Motoring Message

Take a good look at what's in the baskets!

There is something about riding the motorbike that makes me think about this journey of life.

Today I was out with Chau, riding to the bookstore to look at materials for the girls to study Vietnamese as part of our school day this coming year. It was very hot (well over 100), but a beautiful day, and not bad with the wind as we rode.

Driving in Danang is always an adventure. The traffic is ever unpredictable. There is always something new to see--animals strapped, tied, or put in baskets lashed to a motorbike, furniture deliveries using bicycles with carts tied to them for delivery trucks, large water cooler bottles strapped in every possible configuration to a motorbike... Still, whatever the weather, whatever the view, we motor on towards a destination, taking it all in, marveling at the ingenuity or grimacing at the danger of it all.

It is a bird's eye view of this life with Jesus, I think. In peace or peril; unnerving or uneventful; filled with fun, frustration or fear; with the wind to your back or sand flying in your face; still, we keep moving on.

This morning in our staff devotion time, I was thinking about the journey of this past year. It's been quite a ride. At times exhilharating, other times exhausting...always an experience. :) It has been where "the rubber meets the road" for me spiritually--facing things that I never thought I could or would; finding so much joy in the midst of the heat, the rain, the language barriers, cultural differences, medical emergencies, and a host of other situations that I would have shuttered to face in my imagination. But, like riding on the back of the motorbike, sometimes you just have to hang on, trust that the driver knows what he's doing and enjoy the ride.

Sir Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, Failure not fatal. It is the courage to continue that really counts."

May the Lord provide the courage you need to continue the journey...and enjoy it as you go!

Grace and peace!

The Now and The Not Yet

I had some time alone yesterday--a rarity. While motoring around Danang,I was chuckling to myself about the incongruities that are everywhere...

...the beautiful, glass-enclosed restaurants with pressed white linens,chair skirts tied with fanciful ribbons--and a silver tray of square papers in the center of the table that are the...napkins.

...the full-time ladies' restroom attendant who vigilantly maintains shining tile floors, and spotless mirrors--and then neatly hangs her rubber gloves, cleaning rags and supplies on the hardware under the sink--in full view of the patrons.

...the ground breaking of a new apartment house where 30 management-type folk all wore yellow or white hardhats to watch the bulldozer dig, while down the street, a makeshift platform loaded with bricks swung precariously from a rope while two shirtless, barefoot workers struggled to pull it up to them on the second story, where they stood on homemade scaffolding.

...the "Big C Supercenter" that now has hairspray, hot glue guns, and whipping cream, but has only 4 colors of nail polish: green, gold, purple and red.

In the midst of my gentle chuckling. I felt the Lord nudge me with the thought that that's the way He sees me. Making progress in some areas, still coming up pitifully, and perhaps humorously, short in others. I am a person of the now and the not yet. I love Him more today than last month or last year; I understand more; I hear His voice better; my faith and obedience have grown. And yet...I live, too, in the "not yet"...there is so much room for improvement, for more peace, for more victory.

Admitting this about myself, and embracing it, can be a source of grace to extend to others. To celebrate growth and victories in the now, to be patient, forgiving and understanding in the instances of the "not yet."

Father, pour Your grace through me. Put a smile in my heart, as well as on my lips. Let me be to others what You are to me...kind, respectful, tender, understanding, loving, wise.

May you experience the presence of the One who knows you best as you walk through the Now and the Not Yet of your own life today!

Grace and peace!

Accidents Do Happen

Joy made this butterfly crown.
She learned to make the dress from Anna Mei, using a yard of fabric.

The stitches.

Last week Anna Mei, Elizabeth, Faith and Joy went swimming with Linh, her daughter Sally, and Chau. (Jillian was making a short trip with her Dad.) They had planned to make a day of it, so I was surprised to hear them comethrough the door in just a couple of hours. I could tell by their faces that something was wrong. Anna Mei and Elizabeth burst into tears. Linh said, "Joy is at the hospital." I grabbed my motorbike helmet and purse so Linh could take me to Joy. More of the story began to unfold.

