Vietnam Chronicles

Happy Birthday, Tin Lanh!

2011-03-22T04:07:00.000-07:00

Jillian and Ryan, accompanists for the choir from Danang International Fellowship!

In 1911, the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church reached the shores of Danang, Vietnam (then called Tourane, controlled by the French) with the Gospel. Beginning with a church, then a small Bible school, then reaching out to the northern and southern parts of the country, the message of Jesus spread through this small country of Southeast Asia.

This past week, the Tin Lanh Church (C&MA) celebrated 100 years of ministry in Danang. At the largest Tin Lanh church of the city, on Ong Ich Kiem Street, two days of services and activities marked the event. On Wednesday night, the Vietnamese church invited our international fellowship to sing (in English). This is no small honor. The Tin Lanh church is noted for their large choirs of excellent skill. Our international church (Danang International Church--or DIF) is about 50 folks strong. About half signed up to sing, including seven children (of course, 5 of those were Brewers!).

The building was packed with hundreds of worshippers. We sang "Prince of Peace" by Michael W. Smith. It is a stirring song of praise, in which men's and women's parts divide into separate harmonizing verses. In the evening program that included about four large choirs and several solo/duet songs, we wanted add our heartfelt gratitude for what the Lord has done here. The response was astounding. The normally stoic, conservative, quiet church was filled with the rustle of whispering as we took the platform. There were smiles everywhere and people clapped with us as they read the translated lyrics on the screens up front. We are told it is the first time a western church group has sung there.

I feel as though our family has taken part in an historic occasion. Our girls sang with abandon. Jillian played drums for the group.

The following night, Jillian and I returned to the church to sing with a choir of more than 100 voices to sing (in Vietnamese) "The Holy City." We had been practicing for a few months now. What a great blessing! The service lasted over 3 hours with more than 30 responding to the invitation.

100 years ago, a seed was planted. The roots have spread far and wide and fruit continues to come forth. So glad to be here to work in the vineyard!

Times They Are A'Changin'...

2011-03-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

It has happened. Somewhere, sometime...I blinked and the little girls that needed help with...everything now need help with nothing. Last Friday, Jillian, Anna Mei and Elizabeth (ages 12, 10 and 9) asked if they could go out for lunch. Together. Alone. True, they needed a ride. But they had their own money, their own plan, their own conversation. They didn't need direction, advice, funds or suggestions. The didn't need...me.

Don't get me wrong. My heart is joyful at this new development. I am proud of their initiative and ability. I am satisfied that they understand the value of the meals they purchase and have pre-determined what and what is not "worth it." I am delighted that they love each other and want to spend special "girl time" with one another. But...there is a part, small but real, that knows I have been left behind in the wings while my little stars shine.

And that's not all. Just 24 hours later, Jillian announced that she "felt like cooking." So she baked a banana bread (from scratch) in the rice cooker--something I have not yet attempted myself. And the day after that, the "3 older girls" were in the kitchen again...making strawberry-banana-yogurt smoothies in the blender. There were samples all around. Each person had her own particular method, special ingredient or presentation of the product.

There is no going back. The skills they have will only grow. The independence, excitement and sense of accomplishment will only pull them further. The wings that once held them close to me have been lifted higher and higher, until they seem nearly parallel to the ground.

I remind myself they still need me. I know they do. But they need me differently. It is a transition that I do not relish right now.

I am not a pessimist. I believe that our greatest days are ahead. More laughter, more tender moments, more memories are waiting to be experienced and made. Still, I am not quite ready to forget or sweep away the moments of "come tuck me in" and "read me a story."

There IS one comforting thought...Faith has told me she intends to stay small and live with me forever. Her sincerity makes me smile, but I think I feel a tiny tear forming in the corner of my eye.

Jesus is Big!

2010-12-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Like so many others, we have been busy lately decorating for Christmas. One thing I miss most at this time of year is the Christms ornaments we have collected over the years, which are safely packed away in Kentucky. (Yes, they are number 1 on the "Bring Back" list for our next visit to the US!)

We have purchased ornaments here, but one item cannot be found in Danang (to my knowledge)...a nativity scene. I own a beautiful set (made by Home Interiors) a gift from my sister-in-law Cathy on the "first Christmas" Tony and I were married. Oh, how I have missed it! Last year, Aurora (my dear "little sister") gave me a miniature one to bring back, about the size of a coffee cup.

This year (drum roll) Tony made a trip to Saigon with one of our guests. While he was there he found...YES! individual pieces for a Nativity set.

I am VERY happy to display it...and it has made me think. It is definitely a Vietnamese rendition...

Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the child angels all have glitter on their clothing. some of the animals are disproportionate in size (the camel is smaller than the donkey). The kings wear predominantly green (with yellow and red) and the angels wear pink and blue.

And the baby Jesus is...well...big. If you could stand the figure up, he would easily tower over every other person, animal or angelic being.

This may be considered by some to be a flaw, but I think it is by design. Jesus is the most important person in the scene. He is bigger than life, death, angels, principalities and powers. Even as a Babe, the King of the Universe has arrived! Here is the Light of the World, Hope of all hopes, King of all kings and Lord of all lords...and the world will never be the same!

Maybe this Christmas, Jesus needs to be bigger in my life. More central to my personal celebration, more prominenet and unmistakeably pronounced.

Maybe I need to live, believe, act, speak, listen and work from a heart where Jesus is larger than anything else.

Maybe I need to sing louder, rejoice with more gusto, laugh longer, love more deeply, give more generously (money AND forgiveness, mercy, grace, etc.), and take more time to ponder because...

...well... Jesus is big!

May you have a large CHRISTmas celebration in your heart and home!

Multi-tasker Extraordinaire

2010-10-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

Anna Mei poses in her latest fashion creation: a vest and belt ensemble made from a trash bag! Today, she is on to origami--so far she has made a crane, a drinking cup and a rabbit. Tomorrow...the world!

I consider myself fairly adept at multi-tasking. But Anna Mei has taken that skill to a whole new level. An event this past week proved it once again.

Each morning in our homeschool, we have a routine to begin the day. We sing, we pray, we update our wall calendar, and so on. Before moving on, I have been reading a poem or two. It has been a productive exercise; the girls have begun to write poetry on their own, without an assignment or even a suggestion.

Last week, we read a poem called "Frogs." Picking up on some recent Language instruction, I pointed out to the girls that the poem used three similes (comparisons using "like" or "as"--if you're rusty on your language arts). While I was reading, I was a little annoyed that Anna Mei was reading her own dinosaur book and writing away on a poem of her own.

When I finished, Anna Mei cheerily said, "Mom, this dinosaur has 64 razor-like teeth. Can I read my poem now?" To which I replied, "You were not listening while I read the poem about frogs. You'll have to wait." "

"I was listening!" she shot back

"Anna Mei," I began to expound, "it is impossible for your brain to do that many things at once. You cannot have read your book, written a poem AND listened to the frog poem."

"But I did!"

"All right. What are the three similes I pointed out in the poem?"

Without an instant of hesitation, Anna Mei said, "When he jumps in the water, he hits like a rock; his eyes are like metal rings; the spots on his back are like moss on a rock." She smiled triumphantly.

"Well, now...don't just sit there. Stand up and read your poem!"

Fat Morris

2010-10-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

Fat Morris on his first day at home.
Fat Morris, an intellectual cat.

If the food runs out, he can curl up in the bowl!

We have a new addition to the family! Fat Morris is now the Brewer family cat. Anna Mei found him on the street, looking pitifully close to the end of his 9 lives. Here is his story in rhyme...

Fat Morris

Scarred up and scrawny and not the least brawny

Fat Morris

Balding and bare, some spots lacking hair

Fat Morris

Homeless and lost, to the trash he was tossed

Expected to die, but now loved by our five

Fat Morris

Huge eyes and all ears, we laugh into tears,

Pumpkin and white, five inches in height

Fat Morris

Never has kitten caused more hearts to be smitten

Fat Morris

First Day of School

2010-09-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

Our Classroom!

Far left, Jillian, 6th Grade; middle, Elizabeth (blond) 3rd Grade; Anna Mei (with hat), 5th Grade; right, twins Joy (in pink) and Faith (in blue), 2nd Grade. 4-year-old Sally will join us next week!

Mini-Me

2010-07-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine the surprise of Jillian and Tony when they greeted each other the other day, only to discover that they had each (unbeknownst to the other) selected identical outfits: khaki shorts, blue T-shirt and crocs! There was nothing to do but get a picture with their Vietnamese textbooks. Like father, like daughter...

Harbor Rides

2010-07-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth at the harbor.

A view of the harbor in the evening.

Recently the girls and I have been riding our bikes to a nearby harbor after supper in the evenings. It is cooler then, and the harbor is only a couple of blocks away. It is on the street behind ours, so it is even further removed from traffic. It is a great place for the girls to ride: flat, quiet, and (at least in part) picturesque.

In the evenings, the boats are settling in for the night. By day they are fishing vessels, but they are also home to families. The boats are small, with makeshift living quarters—sheet metal, tarp, wood. The only visible hint of modern life is a small red or blue flashing light on each boat that can be seen as the sun disappears in the night sky. As the sun sets, these rugged pioneers repair nets, shuffle boxes and bags on the deck, or sit in the welcome breeze that is nearly always found on the water. Our friend tells me that commonly two or three boats will travel together for safety and mutual help. Throughout the year, these little groups will move from one area to another, looking for a good catch. Because of their movement, the children who live on the boats cannot attend school. The system here does not accommodate transfer students; children must begin and end the year with their class. So, most of these children grow up illiterate. It is a cycle of poverty and dogged perseverance.

Knowing this about the “boat people” tempers the beauty of the harbor for me. The colors of sky, mountains and sea are breathtaking; the boats rock gently, quietly as if putting their occupants to a peaceful sleep. Yet evidence of their difficult lives is there, too: piles of trash bags, some ripped open by rats, dead fish, dilapidated stools, tools, and the chipped paint on all of the boats. Contradictions abound.

On another note, we have had a couple of guests here with us for a few days. Two girls from Dai Loc are taking college placement tests here in Danang. The testing begins early—they leave the house about 5:30 in the morning. They return for lunch, and then have to be back at the testing site by 1:30. Today, one of the girls finished about 3:30, the other got out after 5:00. Not surprisingly, they returned to eat a good supper, then study for a short while before falling asleep.

Speaking of supper…Bee took the day off to attend a wedding in the countryside today. We sorely missed her and her cooking skills. The girls did enjoy a rare opportunity for “western” food mid-week. They had hotdogs with their rice at lunch and we had spaghetti and meatballs for supper (with lime jello). Happily, we look forward to Bee’s return tomorrow!

In the “Giving Thanks” category: the government has refrained from turning off the electricity every couple of days. The newspaper indicates that, at least for July, we will not have regular, frequent power outages. Yea!

