the Glocal Trekker Blog

Since October 2004, laws have passed to provide for more religious freedom in Vietnam. I have been meeting with their government leaders, as well as with pastors, and things are moving in the right direction. To get to one pastor we had to 4-wheel for four hours, cross a raging river in canoes, and then trek in a beautiful tropical sauna for 2 hours to a village where we met the pastor. His story of faith was very powerful. The same was true of another pastor who was barely 20, yet, had a church in his house and knew of 6 other chapters associated with his church. One village had 1000 people and 17 churches that the government allows to meet in the house. I could have paid on the spot to build a chapel--but why? The church was decentralized, healthy, and impacting.

I’m glad it’s opening up, but I want it to keep its purity and innocence. There are many complicated issues here. When a Hmong follows Christ, other family members often try to take their land because they are no longer worshipping their ancestors and it is a sign of disrespect to them. These things can all be fixed, but it will take a lot of effort on everyone’s part to make it work. Very sleepy--but on a train all night and leave for the central highlands in a few hours.

Will try to write more later.