Joy was jumping into the pool, and fell hitting her shin bone squarely onthe edge of a step. The gash revealed the bone. Linh and Chau both had cell phones with them, but here all cell phones are prepaid, and they were both out of minutes. So, they couldn't call me. Chau took Joy to the nearest hospital (which, honestly, I am just as glad that I cannotdescribe--it would probably make me worry). By the time Linh and I reached her, she was eating porridge at a restaurant. She has four or five long stitches in her leg. They gave her antibiotics and something like tylenol to take. As is customary here, they said we could come to the hospital every day to have the dressing changed. They did x-rays to make sure the bone itself was fine (it was).

Of all the things we have done in our time here, I think navigating healthcare is the most stressful. It is unsettling to me to speak todoctors through translators, and try to anticipate and decide about treatment options.Still, tonight I am thankful. Joy is doing well. Her leg is sore, but she is content. All the girls have rallied around her. Jillian has returnedand brought a gift for her injured sister. Joy has loved having her daddy pray for her leg. At every opportunity, she reminds him--as if he wouldever forget. :)

May you face every challenge secure in the knowledge that you are neveralone!

Our Father's Day

Girls in their new hats!
Shopping for hats at the market.

Group picture at the movie--the whole crew, other than photographers Enoch and Marissa!

Our second Father's Day in Vietnam was completely different from the first! Last year, we had just arrived in Danang. Everyone was still jet lagged and a bit "out of it." We missed acknowledging the day altogether. Just trying to get our "land legs" back. This year was packed with activity! Of course, we worshiped at the international church; then, we brought a group of 10 young ladies from theDai Loc orphanage to Danang to see the Hannah Montana movie on the big screen. For most of them, it was their first theater experience, completewith popcorn and soda. The movies here are shown in English with Vietnamese subtitles. (This was the first "movie trip" for the Dai Loc kids--we will continue with small groups until all have had the same experience!)

A couple weeks ago, when the coat trees were delivered to the orphanage(one per room), we told the girls that now they each had a place to hangtheir hats. Everyone here wears a hat in the sun. One of the girls said, "In our room, only one of the four of us has a hat." So, after the movie, we took the girls across the street to a market so each one could choose a new hat for the summer. What fun!

After the outing, we returned home for supper. The girls had made cards for Tony, and bought him a tie--his first here in Vietnam! Before we had left for church, we had made a peanut butter pie. We had to improvise a little. We used a round cake pan. The recipe called for corn syrup. After searching two large grocery stores and coming out empty-handed, I decided to use pancake syrup. The result tasted good, but I would call it a "pancake pie" since that is what it tasted like to me--pancakes with peanut butter and syrup.

I couldn't help but think what a blessing to share a great dad, for at least one day, with kids that do not have a father's arms on a regular basis. It was a wonderful way to celebrate, and honor Tony, as well as the Father of us all!

With all the activities in out in the heat, we were all worn out by the end of the day. But, the weariness felt good. I felt like we had planted seeds that will take root. Here's wishing you a fruitful garden, too!

Grace and peace!

Visit to Hue

Jillian didn't enjoy the swinging boat as much as Elizabeth did!

Anna Mei and Faith on the roller coaster.

Faith and Joy loved swinging and rode it 4 times!

Elizabeth, Anna Mei and Dat on a roller coaster.

Another Friday morning here in sunny Vietnam! We may really have a couple of days as a family coming up now--yippee!

I mentioned in my last message that we had a group here from CBN last weekend, and during their visit we met Ut, a single mother of 14-year-old Dat. Ut has some serious health problems and we took her to the town of Hue ("whay") earlier this week to be evaluated and hopefully treated at a hospital that is supposed to be one of the best here. It is the hospital affiliated with the medical college, so offers many more specialties and experienced staff with surgeries, etc.



The hospital is overcrowded. In fact, Ut is sharing a bed with another patient--a man. Our co-worker Chau has been staying in Hue to help Ut, getting her water, etc. Tony and Duc stayed a couple of days there this week to talk to the staff, pay for tests, etc. We have heard that it is common for hospital stays to be 30 days or more.