Lastly, from “If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em”… Tonight at bedtime, I noticed that Elizabeth was lying on the floor, breaking tiny crumbs onto squares of toilet paper. I asked what she was doing. “I’m making a hotel for ants,” she replied happily. Regrettably for Elizabeth, that little venture is now out of business.

That’s our day. The girls are in bed now (though I can still occasionally hear Faith and Joy giggling). I hope your evening is as peaceful.

Grace and peace!

Summertime in Danang

2010-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Faith and Natalie holding their fish on the beach.
Poster for Squid Rings...like onion rings, only not.

Gas station crowd. An interesting challenge.

Hello, all—

It’s about 10:30 at night, still hot, so I sit here directly in front of an oscillating fan. I could unplug the computer and take it upstairs to an air-conditioned room, but I find myself a little too lazy tonight. This is our third summer in Danang and it is the hottest yet. To make the situation even more blissful, the city government has been cutting the power off every third day, from 6 in the morning until about 6 at night. Tomorrow is the day, so I have been getting ready tonight. We are heading for the pool after breakfast. I am finishing up computer work tonight, and organizing books and cross stitch for poolside. The girls’ swimsuits and towels are all together, ready for the morning. The pool is beside the ocean, so most often there is a pleasant breeze. Still, by the end of the day, we feel baked, broiled and a bit fried.

During the last power outage, I had to put gas in the motorbike. The closest two stations were also in the power shut-off, so the third station I came to was packed out. Bikes were pulled in from every direction. There is no order to the process; you simply squeeze in and keep pushing your way to the front.

Another item of interest to me is a new taste-treat offered by Lotteria, a fastfood-type restaurant at Big C. It’s “Squid Rings”—just like onion rings, only chewier and, well, not as tasty.

Marissa, Audrey (another Orphan Voice staffer) and I went to a local beauty shop to have our hair washed (a nice treat). They do a great job and include a head/neck massage for about $3. We have decided to go back regularly and enjoy this bit of pampering; next time I’m getting a manicure, as well for another $1.

Orphan Voice has been hosting a “Sports Camp” for 3 weeks. Each morning, the children are brought to our “play site” for volleyball, Frisbee, swimming or soccer. The camp begins at 7 am and ends about 10 before the hottest part of the day. Frisbee has been a new experience for most of the kids. Anna Mei has perfected her own special move—she does a cartwheel over the Frisbee, then picks it up and throws it as she finishes her “move” and slides into the splits. I’m sure most of the Vietnamese kids don’t know what to make of it.

Anna Mei and Elizabeth went to the countryside with Duc and Linh last week for a couple of days. While they were there, they helped make some food deliveries to families. Elizabeth really loves that—she is getting to know the families with children and remembers their particular situations. I am so happy that she does not shy away from children who are suffering. She reaches out to them in such a sweet and genuine way.

Jillian is amazing us all with her understanding of Vietnamese. She is fast becoming the family interpreter. She has been babysitting for an English family with 2 children, 3-year-old Jack and 1-year-old Natalie. Jack is very outgoing and full of energy. He is usually pretending to be Spiderman, Superman, or Buzz Lightyear. The other day when Jillian arrived at their house, Laura (their mom) was struggling to get Jack to eat his lunch. She told me Jillian saved the day when she told Jack “Superman always eats all his lunch. It makes him strong.”

Faith and Joy are two peas in a pod, as always. They play together with hardly a cross word ever between them. Joy is quite the jokester and is always looking for ways to make people laugh. Faith is her own “cool” little self. She knows what she likes, how she likes it, and she is comfortable with her own style no matter what anyone else thinks.

Our church fellowship has missed the presence of our pastor and his wife as they have been in the US since February. Many people in the fellowship have served in our Sunday services—leading in preaching, offering, music, communion and prayer times. It has been a great blessing. Each person has been used of the Lord to encourage and challenge our body. This time of year is always bittersweet for our church—many folks who come to teach are leaving. Some will return to Vietnam, many will not. We have been blessed by their friendship and comforted to know that we will spend eternity together.

So, days are passing by here with joys and struggles, challenges and triumphs, and just day to day demands. We often think of “home” and pray that you are finding the daily strength, wisdom and help you need from the Holy Spirit. We are learning to rely upon Him more and more, yielding, trusting, surrendering. It is the path of deep, inner joy and peace. God is good. All the time. Yes and amen.

Grace and peace!

Two Years

2010-06-09T10:22:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe we have lived in Danang for two years now. Life here is good, but very different than what I had experienced or even what I expected.

For example, today there was a noisy, windy, pounding rainstorm with bright lightening and crashing thunder, just as our language class dismissed. Jillian, Anna Mei and I decided to wait for the worst of it to pass before we headed for home on the motorbike. After about 20 minutes or so, we were on our way, wrapped in thin, colorful plastic rain ponchos. Driving with rain hitting my face is not the most pleasant experience I have had here. It is cold, stinging and somewhat blinding. We were making our way across the Han River bridge when I felt a familiar wobble—our rear tire was flat. We exited the bridge on our side of the river, then turned back to the road that runs under the bridge and took shelter from the rain while we waited for our friend Duc to come to the rescue (Tony was in his language class at the time). Duc graciously gave me his bike to drive home while he walked my bike to a repair shop and took care of the tire. Two years ago, I’m not sure I would ever have thought I could drive a motorbike…in Vietnam…in the rain…with two children.

I don’t think I would ever have imagined myself fishing an ant out of my tea, then finishing the drink without another thought. I would not have considered using toilet paper as table napkins, chopsticks as a spatula, or flip flops as formal footwear. I would have scoffed at the idea that I would not blow dry my hair every day…or curl it…or spray it. I abhorred sweat.

There are many other things I would not have guessed. I could not have imagined the immense beauty and revitalizing breeze of the Danang coastline. I had never seen the indescribable mix of pewter, blue and gray hues as the harbor water meets the mountains then the sky on a dusky evening when clouds shield the brightness of the setting sun. I could not have possibly anticipated the sorrows and joys of children pressed down by tragedies and difficulties, then finding help and hope in so many different ways. Their stories, their circumstances, their lives…have changed me.

Daily life is challenging. From safely navigating crowded streets to dealing with authorities to communication to finding everyday items (yesterday’s challenge: mustard). But I am learning to appreciate the resiliency of the people here…and their sheer strength and bravery to press on through the difficulties of their daily lives as well.

I think I am more thankful for small things. I hope I am learning to turn to my Father more quickly, with more trust, with greater surrender. I hope I am more patient with my precious daughters, and more appreciative of their participation in our purposes here.

Times…they are a ‘changin’. And I am resolved to change with them (in the best sense). Of course, some things never change. I still abhor sweat.

Grace and peace!

Catching Up

2010-05-14T04:36:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Anna Mei!
Servicing the air conditioner

Hmmm, where to begin? Writing has been one of those things that I mean to get around to, then run out of steam and leave for tomorrow. Of course, with each passing day, a few grains of regret pile on, too. So, today I am breaking the cycle. Let’s catch up!

Orphan Voice has been busy! We’ve had a couple different groups of teams or individuals spend some time with us. Some have been our guests at the house. We have been blessed by each one. What a joy to share our work with visitors and partners! Seeing the children firsthand has changed all our lives.

School is marching right along. This past week, the girls surpassed their cumulative reading goal for the year of 8,000 pages. We currently stand at just under 8,200. We may make it beyond 10,000 pages by the time we finish our work for the year. Awesome! I am busy ordering next year’s curriculum because of the gracious generosity of a team from Massachusetts. They will save our family several hundred dollars in shipping charges by bringing the books with them this summer. The abundant kindness of our friends is touching, humbling and inspiring.

Two weeks ago I had the privilege again to share the message at the Danang International Fellowship. My title was “The Forgotten 50”—focusing on the days between the Resurrection and Pentecost. I will attach some notes in a separate email, so this won’t get too long. I did want to say that we feel a genuine, fresh move of the presence of the HS. Our fellowship together is sweeter, more anticipated, more dynamic, more tender, than ever before.

Tony, Jillian, Anna Mei and I are all officially studying Vietnamese. We take classes at a language center here in Danang. The girls and I study there four hours per week. Tony, Marissa and Enoch, along with a new Orphan Voice staffer, Audrey, study about 9 hours per week. It is very challenging.

Last Sunday we celebrated Anna Mei’s 10th birthday. It was also Mother’s Day. What a special reminder of God’s gift to our family! Anna Mei is a smart, creative, beautiful bundle of energy. Recently, Jillian got a skate board. Anna Mei attacked the art of rolling in a circle with the determination of a Gold medal athlete. She was undaunted by slips, spills, bobbles and mishaps. Before long, she was rolling along at a surprising clip, turning on a dime and continuing on. That spirit of perseverance is a wonderful thing to behold. And, when Anna Mei repeatedly expressed an interest in learning to play the flute, we decided to make that her birthday gift.

It was a household affair. Linh started the search in Danang for a flute. Not only could she not find one, stores that carried trumpets and saxophones told her that they knew of no place in the entire city where we could find a flute. Then Marissa and Linh started looking on line. A store in Danang said they could order a “flute”, but when Marissa (an accomplished flautist) went to look at it, it wasn’t a flute at all. Then we thought of Quyen (“Quinn”). Quyen helps us with household chores. Her boyfriend is a music major at a university in Hue (“whay”), which is about 3 hours away by motorbike. After a few calls, Marissa and Linh drove to Hue and were able to purchase a good quality beginner’s flute. Anna Mei began lessons with Marissa this week!

The Birthday Party was at a local pool/resort. We invited some friends, enjoyed swimming, and cake, ice cream and presents. It was a great time.

Monday morning, we were back to school. Our schedule has been a little relaxed. Our helper Chau had a motorbike accident last week. Nothing terribly serious, but she has some nasty scrapes. We’ve tried to accommodate her healing by going a little slower, giving her more opportunities to sit, etc.

Yesterday we had the air conditioners serviced. Like in the US, filters need to be changed/cleaned, and sometimes Freon added. For about $15, a repairman serviced 5 units. There is no such thing as central air here—every room has its own air conditioning unit, usually mounted at the top of a wall. The fellow who came stood on tables, chairs and desks. In the school room, he climbed the iron scroll work on the windows that is there for security purposes. As a last resort, he brought a ladder, borrowed from Mr. Bo. Afterall, how can you carry your ladder when you travel by motorbike?

We are thankful for protection and health. This past week, someone on a motorbike whizzed past Enoch and Marissa as they were driving and tried to grab the strap of Marissa’s purse out of her hand. (Wisely, she had the purse between her and Enoch on the bike.) Instinctively, she jerked back on the strap and was able to keep her bag. We are told this is not uncommon, and that sometimes people will try to pull off necklaces and bracelets as you drive as well.

Of course, the summer is upon us as well. We have seen a noticeable upturn in temperatures over the past couple of weeks. The peak is still ahead of us.

