 15 days, it was OK not to have a visa.
I winced and told them I'd never heard of anyone getting into Vietnam without a visa. A tourist visa or visa letter is easily obtained over the internet, but you must obtain it in advance of arriving. I feared they were in real difficulty. I said I didn't know what they could do, but I offered to check for them. I asked an official, telling him that these young women were from Sweden but had no visa. However they were staying for less than 15 days. To my amazement and their delight, he nodded, "yes". They were allowed into the country.
Now I know that Canadians, for example, are allowed into the USA without a visa. But here in Vietnam, I know expats from over 25 countries; we often talk about visas - for how long is your visa, did you have any trouble getting it; do you have to leave the country to get it, etc. I assumed that all of us have to get visas, even to enter Vietnam for a day.
What I didn't know was that Sweden (and 13 other countries), unlike over 100 other countries, has a special relationship with Vietnam. If you are a Swede (and on a very short trip), you get in for free; no visa and no waiting!
Now just a minute: while these young women seemed nice, and were better looking than me (but not my wife), why should they be treated differently than a Canadian, American or others? What had they done to be treated differently? Nothing. They were treated differently last night, not because of who they are, how nice they are or what they have done; treated differently because of with whom they belong - Swedes; because of where they were born - Sweden.
Today in many churches we celebrate the monthly Communion Service (or perhaps your weekly Communion service). It is easy to take for granted that we are accepted by God because we've grown up in the church; were baptized as infants; or because of what we've done, who we are, etc. Remember again today, with great gratitude - we are accepted by our Holy, Righteous God because, and only because we are born again into the family of God through personal faith in Christ. In Christ alone is our righteousness. We get in!! Amazing grace! We are welcomed into God's forever family, into an eternal home with Him, because of the Cross of Christ. So celebrate the fact that you are "in" today - and every day, by His grace.
And pray with me today, that many more may enter into the worldwide family of faith.
We turned to move toward the immigration line when we bumped into two young women, obviously Western tourists. They explained that they had just arrived without a visa or visa letter, having been assured they did not need one. They had learned that if you stayed for less than 15 days, it was OK not to have a visa.
I winced and told them I'd never heard of anyone getting into Vietnam without a visa. A tourist visa or visa letter is easily obtained over the internet, but you must obtain it in advance of arriving. I feared they were in real difficulty. I said I didn't know what they could do, but I offered to check for them. I asked an official, telling him that these young women were from Sweden but had no visa. However they were staying for less than 15 days. To my amazement and their delight, he nodded, "yes". They were allowed into the country.
Now I know that Canadians, for example, are allowed into the USA without a visa. But here in Vietnam, I know expats from over 25 countries; we often talk about visas - for how long is your visa, did you have any trouble getting it; do you have to leave the country to get it, etc. I assumed that all of us have to get visas, even to enter Vietnam for a day.
What I didn't know was that Sweden (and 13 other countries), unlike over 100 other countries, has a special relationship with Vietnam. If you are a Swede (and on a very short trip), you get in for free; no visa and no waiting!
Now just a minute: while these young women seemed nice, and were better looking than me (but not my wife), why should they be treated differently than a Canadian, American or others? What had they done to be treated differently? Nothing. They were treated differently last night, not because of who they are, how nice they are or what they have done; treated differently because of with whom they belong - Swedes; because of where they were born - Sweden.
Today in many churches we celebrate the monthly Communion Service (or perhaps your weekly Communion service). It is easy to take for granted that we are accepted by God because we've grown up in the church; were baptized as infants; or because of what we've done, who we are, etc. Remember again today, with great gratitude - we are accepted by our Holy, Righteous God because, and only because we are born again into the family of God through personal faith in Christ. In Christ alone is our righteousness. We get in!! Amazing grace! We are welcomed into God's forever family, into an eternal home with Him, because of the Cross of Christ. So celebrate the fact that you are "in" today - and every day, by His grace.
And pray with me today, that many more may enter into the worldwide family of faith.
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