Dat, Ut's son, has stayed with me and the girls. They have taken him in as a brother and the six of them have had a great time overall. Of course, Dat misses his mother and we have to work at communication since he speaks no English (although he can count to ten). They have ridden bikes, gone swimming, and been to the movies together. He and Jillian enjoy playing catch in the hall upstairs, or if Elizabeth and Anna Mei join in, a game of "Keep Away."


The day Ut was admitted to the hospital, we all went to Hue. There was park with a few rides across from the hospital. The girls and Dat enjoyed it immensely, although the only ride Dat really liked was some cars--the others were too fast or high for his taste.


That's been our week. Tony returned last night from Hue, and we are going to have some family time today and tomorrow.



Please remember Ut. Her condition is very serious--all the possibilities mentioned so far are either terminal or at least life-threatening. Our friends have shared the hope of the ages with her. I am reminded of a quote from Corrie ten Boom: "There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still."


Grace and peace!

A Happy Anniversary

Duc and Linh surprised us with this cake!

Well, it's official...we've been in Vietnam for a year! So, I've beensitting here tonight thinking about what I have learned...how I'vechanged...what difference this year has made in me.

Here is my top 10...I've learned that...
...there is hot, and there is HOT
....a "bad hair day" has nothing on "helmet hair."
...chopsticks can be used to repair a variety of household appliances.
...it's best to laugh: Thanksgiving, 16 coming for lunch, no electricity.
...central Vietnam does get cold, at least for a couple of weeks.
...a loving smile needs no translation.
...it is possible for the heart to be broken...and broken again...andbroken again...for sweet children in dire need.
...I love riding a motorbike!
...the safest, happiest, most comforting place to be is in the will of God.
...we're all in this together...one plants, another waters, but it is Godwho gives the growth.

One more note about our recent activities. We had a small team from the US come visit. It has been a whirlwind! We visited some families in need. One mother we met has an emergency need for surgery because ofabdominal tumors. She and her son are with us tonight; we leave first thing in the morning for a hospital in a town 50 miles from here that has the specialists she needs. Her 14-year-old son is with her. The girls have been a blessing to him...they rode bikes tonight, and watched a movie. Now they are playing "keep away" in the hall. He speaks no English, but they have managed just fine. Please pray for his mother. Her condition is serious. There are no other family members.

Grace and peace!

Toss me another brick!

Elizabeth and Anna Mei at the brick pile.
One of the staff members at Dai Loc throws me a brick.

A busy week as we have been preparing for a small team from CBN to comevisit our work and gain an update since they were last here in the fall. At Dai Loc, we have been busy painting everything in the children's rooms that doesn't move. There are now colorful pictures on the walls--small murals of hearts, butterflies, puppies, fish, tigers, pandas--every room has something different. New furnishings, new curtains--it is really taking shape!





Yesterday I was at Dai Loc helping with some of the clean up. There was a large pile of bricks left from one of the building projects. I'm not particularly skilled at many things, but I can stack bricks. So, the girls and I began to stack them. It wasn't long until a couple of the orphanage staff joined us. Then, kids began to wander over. Before long,we had a crew of about a dozen. We started out each picking up two bricks at a time and carrying them to the neat stacks. Soon, a couple of the boys started to work together, one carefully tossing a brick to his buddy,who then simply turned and put it on the stack. Soon, we had several lines going, tossing bricks from the shrinking pile and placing them neatly on the stack. The work went so fast. And it was fun. We didn't need a translator, or instruction--we just did it. If someone would ever have suggested that I would enjoy stacking bricks in 100-degree-plus weather, I would have scoffed. :)





Tony shared the sweetest story with me. He was at Dai Loc a few days ago. The normal schedule in the Vietnamese culture is to take a rest time immediately after lunch, much like a siesta. So, Tony found an empty room at Dai Loc and stretched out on the wooden bed frame. It wasn't long till one of the young boys came in the room and laid down beside him. He put his head on Tony's arm, and his own arm stretched across Tony's chest, and went to sleep. I'm sure he felt comforted, safe, and peaceful. Bless him, Lord.