Our hearts’ desire is that we would faithfully fulfill everything He has put in our hands. Good things are happening here in the lives of our family, co-workers, and the children we endeavor to help.

May you, too, experience the deep joy that comes from a never-ending need to depend upon the One who never fails!

Grace and peace!

Happy Birthday, Tony

2010-04-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

What a gift! A bucket of peanut butter!
And the prize for "Crazy Cake Creativity With Numbers" goes to...

We celebrated Tony’s birthday today. The girls got up early in an effort to fix their Dad breakfast in bed. But…Tony was up early, too. So, they surprised him with breakfast any way, since he was busy on the computer while they were in the kitchen.

After breakfast, the girls and I gathered around Tony for each of us to say a birthday prayer for him. Very sweet. Anna Mei said, “And Lord, please let Daddy go bowling for his birthday.” So, at 10:00 am this morning, her prayers were answered! There is a small bowling alley here in Danang. During daytime hours, a game is less than a dollar. Of course, the shoe sizes are limited, shoe rental is a bit extra, and you must buy socks if you do not have your own with you. Still, it’s a bargain. No bumpers on the lanes, and no alarms for crossing the line (most everyone we saw there today slid a few inches down the lane.

Tony helped Faith and Joy score their first points—Faith riding on his shoulders while he bowled for her; Joy having him help push her ball down the lane with a little speed and force. A few frames into the game, Anna Mei said, “Dad, you’ve bowled your age!”

The girls all made Tony cards, which were delivered in a steady stream throughout the day. Tonight at supper, we had 18 folks around tables as our staff and families joined us. Really nice time.

Tony received some nice gifts: after shave, a tie, a birthday cake, a shirt, and a bucket of peanut butter! The thing is huge and I guess it to weigh over five pounds. Someone knows how much peanut butter Tony eats!

Just a great family day. I am more thankful than ever tonight for this man that we are blessed to know as husband and father. The greatest gifts that the Father has bestowed upon me have been delivered in the person of Tony Brewer.

This past Sunday I was asked to share a brief testimony about our “love story.” I thought some of you might not know how we came to be a family.

Tony and I met at Asbury College in January of 1979. I was sitting next to him the first day of Philosophy class, when the professor opened the session with a time of individual prayer. Because I was sitting close, I could hear Tony pray. I told my suite-mates in the dorm on that day that I had either met the man that I wanted to marry, or I wanted someone just like him.

Seven years later we had our first date. Yep, you read it right…7 years to the first date. We had both left Asbury (I transferred; Tony graduated). We wrote for awhile, then lost touch for about 3 years. That’s when the Pastor of the church where I served on staff asked if I could locate Tony and see if he was interested in a teaching position at the Christian school begun by our church (Tony’s bachelor’s degree is in Education). He did end up coming to the school, and months later we had our first date on April 17, 1986. Although Tony was gone for most of the summer to graduate school in Virginia, we called and wrote letters. He proposed during a phone conversation in July and we married after he came back from his summer classes, on August 23, 1986.

Wow…the years have flown by. How glad I am that the Lord has led my path in just this way. I hope as you reflect on the journey of your life, you also see evidence of the goodness of God. Even through hard places, maybe especially in hard places, or in times of waiting (like…7 years) He strengthens and upholds; He shapes and molds.

Wishing you many tender joys from His hand this day…

Grace and peace!

Makes Me Chuckle...

2010-04-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of things that made me smile this week...

This is Joy in her Easter dress...

Our friend Linh took Joy to shop for shoes to wear with her new dress. Here is Joy's selection...she could not be talked into the pretty buckle shoes!

And, lastly, forget "Two men and a Truck"--this is furniture delivery Danang style. He is bringing a new mattress for Jillian's bed. :)

Quang Tri

2010-03-31T04:27:00.001-07:00

Another highlight of February was the visit of a good friend from the US. A retired Marine colonel (and Vietnam veteran), he now frequently visits Asia as part of his work. Our family is always delighted to see him! On this brief visit, we took a couple days to visit some of the places he knew as a soldier. One of those places was Quang Tri. As the northern most province controlled by the Republic of Vietnam (the South Vietnamese) during the Vietnam war, Quang Tri was the location of brutal battles as both sides fought for control.

We traveled northwest of Danang to Quang Tri Province. We spent a little time in Hue (pronounced “whay”), where emperors ruled for centuries. The palace is now a tourist site, offering elephant rides, gardens, and ornate gold covered thrones. It is reminiscent of The Forbidden City in China: expansive grounds with many buildings. Some housed the emperor’s wives. Linh told me how favored wives were in danger for their lives, especially if they became pregnant. If the child was a boy, there was added jeopardy to both their lives. Women taken to be the wife of the emperor never again left the grounds. I could not help but think of women of poor means whose selection to that elite group meant trading the freedom from poverty to having no freedom at all. What a choice.

The battle site of Quang Tri is now also a tourist area. There is a small museum, largely intact bunkers, and a US helicopter and plane. I tried to imagine how it might have been for the brave men stationed there. I thought of my own brother, a Vietnam vet (now deceased). Wish I could ask him if he had been there.

A few people wandered the grounds, selling dog tags from American and South Vietnamese soldiers. I held them in my hand, but they held my heart. Names after name, home states, religious beliefs, blood types…I was keenly aware that each of the cold metal rectangles stood for a living, breathing human being. Part of me wanted to buy all the dog tags, and part of me wanted to make them stop selling them. It seemed profane to me, to sell the dog tags in the face of the sacrifices made on that hill.

Any way, if you are veteran—or if you love someone who is, I just wanted to say thank you. I appreciate your service. I wish my own brother were living so I could tell him.

With Good Friday nearly here, I am thinking about another sacrifice willingly made. I am thankful for that one, too. May we all live lives worthy of what has been given to us and for us.

Grace and peace,
Cindy

Shopping Spree

2010-03-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

I have been promising the girls (and most specifically, Joy) to go shopping for Easter dresses. Today was the day. Well, at least tonight was the night. Shopping here poses many possibilities. We can go to the market and bargain for each and every item we buy (which I find exhausting). We can go to Big C, gather an entourage of on-lookers who follow us throughout the store, right through the check-out. We can look for a small shop and risk higher prices. Or, we can go to our friend, who sells children's clothing out of her business office.

Tonight we visited my friend. She buys clothing at outlet centers in Saigon, most likely where the clothing is made. There are many namebrands: Gymboree, Gap, Old Navy, Children's Place--even some Ralph Lauren. Other brands are Australian or British. We arrived about 6:15pm, after the office was closed. About 15 plastic bags of various sizes were in the middle of the floor, and we were invited to plunge in. Every bag was packed full of new clothing--from fancy dresses to sundresses; pants; shorts; tops; even some hats, house shoes, and underclothes.
The girls loved it. They used an empty office as a changing room and had a grand time trying on different styles.

Of course, at the end of the shopping session, we had a big job folding and returning the clothing to the bags. We all came home happy. The girls have a total of 4 dresses, 2 skirts, 3 pairs of capris, 6 tops and a cropped denim jacket. Dad and Mom are happy, too. All 16 pieces came to a grand total of about $55.

Life is full of exchanges. We shop from bags in an office instead of at a mall. But the tag on Faith's Gymboree pants says they will cost about $30 in the US. I paid about $3. There are limited sizes and no "restocking." Still, to find the right dress in the right size brings some big smiles. All in all, a very good night.

Grace and peace,
Cindy

Back in the Swing

2010-03-30T02:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! After a long absence I hope I am back for the "long run"! Computer/server problems have prevented me from accessing the blog...very frustrating. But, thanks to Enoch, all is well once again!

Now for catching up...

February was eventful. The lunar new year holiday, Tet, was February 14. That meant that the city effectively began shutting down on February 7, and by the 12th, schools and businesses were on holiday. Tet is beautiful...flowers everywhere, colorful lights up and down all the streets at night, lots of cleaning and sprucing up with painting, etc. Looking at a very full schedule over the next weeks, we took a few days off for vacation at Tet, spending a few days in Hoi An, a quaint tourist hot spot about 45 minutes from home.

The weather was spectacular. The girls went swimming three times a day, and enjoyed riding bikes and a trip on jet skis. They loved it! Jillian rode with her Dad, Anna Mei and Elizabeth each rode with an employee from the rental place. Anna Mei's "guide" let her drive. He was Vietnamese, but got plenty of practice on one English word during his outing with Anna Mei: "Slow! Slow! Slow!"

For the Vietnamese, Tet is also a time of focus on family. It is the time of year when everyone travels home and there are frequent visitors. Children receive small red envelopes with gifts of money. Everyone is expected to have two new outfits. "New" is the operative word for everything, which makes the time leading up to Tet a time to be especially watchful against theft. One teenager we know had his own new jeans stolen from his clothes line at home while they were hanging out to dry!

Incense is everywhere, altars for ancestors are heavily decorated and supplied with food, money, and other valuables. It is not uncommon for people to build small fires on the side walks or roadside to burn items that are then "transported" to those already in the afterlife. Bicycles, clothing, furniture, even money--anything may be burned that a person thinks his departed loved ones may need.

For us, though, February's greatest event was not Tet. It was the opening of Promise House! Seven children arrived on February 23. Since then, the number has doubled, with more children expected over the next few months. Eventually, Promise House will be home to thirty children. The children come from tragic backgrounds of poverty, hardship, neglect, grief, and hunger. What a wonderful blessing to know they are now eating well, attending school and experiencing the nurturing love of dedicated caregivers.

You will be seeing more of these precious children on the blog!

Of course, when good things are happening, the enemy of our souls seems to get into gear as well. There have been so many challenges, mostly cultural and political. Daily life here sometimes seems to be similar to waltzing on a tightrope, without a net. Many have felt changes here. Some are having to leave, others are dealing with close scrutiny, many questions, investigations.

In the end, we entrust our lives and activities to hands stronger than our own, a mind abler than we can perceive, a heart of limitless compassion. And we find joy.

Grace and peace,

Cindy

Anna Mei's Day In Pictures

2010-01-22T02:47:00.001-08:00

" Okay, Anna Mei, here is your math problem..."

"I'm thinking...I'm thinking...."

"It IS the right answer ?????? Whoa!"

A Busy Day

2010-01-13T08:41:00.001-08:00

Jillian, Joy and Elizabeth transfer the food to the new refrigerator.
Can you tell we are excited?

Jillian, Joy and I say good-bye to our old model. Yea!

Hello, all—
It has been an eventful day.

First off, let me say that I am no longer taller than my refrigerator. There’s a new Panasonic in the kitchen now…415 liters in size (14.6 cubic feet). It is much larger than the old one, which lacked a separate freezer compartment and still had to be manually defrosted, creating a large puddle in the floor. The girls have thoroughly enjoyed the “playhouse” they made from the box. Tonight, four of them are sleeping in it. Jillian is the lone voice of sanity that opted for the bed. J

This evening, the three older girls (Jillian, Anna Mei and Elizabeth) and I began some formalized motherly chats about “becoming women.” Jillian has been looking forward to it for weeks now. Elizabeth begged me to let her join in; Anna Mei is alternately interested/not interested. When I told Elizabeth she could be “in the group”, she struck a pose and started singing, “I’m the Statue of Puberty.” Ha! We gathered in a cozy circle over hot tea, and began with Scriptures from Psalm 139 and 1 Corinthians 6. It was a good discussion and we will continue round 2 next week.

Riding with Tony on the motorbike today, I noticed that so many of the motorbikes do not have turn signals. It is customary here for the passenger on the back of the bike to provide the signals: you simply stick out your right or left arm (depending on the intended direction) and vigorously shake your hand.

Our household is turning into a band! Jillian received drums for Christmas. Joy and Faith are now taking piano (and loving it—Joy can play the melody of “Silent Night” with no mistakes), and Jillian, Anna Mei and Elizabeth have begun to learn to play the recorder in our music time. They are all doing well. I am loving it immensely!

Work is progressing quickly at Promise House, the new orphanage here in Danang. Looks like children will soon move in. Remember them. Their ages are 5-12, so the transition from all that they have known (even if it has been terrible deprivation) may be difficult and frightening for them. We are looking for ways to make it easier.

Related to Promise House…a great praise. Tony was interviewing someone for a job there, and during their discussion, the applicant joined the faith. Remember this young man also.

That pretty much covers our day here. It is night now. I am off to bed…if it is not raining in the morning, Jillian wants me to take a bike ride with her to the beach at about 5:45 am.

Tonight, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this happy life.

Grace and peace,
Cindy

That Lock Has To Go

2010-01-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

It is morning in Vietnam! Earlier, I went out to the courtyard to unlock the gate for the day.

It seems to me that in Vietnam, as in life, even padlocks can outlive their usefulness. We have used the same heavy padlock on our front gate since our arrival here. Every night, we secure the gate into our courtyard, and also during the day if we leave the house. It's been a useful lock--it is heavy, it has kept unwanted visitors out, and at times it has been used to keep little residents in. :)

But, I think it may be time for the lock to go. For several weeks now, when it is unlocked, the whole lock comes apart. The key is hard to turn, and if you're not careful, when it does open, the heavy bottom part of the lock will fall on your toes. There is some visible rust, and the lock only stays together when it is completely engaged.

Hmmm...it got me to thinking about the situations and attitudes that I have "locked up" for safe-keeping. So, I've been taking inventory this morning. Holy Spirit, what is locked in me?
-forgiveness withheld?-grief treasured to a near form of spiritual worship?
-furnaced anger occasionally stoked to roaring heat?
-regret replayed and relived until I am sufficiently miserable?
-hardships or difficult circumstances trotted out to evoke excuse or pity?

Maybe it's time to get rid of some locks in my life. How about you?

Here in Danang, the old lock goes, but another will replace it. Can I trust my Father to throw away the old locks and put in some new ones?
...rest in knowing that I am forgiven
...comfort that no loss is beyond His help
...humility to release offense to His judgment and resolution
...acceptance that He is touched with the feeling of my weaknesses
...courage to believe that He is the victory

After every meal, we have a little saying that we repeat together. More than a statement of unity, it is a prayed "life-statement" to the Lord Himself: "My heart, Your heart, one heart. Jesus is Victor." Can you pray it from your heart today?

Grace and peace!

Learning is caught not taught

2010-01-06T07:37:00.001-08:00

A view of the plaza where we can ride beside the river.

The crew is in front of me. Elizabeth, Tony (on the left), Jillian, Faith and Joy on the right. Where's Anna Mei? Leading the way, of course!

Sword fighting on the plaza!

A fishing boat on the Han River.

“Mom, guess what Dad is doing now?”

It wasn’t hard to figure out. It was New Year’s Day. We had taken the girls on a bike ride to the Han River bridge. Relaxing on the plaza, the girls had made fast friends with a group of five Vietnamese kids. They were ragged and thin. In and out of the river they waded, catching fish with their hands, splashing, playing. Two of the boys had plastic swords. Faith had had the forethought to put her collapsible sword in the basket of her bike, so she was ready for fencing. It’s amazing how much communication goes on without language!

They kids played up a sweat. Nearby a street vendor sold cold sugar cane juice. I was reading on bench by the river when Elizabeth popped the question. “Mom, guess what Dad’s doing now?” I didn’t even look up. “He’s buying sugar cane juice for everyone,” I said. “Yep,” she said, “That’s nice, isn’t it?” I nodded, smiling.

It was a great bike ride. A beautiful day. Lots of fun and laughter. And sharing.

Grace and peace!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T07:06:00.002-08:00

Elizabeth is drinking sugar cane juice, served (like all drinks here) in a baggie.
Anna Mei at the start of another wonderful creation!

I love this picture...the girls taking a break from a bike ride along the Han River. Anna Mei was doing cartwheels nearby!

Bathing beauty at the Red Beach Resort pool. For a small fee, you can swim all day!

Faith loved floating on the raft.

Pretty great way to celebrate the new year, eh?

Always Learning

2010-01-06T07:06:00.001-08:00

Even after living here for a year and a half, I find life amusing and sometimes surprising.

The week before Christmas, I was invited to sing at an outreach service held at a local Vietnamese church. The service was in English, and many university students were invited.

In the afternoon before the service, we were invited to a “party” at the church. Tony was preparing to preach the next day, so I took the girls and, thankfully, Quyen. The “party” turned out to be a Vietnamese service with food at the end. There were songs, prayers and a message. The event was held at Bee’s church and she had taken off the day at our house so she could cook at the church. It was late afternoon, so all the girls fell asleep during the service.

After we ate, I called a taxi to go home. In a few minutes, a taxi pulled up out front, honking for us. Clearly, the driver wanted us to hurry. He stood outside the taxi, motioning for us to move quickly across the dirt driveway. Just as we got in the taxi, Faith noticed that she had left a small stuffed animal inside the building. So, we had to stop the driver so she could run back in and get it. He was noticeably unhappy about it.

Just as she was coming back, another taxi pulled into the church area. He, too, began honking—but not at us. He was pointing at our driver, who promptly got out, opened our doors and motioned for us to get into the second taxi.

I was perplexed until Quyen explained. When we called for the taxi, the “main office” dispatched a car. Many taxi drivers heard the dispatch. One of them was close and he came first, unbeknownst to the dispatcher. Some of the drivers here steal fares. If they can beat the dispatched taxi to the fare, and get away before the driver who was sent arrives, no one knows who took the fare, and the driver pockets the all the money. But, as in our case, if the dispatched taxi sees who is picking up the fare, he reports it to the main office and the offending driver is caught (and most likely fined). No wonder the first driver was in such a hurry! I had to laugh…I’m sure he never dreamed that he would be trying to herd 7 girls (4 of them under age 10) into his “getaway car.”

I wonder in the months we have lived here how many drivers have been sent to us and been disappointed that we had been “stolen” when they arrived? Hmmmm…that might explain why they are sometimes slow to come. J

The moral of the story: Don’t try to cut in line to get ahead. You never know when the Lord will use a 7-year-old to expose your deeds!

Grace and peace!

Living in the Tens

2010-01-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hello, all—
Happy New Year!

The coming of a new year always encourages me. I enjoy the opportunity to begin again, to have a fresh start, a clean slate.

A few weeks ago, I started thinking about the significance in my own life of 2010. I began thinking about ways my life could be better by incorporating activities that could be done in just 10 minutes a day: reading a good book, cross stitch, power nap, etc. But then, a phrase began recurring in my thoughts…living in the tens. It captured my interest. I did a little investigating about the number 10 in the Bible. And I was amazed.

The number 10 refers to a completeness of order, marking the entirety of anything—there is nothing wanting, the cycle is complete. With numbers, the whole “decimal” system consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole (10, 20, 30, etc.).

The Bible contains many references to tens. Here are just a few (and I do mean a few of the entire list I have compiled)…
There are 10 generations from Adam to Noah; and 10 more from Noah to Abraham.
10 Commandments
10 Egyptian Plagues
10 Trials that proved Abraham’s faith
10 Rebellions of Israel in the Wilderness (Nu. 14:22)
10 Gerahs paid by each man at a time of Census
10 righteous people would have saved Sodom and Gomorrah
In the Tabernacle: 10 Linen curtains, 10 Pillars, 10 sockets ,The ground plans and elevations proceed by tens
In the account of Abraham’s servant finding a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24: 10 camels, 10 shekels of gold, a 10-day stay, and 10-thousand blessings

I could go on, but I think we get the picture: 10 is a number of significance in the Bible. I will mention one more, it is the 10 words used throughout Psalm 119 to refer to the Word of God. They are: Way, Precepts, Ordinances, Judgments, Statutes, Testimony, Commandment, Law, Righteousness and Word. One of these words is found in every verse of Psalm 119, with 3 exceptions (vs.90, 122, and 132).

Still, I have kept searching, trying to surmise what meaning there might be for me in the phrase, “living in the tens.” If you are like me, there are some things that need completing in your life. Maybe some attitudes that need to come to an end. Situations that need to come to a conclusion, instead of continuing like a circular roller coaster, up and down, only to begin again. In my own life, I want a new season of fellowship with God, of fruitfulness in ministry, of spiritual strength and wisdom. Ahhhh…but how to get there?

Then, I was reminded of John 10:10. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy. But I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” I see here three keys to living that abundant life.
The first is discernment. We must discern who or what the thieves are. Of course, Satan, the enemy of my soul and yours, is at the top of the list. But, I think we give him too much assistance (at least I know I do). It is like the saying…”We have met the enemy, and it is us.”

So, who or what are the enemies in my life that come to steal trust, joy and commitment? What thieves work to kill the loving relationship with my heavenly Father? Who or what threatens to destroy my fruitfulness in God’s kingdom?

I listed a few thieves, you can probably add more…
Pride
Unresolved anger or bitterness
Being double-minded: wanting the ways of God at times, wanting my own way at others
Habitual sin
Indifference
Nurtured or coddled sorrow, regret or hurt
Fear
Disappointment

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the “thieves” that some to steal, kill and destroy in each of our lives.

Secondly, living an abundant life will require some discipline on my part. I must walk toward all that the Lord has for me. He will not “drop it” on me without my assent and participation. Jesus said that we “might” have life—it is not a given, but it is available. I must follow through on what He puts on my heart to do. Obedience. Surrender. Mother Teresa said, “I do not pray for success, I pray for faithfulness.”

The third component of abundant life is delight. It is not merely “life” that Jesus offers, it is “abundant life.” And I say, “Yes!”