It has been a joy and privilege to get to know the children and staffbetter at Dai Loc. Thank You, Lord, for these experiences! And, I thank the Lord for all those who have partnered with us in prayer and in financial giving to make the way for us to do this work. Every prayer and every gift is like throwing us another brick to work with. Because of you, a pile of hardships is being removed. A heap of chaos is finding order. Lives are being built with materials of hope, kindness,and affirmation.





So...thanks for the bricks...





Grace and peace!

Kids and Critters

Linh holds a squid head, part of the menu.
Anna Mei does a back flip on the moonwalk.

Me with two of the teenage girls.

A crowd gathered for Keith's balloon sculptures.

The lizard.

Whew! I had thought that things would slow down when school was out. Wrong! After a clean up day on Friday, on Saturday, we headed out of Danang in a van to Hiep Duc, about 2 hours away, to look at possible sites for an orphanage. There were 14 of us--our family; Marissa and Enoch; Duc, Linh and Sally; Chau and Bee. It was a great day, but lots of driving.

Sunday was a whirlwind. It was raining, so we took a taxi to church. I was privileged to share the message (I shared from Exodus 33:14,14), "Show Me Your Ways." In the afternoon, the girls were invited to a birthday party, so we were out again.

Now, about the "kids" in the title of this note...
Monday was International Children's Day in Vietnam. We were asked to do something fun with the children at Dai Loc. Yea! We were able to take a large "moonwalk" castle for the kids. Also, we had activities like face painting, balloon sculpture, juggling, bubbles and an impromptu "nail salon" for the older girls. Bee supervised a special meal like she did at Christmas, and then we finished the evening with a showing of the movie "Bolt."

The kids were so happy! Our group of 14 was joined by Keith, an English teacher here from Michigan; and two friends of the girls--Lucia, from New Zealand, and Hannah, a dual citizen of Vietnam and the US (we celebrated Hannah's 5th birthday with her on Sunday).
Even though it was hot, hot, hot, the kids didn't seem to mind. They laughed and played, and lined up for balloons and face painting. They enjoyed watching Keith and Enoch juggle, and some of the kids tried their hand with Marissa at face painting. Anna Mei and Jillian started out painting nails, but the girls quickly got into the spirit of it all and started painting each other's nails.

After dinner, one of the younger boys (about 9 years old) came up to Duc and said, "This food was SO good! I ate and ate and ate!"

We shared a little about friends and encouragement before the movie. Planting seeds, always planting.

We passed out snacks during the movie. Afterwards, we hit the road for Danang, arriving home a tired, dusty crew. Then showers and to bed... except for the excitement of a creepy crawly critter...

When we got a home, we discovered a large spider in the entry way at the house. Actually, the girls spotted it. I had walked next door to Doe's cafe to get a cold Sprite. I could hear screaming, and I wondered why Tony wasn't calming everyone down. When I walked in the door, the girls were in a far corner huddled together. Tony, Duc, Enoch, and Keith each had a large shoe in their hands, doing battle with the long-legged beast. It was a hard-fought battle with intermittant jumping, squealing, and shivers--and that was from the men. :) In the end, Keith and Enoch chased it out, Duc stunned and clobbered it, and Tony finished it off.

The other critter story happened on Friday. Marissa came into the office and said that a large iguana had followed her into our house. With camera in hand, we all went downstairs to see the varmint. Tony said on the way down the stairs that he needed to see the size of the creature to tell if this was a job for him or for Bee. I learned later that he was thinking if it was large, he would wait for Bee!

Our large iguana turned out to be a healthy gecko (I think). Although not impressively large, he was quick enough to make Duc dance, sending us all into fits of laughter. We finally chased him out. The dogs, Caphe and Basille, were safely locked inside, since the Bo's were not home. So, the creature lived to see another day.

Today, motoring toward Dai Loc in the 106 degree heat, I had to laugh. A few years ago, I would never have imagined myself in some of these situations...and loving it!

God is good...all the time!
Grace and peace.