I have confident hope that the goodness of God awaits us. Why? Because of Romans 8:38, 39, which lists ten (of course) things that can never separate us from the love of Christ: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers; nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And, if that is not enough, consider the ten “I Am’s” from the Gospel of John:
"I am the Bread of Life" (6:35).
"I am the Bread of Life which came down from heaven" (6:41).
"I am the Living Bread" (6:51).
"I am the Light of the world" (8:12).
"I am One that bear witness of Myself" (8:18).
"I am the Door of the sheep" (10:7,9).
"I am the Good Shepherd" (10:14).
"I am the Resurrection and the Life" (14:6).
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (14:6).
"I am the True Vine" (15:1,5).

This is our God. Sufficient for every need. Tender in every sorrow. Reassuring in every quandary. Whatever we lack, He has.

As we enter 2010, I want to live “in the tens.” That is, I want to experience in complete fullness all of what the Lord has for me. I want to defeat the thieves that come to steal, kill and destroy and I want to live in abundance…abundant faithfulness, abundant obedience, abundant joy, abundant wisdom, abundant fruitfulness.

It’s a new decade…the decade of “the tens.” May God grant us a spiritual harvest of the life He desires to give us!

Grace and peace!

Advent Devotion #4: Joy

2009-12-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here we are…it is Christmas week! In the final, fourth chapter of Ruth, we see the Joy that results from Faith, Hope and Love. Making good on his promise to Ruth, Boaz meets with a nearer kinsman and offers him the right of redemption. When the man realizes that marrying Ruth is part of the deal, he declines. He is afraid that the union will jeopardize his own inheritance. One commentator said, “God did Boaz the honor to bring him into the line of the Messiah, while the kinsman, who was afraid of lessening himself, and marring his inheritance, has his name, family, and inheritance forgotten.”
Next, Boaz and Ruth are married. It is a household of joy, blessed with the birth of a son. Naomi, once despondent, depressed, hopeless, now busies herself caring for her grandbaby. At one time she told the other women her name was “Mara” (bitterness). Now the women make a prophetic statement to her: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age….” (Ruth 4:14,15) In the story of Ruth, we see that faith, hope, love and joy set in changed the course of history: “to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz Obed, and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.” (Ruth 4:21, 22) These four qualities can do the same for us…they can be the road to changing the course of my history. This week, amid the shopping, wrapping, cooking, visiting, mailing, calling, and other doing, I hope that faith, hope, love and joy invade your life in a new and intimately personal way. Merry Christmas!
In closing, there are some thoughts I had in studying the Book of Ruth that I think are worth sharing.
• The Holy Spirit uses situations of hardship, difficulty, and losses in our lives to expose and/or exercise our faith.
• The Lord can use anyone to accomplish His purposes. There is no ethnic or social pedigree for a humble and trusting heart.
• Even a little faith, if we will act on it, is enough to make a huge difference.
• The blessing and provision of God is not dependent upon the culture around us.
• Clinging in fear to the past or the present may rob us of a future blessing.
• Entrusted to Jesus’ loving hands, even the most bitter of sorrows can be turned to joy.

May your Christmas find your heart at the scene of a manger in Bethlehem, where the King of glory laid aside His prestige and power and entered our world as a tiny baby. Together, I hope we rediscover the wonder of this miraculous event and celebrate in a new way the glorious gift of Jesus, the Savior, Messiah, and Kinsman Redeemer. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

Advent, Week 3: Love

2009-12-12T07:38:00.000-08:00

In this third week of Advent, our focus is love. In Ruth 3, we learn that not only does Boaz have compassion for Ruth; he loves her. Following the instructions of Naomi, Ruth lays at the feet of the sleeping Boaz. There is nothing sordid here. Because he is a close relative, Naomi is within her rights to ask that he become the kinsman redeemer for her. The reaction of Boaz shows that he does not act out of obligation, his heart has embraced this industrious, principled woman of excellence. He takes quick action to become the kinsman redeemer.
The idea of “redemption” in the Old Testament conveys these principles:
1. Redemption is simply deliverance from some sort of bondage, a release of someone or something from an alien power that has a claim on it.
2. The biblical idea of redemption also involves the deliverer and what he must do to effect the deliverance.
3. What he must do, or the price he must pay, is known as the redemption price or ransom.
4. Release from the claim must be effected by someone who, for whatever reason, has a prior or more fundamental claim toward what is to be delivered.
Further, the law required that the Kinsman Redeemer must fulfill four qualifications. He must:
1. Be related by blood to those he redeems.
2. Be able to pay the price of redemption.
3. Be willing to redeem.
4. Be free himself (in other words, a slave could not redeem another slave).
What a heart-rending picture of who Jesus is and what He has done for us! He has released us from the bondage and power of sin by paying our ransom. Because He is the Lord of all, He has the right to do so—He has a “prior claim” over Satan! He is able and willing to redeem us, and because of His sinless, perfect life, He is free to redeem us to Himself! Like Boaz, Jesus loves His bride. The price of redemption is costly, but it has been paid in full.
Think on it… “What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are.” 1 John 3:1 (The Message).
This week, there are no introspective questions. Take some time each day to pause and think of His great love for you. Jesus loves you with an everlasting, all-consuming, tender, redeeming and perfecting love. If you seek Him, you will find Him—if you seek Him with all your heart.
What a gift we are offered! There is no appropriate response other than adoration to the One who lavishes such love upon us! His love covers every sin, every hurt, every doubt, every shortcoming, every mistake, every fear.
Tell Him every day how much you love Him. Think about Him as you go through your days. The delight of His presence is His kiss upon your head.
Your Kinsman Redeemer has come!

Jillian's 11th Birthday

2009-12-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

Dad and Jillian at Bread of Life for Birthday Breakfast

"It's a blender!"

A jacket for a young lady.

Jillian is delighted with Chau's gift: a Dove chocolate bar!
Hello, all-
I wanted to record some details of Jillian's 11th birthday, which was
yesterday, December 9. Eleven! I can hardly believe it! She is quite a
young lady now. Part child, part pre-teen, part Yoda; part little girl,
part pop star, part Einstein. I am in awe to be her mother. Thank you,
Lord.

About the gifts. Tony and I gave her a certificate to attend a cooking
class in the ancient city of Hoi An with me. It is a 5-hour experience
with a boat ride, visit to the local market, and two hours of cooking,
culminating with lunch.

From Grandmom, a lovely brown jacket and scarf. It looks great on her!

From Faith and Joy: A small "brief case" that she admired at a local
bookstore. I had to talk them into it, and as a compromise, I let them
each choose a smaller gift. Joy got a little plastic music box with
flowers that spin as a song plays. It lights up. Joy thinks it is so
beautiful. Faith had her heart set on getting Jillian a teddy bear. We
found a small one with pants and a shirt on. Faith likes it so much she
has requested one for her birthday (which is this coming Wednesday, Dec.
16).

From Anna Mei and Elizabeth: A blender. It may sound odd, but Jillian
has wanted one forever. They had to pool their money to do it. I am so
proud of them. They talked for quite awhile about what to get their older
sister, but they were so excited when they came upon the blender idea.
Needless to say, several milkshakes have been enjoyed by all.

Breakfast with Dad: Like last year, Tony is treating the girls to a
birthday breakfast at a western restaurant called Bread Of Life. It is
owned by our pastor and his wife. Bread Of Life employs deaf Vietnamese
teenagers and young adults. It is a great place with great food.

Cooking with Bee: Jillian's party was a family/staff affair at lunch. The
menu was all Vietnamese, except for the cake I made with the girls. For
dinner, Jillian had requested hamburgers and french fries. Bee had never
made hamburgers, so we cooked them together. As we started to make the
patties, she coated her hands with cooking oil. I followed suit, but I
was glad to use just a small bit...not long before, Bee had used that oil
to make the french fries. It was still quite hot! One funny thing: I
had asked Bee to pick up some ketchup at the store. When we were setting
the table, I could not find it. Bee looked perplexed and then pointed to
a bottle of red sauce..."Chili sauce." I showed her the picture of
tomatoes on the nearly empty ketchup bottle we had, then the picture of
the small red chilies on the new bottle. Bee's mouth dropped open.
Apparently, she shops only by color. The name of the sauce was in
English, both sauces are red and she didn't pay attention to the pictures.
Interestingly, I had also wanted onions for the burgers. Bee came home
without them...Big C (one of the biggest grocery stores in Danang) had
none.

A few other gifts: Jillian received clothes from Duc and Linh; some small
electric lanterns for her room from Enoch and Mariss; a beautiful handmade
card from Quyen; a genuine Dove chocolate bar from Chau; and from Bee,
underclothes. True to her practical joking nature, Bee had wrapped the
underwear in a box that once contained a clock. My unsuspecting,
mortified 11 year-old almost showed the unmentionables at the table in
mixed company. Bee, of course, was chuckling the whole time.

What a privilege to see this little girl grow into a loving young lady. I
could not be more proud of her. We are blessed too know that so many of
you join us in praying for her!

Grace and peace!

Hope

2009-12-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

The workmen rebuild a wall. Notice the helmet "hardhat."
The front courtyard. Workers use a rope and bucket to move sand and other materials.

This will soon be a laundry area.

Hello, all--
A couple of things have happened this week that have made me think more
about the relationship between faith and hope.
The first is the renovation work on the new orphanage here in Danang that
we hope to see in operation by January. I wish I could describe it to
you. It is a blessing from God! There are four buildings in the
compound. One building will house the Orphan Voice offices. The second
has rooms for the residential staff, the boys and a study
room/library/computer room. The third building includes the kitchen,
cafeteria and boys bathrooms and showers downstairs, with the girls'
rooms, a caregiver's room and their showers/bathrooms. The last building
is mostly a gymnasium, with a storage area. There are two courtyard
areas, one with a brick floor, the other with grass. It is going to be
welcoming, cozy and pretty. To see it today, that is a statement of
faith. Right now, the paint is chipped, dirty and mismatched (we ordered
paint today). Broken bricks, debris and trash are everywhere. The trees
in the courtyard are sparse from damage left by Typhoon Ketsana. But
faith gives us a vision of what it can be--what in fact it is becoming day
by day as a crew works (wearing motorbike helmets for hardhats!). Faith
has the ability to look past the current circumstance and surroundings and
understand "becoming."
The second incident that really got me thinking happened yesterday. I had
taken Anna Mei and Elizabeth to the Big C shopping center so they could
get Jillian a birthday present (she turned 11 today!). On our way to the
check out, Anna Mei spotted a pair of roller blades--the item on the top
of her Christmas wish list. She was at the point of tears. She does not
have enough money from her allowance to buy them. The store has one pair.
What she does not know is that another pair is here, safely hidden for
her to unwrap on Christmas morning. She was so distraught it was very
hard for me not to tell her. (I was so glad that we had not told
Elizabeth about Anna Mei's gift--I know she would have HAD to tell her!)
Finally, I told Anna Mei to trust in the love of her mom and dad for her
to provide good things. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me. That is exactly
what He asks of me. When the desires of my heart seem unattainable, faith
in His unfailing love will cause hope to blossom that whatever He has for
me is good.
May your faith-full relationship with the Lord give rise to unshakeable
hope. You and I have a heavenly Father who knows how to give good gifts
to His children. If we ask Him for bread, can we really think that He
will give us a stone...or a snake?

Years ago, a friend of mine sang a song at our church in Virginia. After more than a dozen years, I remember one line in particular: "When you can't see His hand, trust His heart."

Grace and peace!

PS Someone sent us a link to the website for CBN Worldreach. They have
an article about their involvement in partnering with other ministries to
provide typhoon relief in Vietnam. We are one of those "others" and the
picture in the article shows our staff member Duc delivering aid. If you
would like to take a look at the article, the link is
http://www.cbn.com/worldreach/articles/article_typhoon_vietnam_dec09.aspx

Advent, Week 2: Hope

2009-12-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

For this second week of Advent, we will focus on the quality of Hope. At the beginning of chapter 2, we find Naomi and Ruth in Bethlehem. The outlook had to be a bit frightening for the two women. But, faith has kindled hope. Ruth decides to look for work “gleaning” in the fields. Gleaning was a way that the Lord had instructed Israel to allow the poor to get food. A portion of the harvest was to be left, easily accessible to the poor. It was not a career. In fact, laws prevented gleaners from taking extra food to store. Gleaning was considered humiliating. For a young, single woman at this time, it was also dangerous. Yet Ruth does not despair. She does not scheme to devise a way to engage in more “honorable” work. She goes in hope. And she is not disappointed. One writer wisely pointed out, “Sin is a thing below us, but we must not think anything else so, to which Providence call us.”
The Lord leads Ruth to a field belonging to a wealthy man named Boaz, who just happens to be a close relative of Naomi. He takes note of Ruth and learns of her situation. As a result, he provides for Ruth’s safety and success in her work. The kindness of Boaz is noteworthy in its own right. I couldn’t help but wonder if his compassion for a courageous woman of questionable background was learned as a child from his mother, another courageous woman of questionable background. Her name was Rahab.
When Naomi learns of all that has happened, her own hope is rekindled. When she and Ruth first returned to Israel, she told the other women that the Lord had witnessed against her. Now, she recognizes that the Lord has not withdrawn His kindness from her.
Hope was Ruth’s response to hardship. Bible commentator Matthew Henry writes, “It is not affliction itself, but affliction rightly borne, that does us good.”
This week, as we think about hope and what it means for our own lives, here are some questions to reflect upon…
• How do I respond to the hard situations in my life right now? Is my “affliction rightly borne”?
• Have I let faith ignite hope in me?
• Am I being asked to do something that I consider to be “beneath” me?
• Am I jealous or resentful over the position, accomplishments, or abilities of someone else?
Hope is a great sustainer in times of hardship and dark uncertainty. The faithfulness of God tells us that hope is not stubborn foolishness. We have experiential evidence that God will not abandon us, will not allow us to suffer more than we can endure. The Psalmist knew it well when he wrote,
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. (Ps. 42:5)
As we approach Christmas, let’s hope in God with confidence in His great love. We have every reason to expect that, like Ruth, we will not be disappointed.
Grace and peace!

Advent, Week 1, Faith

2009-11-29T06:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the season of Advent! Where I sit, it is a balmy 70 degrees. It looks like anything but Christmas. The large department stores are displaying holiday decorations and playing “Jingle Bells”, but from street to street, there is not a hint of the Yuletide. Still, I know it is coming! Experience has bolstered my faith. More than faith in the mere fact that a date on the calendar is coming (and with it all the holiday decorations and traditions) I have faith that I will experience Christmas in my heart. How about you?

In the first chapter of Ruth, we find a foundation of faith. An Israelite man named Elimelech moves with his wife, Naomi, and two sons to Moab. They are driven by hunger, for Israel is experiencing a famine. In Moab, Elimelech dies. Both his sons marry Moabite women; one is named Orpah, the other, Ruth. When both men die, Naomi, Orpah and Ruth are left to fend for themselves. They are hungry again. But this time, their hunger is not the only thing driving them on...Naomi has heard that in Israel, ”the Lord had visited His people in giving them food” (Ruth 1:6). Faith, though perhaps small, rises in her heart and she decides to return to Israel. Orpah and Ruth love Naomi, and both set out with her. She discourages them, giving them no promise of a better life or future husbands. Reluctantly, Orpah eventually bids a tearful good-bye and returns to Moab. Ruth, however, clings to Naomi. Faith has somehow become her own. With no promise from outside of her own heart, she presses on with her mother-in-law. Faith strengthens and motivates Ruth to leave her culture, her language and her people.

Faith is the vessel of courage. Just read the great “Faith Hall of Fame”in Hebrews 11: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, David, Samuel and more…”who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, become mighty in battle, and put armiesto flight” (Hebrews 11:33, 34). Faith, it seems, is powerful stuff.

During this initial week of preparing our hearts to receive Christ-mas anew, this first chapter of Ruth brings us to some important questions to consider:
1. What am I hungry—really hungry-- for?
2. What situations are driving my thinking, my attitudes, my decisionsright now?
3. Where is God at work? Am I moving toward that place?
4. Have I made faith my own, independent of the faith of others around me, or my heritage, or my culture?
5. How does “faith” respond to the difficulties I am currently facing? Am I willing to do whatever it takes, leave whatever should be left, let go of the past (good or bad), and go forward, perhaps to an uncertain outcome?

May the Holy Spirit grant us faith to let Him examine our lives, and may faith give rise to courage to surrender everything to Him!

Grace and peace!

Advent and the Book of Ruth: An Introduction

2009-11-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

On our recent trip to the US, one of the first things that grabbed my attention was the rapid speed of daily life. Most of the time I found it tiring, at times annoying. On one occasion, Jillian and I found it humourous.We had only been in the States for a couple of days and we were driving with the twins early in the morning. We decided to renew our acquaintance with an important reality of American culture: the McDonald’s drive-through. I pulled up to the miked ordering screen where a voice greeted me withwords that flew out like fire from an automatic weapon:
“WelcometoMcDonaldscanItakeyourorderplease?”
“Yes. I would like 3 small orange ju…”
“OK” The answer interrupted me before I could get out the whole word. Hmmm…
“A small cof…”
“Cream and sugar? Do you want to put it in yourself, or do you want us todo it?" The voice sounded almost annoyed, like an adult who is hurried and doesn’twant to take time to listen to the elongated story of a toddler.

I finally got the order out. When I pulled around the corner of thebuilding, I could see the two windows, the first to pay, the second to receive the food. As I approached the first window, the view ahead made me want to by-pass payment and step on the gas. There, from the first window, emerged a bodiless hand, precariously clutching between two fingers and a thumb, the neatly folded golden-arched, white paper bag that held our food! It hung in the breeze with a taunting little swing. Only partly in jest, it threatened, “Hurry up or your breakfast is road slop!”

Alas, one person’s efficiency is another person’s high-pressured breakfastexperience.

It is easy for us to live at an ever-increasing pace. Perhaps that’s one reason I love the “seasons” so much. Not only the seasons of wind and weather, but the seasons of our Christian calendar. In a world where text messaging reduces the spelling of words to single letters, and where new technologies give us our food, news, and email at the touch of a button, God’s priorities and methods seem at odds. Here is One who is never in a hurry—who created the earth and everything in it in a step bystep orderly fashion; who set history in motion with generations of babies, youngsters, adults and the aged; whose years pass with the regularity of seasons.

We all know the Scriptural truth: “Man’s ways are not God’s ways…” Nowhere is that more evident than with the events of Christmas. I have a feeling that if it were up to me and you, the events at Bethlehem would have been recorded in Genesis 4, and Genesis 5 would be renamed“Revelation.” But the will, the ways and the works of God cannot be rushed. His plan will unfold as He ordains, no matter how we desire to rush it on more quickly. Sunday, November 29, is the beginning of the Advent Season. The word“advent” means “coming” and these four weeks of Christmas are an annual opportunity to focus upon the coming of the Son of God to our world. If we will let Him, the Holy Spirit will take us all on a journey toBethlehem to wonder and celebrate in a new way the glorious gift of Jesus, the Savior, Messiah, Redeemer. Just think of the years of longing, looking, hoping, seeking…that were fulfilled in that Holy Night. Many tried to “hurry” that up, too. Israel was always looking for a leader, or a prophet, or a king, or a judge that would be THE Son of David. No matter how much they hoped, or how good a king might be, the peoplewere disappointed again and again. It seemed as if the true Son of David would never come.

And then, He did. Sixteen times throughout the Gospels, Jesus is recognized, hailed, and implored as “The Son of David.” Apparently,the people who reached out in faith to Jesus for every kind of need had no trouble surmising that He was indeed, the long-awaited Son of David. Matthew’s Gospel begins with these words…”The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Some may think that Matthew’s record of the ancestry of Jesus is chauvinistic—tracing the Savior’s line through Joseph. Luke’s record traces the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Mary. Remarkably,though, Matthew’s account mentions five women in the ancestral line of Jesus (Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, Ruth and Mary), while Luke’s mentions none, not even Mary herself. The story of one of the women named by Matthew is found in the Old Testament Book that bears her name, the Bookof Ruth.

In Ruth we read a beautiful story of growing faith, of hope dashed and rekindled, of love lost and found, of joy thought out of reach, then fulfilled beyond measure. It is a rich, challenging story of spiritual truth. Ruth paints a picture of Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer. It is a perfect story for the season of Advent. Ruth’s four chapters fit neatly into the four weeks of Advent. But more than the number, the book can be anchored in four themes that can strengthen our relationship with the Savior: faith, hope, love and joy.

Welcome to this Advent journey in the Book of Ruth.

Grace and peace!

We're Baaaaack!

2009-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth enjoys reading to a dog at the library's "Paws to Read" event.
Jillian sports a "mohawk hat" in Massachusetts!

The girls loved ice skating with Aurora!

Tony's first speaking invitation was at the church where he received Christ.

Our girls in traditional Vietnamese dress for church.

Faith and Joy in the pumpkin patch!

Getting autographs backstage with "Go Fish."

Anna Mei pitches a rubber chicken at a "Chicken Chuckin'" booth at a fall festival.

The fam with our friend, Mickey.

After about 8 weeks in the United States, we have returned home to Vietnam. It is a quite Tuesday night in Danang...at least at our house. We arrived home on Sunday night at about 10:30 pm local time. This is the first time I have felt like I could sit at the computer without falling asleep, so I thought I should take advantage and give a brief update about our trip to the US.

First of all, it was a wonderful, blessed trip. We had a great time. It was incredibly busy, but we came home with some lifelong memories.

So, how did we spend our 8 weeks?

...traveling to 12 states

...sharing our work with at least 19 different churches and groups

...keeping 30 medical, dental, and eye exam appointments

...visiting with so many people we love

...obtaining items to bring back to make our house a little more like home

...a week of family vacation and a 2-day session with our board

Predominant emotion now that we are back...Gratitude

It took a small army of people to give us such a wonderful trip! Everywhere we turned we received blessing. Amazing acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and sacrifice...like

...all those who provided housing for one or seven of us. You made us feel at home.

...rides to and from the airport (we arrived at 10 pm and departed for the airport at 4:30 am, so transporting us definitely meant a labor of love and a loss of sleep!)

...food: hmmm...8 weeks at 3 meals a day for 7 people--that's 168 meals, many of them provided by dear friends. In Kentucky tradition, I must say, "We ate good."

...a van provided to us for the duration of our stay! And it had a working DVD player (happy dance)

...a week at a Florida resort so we could have some family time at the start of the trip

...tickets and invitations to so many wonderful experiences--a "Go Fish" concert, a hayride and huge corn maze, a natural history museum, and a couple of festivals and farms....

gift cards and shopping trips for the girls and me (and my first "mani-pedi").

First time I heard "When will we get there?" Before we ever left the Danang airport, from Elizabeth.

Funniest statement: Also from Elizabeth. I overheard her talking to Anna Mei in the ladies room at the beautiful Hong Kong airport: "I PROMISE. I did NOT touch one thing, and it flushed!"

And, lastly, a story from our return trip under the category of "And not a jury in the world would convict me...."
Many of you know that our family traveled in two groups for some of the flights to and from the US. Here is the background: Coming back, Tony, Anna Mei and Elizabeth had a day of flying from Lexington to San Fransisco, then on to Hong Kong and Saigon the next day. Jillian, Faith, Joy and I left Lexington at 6 am to Chicago, then after a 6-hour layover, on to Hong Kong (where we joined the rest of the family for flights to Saigon and Danang). We were, as my mother would say, "loaded for bear." We took advantage of the 2 suitcase/2 carry-on rules, so we had a total of 28 bags between us. With my 8 large bags checked, we still had 8 carry-ons of various weights. So I was glad that we got a luggage cart when we arrived in Chicago. After breakfast, we discovered that one of the twins had left a small purse on the plane. Not a big loss...nothing in it of value. But, we had about five more hours to fill, so I asked an airline employee if there was a place we might check about it.

She directed us to "Lost and Found." It was about a 20-minute walk she said, but you have the cart and the girls will enjoy seeing the airport, she assured me with a smile. So off we went. At "Lost and Found", I was told that items didn't arrive there for 2-3 days, but I could check back at the gate where we landed. By the time we headed in that direction, I had a stunning, heart-sinking realization..at some point we had left the secured section of the airport and we would now have to go through the security check all over again. So, off with the jackets, shoes and jewelry, out with the cell phones and computer, run all the bags through the x-ray machinery...you get the picture. My "never-make-a scene" 10-year-old queried, "If you see that lady again, you're not going to say anything are you?" I decided to have a little fun..."You'll know when I see her, Jillian. My top lip will curl at one side. My tired, red eyes will widen as my eyebrows raise in recognition. My knuckles will turn white as I grip the handle of the luggage cart to keep them off of her neck, and a gutteral, emotion-charged greeting will emit from my lips, 'Yooouuuu!'"

Actually, it wasn't so bad. We did enjoy the airport. And they let us keep the cart at security, walking it through separately after unloading. We arrived back at our departure gate without the purse, but no worse for wear. And I have a story that makes me smile...

The Lord has blessed us immeasureably. My heart is peaceful tonight overall, a little sad to say good-bye, but content with fond memories of so many expressions of love.
I wish you the same. Grace and peace!

Signs

2009-08-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

As our trip to the US draws very near, I wanted to tell you a few observations I have made about life here in Vietnam and what applications I am making to my own life...

First, it's often the little things that trip us up. If I say "bugs", you may think "big." And, we do have them, big roaches, big spiders, etc. But to me, the most pesky, frustrating and difficult to deal with of all of them is...the teeny-tiniest of ants. They are everywhere, numbering in the tens of billions (I am sure). They are difficult to see because the travel in cracks and crevices: where the door frame connects to the wall; in the lines where floor tiles meet; at the bottom of baseboards. By the time they are seen, they are covering a cup, a plate, a table. Moving the cup means that they run to your hand. It is an odd sensation; it feels like a thin, moving glove. In my life, I sometimes miss the little things that are, well, amiss. Little frustrations allowed to grow; slight discontent coddled; "insignificant", private criticisms enjoyed as personal entertainment... things small, unseen to most people, pests that run rampant and become visible when left alone. I'm asking the Lord to shine His light and reveal these pests wherever they lurk. Every thought captive. Every motive pure. Every high and lofty thing that would exalt itself against my Lord vanquished and subjugated.

Second, I've been thinking about heaven. With our trip to the US just days away, I've been looking to what lies ahead. I imagine the sights and, perhaps more, the smells. I want to stand in a beauty salon, close my eyes and breathe deep...and the Yankee candle store...and the cosmetic counters at Dillards or Lazarus. There are many spectacular sights in Vietnam...the ocean view, mountains that look as if clouds are resting on their peaks, night-time river views with lights reflecting across the water. So what makes the images of my mind so wondrously beautiful? They are home. Is that how I will feel about heaven: will it be like stepping into vivid technicolor? Will every smell, sound and sight feel like home? I think so. And thinking about it has helped me catch hold a little more of Paul's words about heaven being far more desireable.

Third, the signs. In the US, when special days are coming, the stores signal, announce and trumpet it with decorations, cards, and seasonal home decor. My first clue to the arrival of some of the holidays here is the smell of incense. To honor, remember, include the ancestors, incense is burned on little home altars, and offerings of fruit or other favorite food is placed there (one had a small bag of Skittles candy on it!). No matter how big or small the holiday, incense is always one of my clues to its arrival.

And, lastly, I have been pondering the "God-shaped hole" in every heart that makes us long for eternity. Recently I learned that when someone becomes elderly here, they become known as "the mother of John" or "the father of Jane"...the name used is that of the oldest child. So, for example, years from now, I will be known as "Me Jillian" (pronounced "may Jillian) for "mother of Jilllian. I think it is a cultural way of wanting to express that "life goes on" and the parent will live through succeeding generations. Linh told me that she did not know her grandfather's given name until he died when she was 14 years old, because the only name she had ever heard him called was "father of Quyen" (her father's name). Eternity beats within the heart of every person. We long for it. This life is short, at best. We may know the elation of many joys and privileges, but we may experience gut-wrenching heartache, excruciating pain, fear, sorrow and despair. There is more! Somewhere deep within, we know it. We hope for it.

So, these random thoughts have been occupying the space between my ears and churning in my heart. I know this message is a bit long, but I wanted to share with you while it is fresh on my mind. I don't know if I will have the opportunity to post many messages before we leave for the US.

This week, I hope you, too, will have some time to ponder the things around you. God is speaking! He reveals Himself daily and brings His Word to greater understanding as we let Him apply it to our daily lives.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance!

The Week In Pictures

2009-08-20T00:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday: Joy lost a front tooth. "Look, Mom! Now I can eat pasghetti!"

Sunday: We returned from church to find this lizard waiting patiently for a ride in a bicycle basket with Apple the Bear. He really surprised us!

Monday: Dat and Ut returned home, after visiting for a few days while Ut had follow-up medical visits. Dat's haircut was our last preparation for him to begin the school year!

Tuesday: A couple of homeschool stories. Jillian (above) celebrates a perfect score on her history test! Earlier that morning, the girls were talking about putting on a "Plymouth Play." Jillian had assigned parts for Samoset, Squanto and Massasoit. Playfully, Dad said, "I'll be John Smith." Jillian rolled her eyes, "You can't, Dad. John Smith was at Jamestown, not at Plymouth. You'll have to be Miles Standish." (Mom's "teacher heart" was dancing!)

In another history lesson, Anna Mei was taking notes about Plymouth. The text said, "In selecting Plymouth as the site for their settlement, the Pilgrims looked for a place with fresh drinking water, a good harbor, and the freedom from unfriendly Indians." Anna Mei's notes said: "Good water, good harbor, good Indians."

During a fast-paced game of "Name That World Landmark", I showed the girls a picture of the Suez Canal. "It's a canal!" cried Jillian. Wanting to be the first to name the site, Anna Mei (below) blurted, "I know! I know! Root Canal!"

Wednesday: Faith shows Joy that she too, has now lost her right front tooth. We can't tell who is more excited! Twins in everything!

I can't leave Elizabeth out! She has finished two reading books this year. Keeping her busy is a challenge...she almost always finishes every subject by 11:00 am!

Dreams

2009-08-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

At different times in my life, I've dreamed of what might come to pass in the future. Who I might marry (that one came true), what vocation I would follow, how many children, where we would live, etc., etc., etc.

Some were fanciful, some were funny, some foolish. Recently twoexperiences made me consider the "dreams" of my life with a newappreciation for so many blessings.

"When I see you with your daughters, I dream." That's what a 20-year-old said as I waved the good-bye to the twins on a swim outing with their Dad. She lives at home with 3 siblings, grandparents and parents. She works, bringing the money home to the household. "My mother doesn't love me like that," she said quietly. I tried to reassure her. Cultures are very different. Someday, she can be the kind of mother she herself has longed for.

Another woman, seriously ill, dreams of seeing her child reach adulthood. It appears unlikely, from a human standpoint. Still, she dreams of what he will become. The education he will attain. The job he will hold. The family he will raise. Her eyes study his frame while he plays. Possibilities dance in her stedfast gaze, drawing up tears of longing.

Dreams are powerful. It is a wonderful gift that God grants us to reach out and up for something bigger than ourselves...something greater, something gallant, beautiful, life-giving, noble.

May my dreaming be worthy of the One who has dreamed up a future and hope for me. Father, keep me from consuming Your goodness only on myself. Open the portals of my heart wide and deep to the world around me. And let me dream...

Grace and peace!

Bittersweet

2009-08-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Dat and his new bike!

Dat receives a back pack from Enoch and Marissa. Ut is on the left.

Dat gets his first piece of birthday cake ever!

Birthday boy in with decorations. Joy colored the cake picture above the balloons.

Life in Vietnam seems to move at an ever increasing pace. Here are some hightlights from the past week or so...

...we celebrated Dat's birth and life last Friday night. He had never had a party before, so he was very happy with the balloons, flag banners, cake, ice cream, special meal and presents. Duc and Linh, Enoch and Marissa, and Bee celebrated with us. Dat received some more school supplies from Duc and Linh, a back pack from Enoch and Marissa (filled with art supplies), and a bike from the Brewer clan. We had a chance to share with Dat that his life is no accident. He has a great purpose designed from His Heavenly Father. We celebrated not only the past event of his birth, but the anticipation of a bright future. Ut and Dat both expressed heartfelt gratitude. Hard to believe that four months ago, Ut was not expected to survive through September.

...on Saturday, Ut and Dat returned home to Hiep Duc. If there has been a time in Vietnam when we smiled through tears, this was it. Tony, all the girls, Duc, Linh and Sally, and Enoch and Marissa accompanied them. (I stayed at the house to work on lesson plans for the week.) Before he left, Dat followed me to the kitchen. He caught my hand and said simply, "Mommy, you will not forget me?" I assured him that would be impossible. Tony and the group got them to their home, and stocked with food. We will see them again in a couple of weeks.

...Anna Mei had a mishap at an indoor playground and chipped a front tooth. Thankfully, the gum does not appear damaged and it is not causing her pain. Also, we are glad to have an upcoming opportunity to visit our dentist in the US!

...We made a working compass in science class using a sewing needle and a bar magnet. It reminded me of the internal compass God provides that points us to Him--the Holy Spirit. Like the needle, we don't have to strive or work to be pointed in the right direction--we simply need to surrender and follow where He points us.

...We celebrated Marissa's birthday yesterday. How wonderful to share life in Vietnam with great friends! Marissa and Enoch are making a difference in the lives of children and poor families. They are a blessing to our family also.

...because of the time to order and have materials delivered, we have just scored achievement tests from last year. We praise God for good results!

All in all, it's been a great week. God is good. His mercy endures forever! Grace and peace!

A New Day

2009-07-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Our twin sword fish!
First day with uniforms.

The first day of school.

Elizabeth reads to Faith in the book corner.

We officially have the first week of the new homeschool year under our belt! It feels good, but it has been a busy and tiring week. The girls are off to a great start!

Here are some updates from our home...

Ut arrived this week from the hospital. She is gaining strength daily. Last night I went to sit with her for awhile. She speaks no English, so beyond greetings, I just sit on the side of her bed and hold her hand. Last night she started crying. I thought she might be in pain, so I called Linh. Linh talked to her on the phone, then told me, "She is not in pain. She said that no one has ever shown love to her like this--ever. It makes her cry for joy that all of you care for her and Dat." Then, Ut wasn't the only one crying...

Bee was clearly frustrated and unhappy. And, if the cook ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. :) Turns out she was unable to keep up with kitchen duties, as well as helping in the house. So, in exchange for a reduced salary, she is now only working in the kitchen. Quinn (age 20) has joined us to help with laundry and housework, especially during the school year. Quinn is a believer and speaks some English. Bee is happy again. Quinn has been a blessing. This week, Quinn's 14-year-old brother, Ung, has been with us while his parents attend training at their church. He has been a good friend for Dat and Jillian to play cards and ride bikes.

The girls asked if they could wear uniforms this year. So...after the first day of school, we did a little shopping. The "normal" uniform here is navy skirt/pants with a white shirt/blouse. We wear uniforms Mon, Wed and Fri. Tues and Thurs are "street clothes" days. That way, one uniform each does everyone. Sally wanted to match, so she got a uniform also. Cute!

I was privileged to share the Word at the international church last Sunday. I spoke on Psalm 84: The Life That Worships. Worship that is rooted in relationship (v.1-4), resolute in suffering (v.5-7) and radiant with confidence of God's provision and presence (v. 8-12). Charles Spurgeon called Ps. 84 "The Pearl of the Psalms."

Have faced some personal disappointments, but we look to Jesus as our source for everything. He is faithful. I just want my heart to remain soft, teachable, and ever pointed to Home. I was reminded of God's "built-in compass" that draws us to Him today when we made a compass in our science class--amazing.

I pray that you find also that, whatever we face, God is good, His love endures forever. Sing praise...
Grace and peace!

Reminders

2009-07-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

Jillian with Dat.

As you can imagine in our work here there are many daily details to attend to. Plans to be made; arrangements for translators, drivers, etc.; contacts to be made; schedules to outline--with all their details from bathroom breaks to food to driving time to ... on and on it goes. Sometimes the children themselves can get pushed to the background. Then, mercifully, the Lord gives us a reminder.

Today at lunch, I asked Dat when is his birthday. He didn't bat an eye. He just said simply, "I don't know." I tried not to visibly flinch, but my heart was pierced with the weight of what he was saying.

Dat is 14. Yet thoughts of cake, ice cream, games, presents, a gathering of family and friends--they are nowhere in his memory bank. His mother loves him--but in their struggle to provide her son with food, shelter and education, all made more difficult by her own debilitating illness, there is no room for balloons or songs.

Dat is not an isolated case. Most of the children we have contact with would say the same.

Our hearts long to tell them they are specially made, lovingly handcrafted by a Heavenly Father who has created them with worth, dignity and destiny. They are important enough to be fed well, to have clothing and education provided. They are valued enough that it matters if they have a safe home, a comfortable bed, curtains at the window, and a place to hang their hat.

For me, that sums it up. They are why I am here. I want them all to know that they are not outcasts. They are not the bottom, they are not less, they are not alone.

So every outing, every activity, every provision, every renovation--it is all worth it. At the end of it all are children who may have no inkling that they are loved by anyone.

So thank you, Lord, and thank you, Dat, for reminding me today. The work is important. The details matter. They are sending a message. Pray that it will be received.

Grace and peace!

Thankful

2009-07-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

Marissa and Enoch at the western medical clinic following the bike accident.

With Joy's leg healing so well; Ut regaining strength after a successful surgery; and all but one box of our homeschool material here at the house, I have been counting blessings today.

Last week, Marissa and Enoch had a mishap on the motorbike. Swerving to miss a bicycle, while in a patch of gravel, (returning from Dai Loc) the bike slid and both went skidding on the pavement. The result: some ugly scrapes on shins, hands, feet and forearms; a couple of gaping wounds; sprained wrists; sore bodies. But, thankfully...the cyclist was not injured, all wounds are healing, strength is returning. Without a doubt, it could have been so much worse.

Life is precious, friends are dear, the Lord is near. So much for which to be thankful.

Grace and peace!

Motoring Message

2009-06-30T05:01:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-23T04:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-06-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

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.

It all comes down to this...

2009-05-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Jillian reads a report she wrote about the authority of Jesus.
Joy shares a story from her reading book.

Faith reads some of her phonics exercises.

Elizabeth led the opening prayer.

Anna Mei sang a solo.

Jillian receives her certificate of promotion to the 5th grade.

It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was writing about our first dayof school. Last night we had a celebration for the completion of the year and the kindergarten graduation for Faith and Joy. The girls all had individual parts. Each one did a fantastic job--Tony and I were so proud! Sally, Duc and Linh's 3-year-old, came to school with us this year, soshe also took part in the program. Tony gave certificates of promotion. The girls were so happy. They chattered on and on about it at bedtime. They really had a sense of achievement. Very sweet. In addition to Tony and I, Marissa and Enoch, Duc and Linh, Chau, andSusan (a friend from church) were here. What a blessing!

Grace and peace!

Learning With The AAABC's

2009-05-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

Duc and Linh's daughter Sally celebrated her 3rd birthday with us May 18. We gave her a scooter like one that Faith and Joy have. Happy Birthday, Sally!

God's goodness is everpresent, even though it may come to us in ways that we don't recognize at first.
I have been reminded of the Vietnamese alphabet. It has no j, no w and no z. BUT...it has 3 a's, 2 d's, 2 e's, 3 o's. and 2 u's ... so in the end, more letters.
God has shown Himself to me like that. Just when I think that I do not have what I need, or think I should have, He shows me something different than I expected, but more than what is needed. It may not look the way I think it should. I may not recognize the blessing in it, but it is there nonetheless. I can complain that it is not "my way"--or I can look for the blessing in receiving goodness from His hand.
May you recognize His good and perfect gifts this day, and joyfully receive His provision for your life.
Grace and peace!

Motoring Down Life's Highway

2009-05-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

Traffic in Danang

As you can imagine, driving a motorbike is a great deal different from driving a car. Motoring around Danang and beyond has given me some time to reflect on driving habits...and life lessons.

On the motorbike, the accelerator is on the right handle. There are brakes on both handles. So, to apply the right brake, it is necessary to lift your hand off the accelerator in order to reach the brake (at leastfor me--people with longer fingers might be able to reach both). If I tryto stretch my fingers without lifting off the accelerator, I "rev the engine" even while I am slowing down. In addition, releasing the brake results in a "power surge" that jolts you forward faster than you want to travel. (Note: can you tell I know this from experience?) Moreover, simply releasing the accelerator is a very effective brake; it is amazing how quickly you slow down if you are simply not feeding in more gas.

I tell you this now because I have learned. Do not worry. I am careful. I am a reasonably good and safe driver. I have had no big mishaps to date (thank You, Lord!). Still, yesterday while driving, the Lord dropped this thought into my mind as I rounded a sharp corner (at the proper speed, mind you! :) ) "Whenyou sense something is wrong or amiss, just let off the gas. You will avoid much trouble. Your life is designed in such a way that if you will just stop feeding the acceleration, things will slow down enough so thatyou can get a clearer and better perspective."

It has caused me to think of the "accelerators" I use too often in mylife...too quick to judge; jumping to conclusions; assuming the motives, thoughts, and even facial expressions of others; taking a pessimistic view of "I can't...they'll never...it won't work...things will never change..."

So today, my prayer is that the Lord will grant me the wisdom to let off the hurtful, negative accelerators in my brain and give the Holy Spirit even just a moment to minister grace and help in time of need. A moment is more than enough for Him to come.

Selah.

Grace and peace!

Bikes

2009-05-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth
Faith and Joy have shed their training wheels--I can't get Faith to stop long enough for a photo!

Anna Mei sits on the back of the bike to ride.

Hmmm...the back of the bike is a popular seat!

If you know me well, brace yourself...the following account is TRUE. I can hardly believe it myself.

This morning at 4:55 AM, I pulled myself out of a comfortable bed in a cool room to go bike riding with my oldest daughter. It has been a desire of Jillian's to go for an early morning ride for some time now. (Can anyone hum "The Things We Do For Love"?)
We pulled on our clothes and were out the door by 5:10. The morning was very still, light, and pleasant. We had ridden about a mile when...blub-dub, blub-dub...I got a flat tire. Thankfully, we were beside the Han River where there is a lovely brick plaze with benches, landscaping, etc. So, I sat while Jillian rode for awhile.

There were lots of folks out exercising--old and young, men and women. Small groups clustered for conversation. The men were joking amongst themselves, with some of the most elderly playfully boxing each other.

Of course, the real challenge was walking the bike home. Lots of traffic, so many stares, shouts of "Hello! What you name? Where you from?"

The best part was spending time talking to Jillian. That was great. We returned home about 6:55.

I could not help but think of how the Lord must smile at us...the things we find so important, so interesting, so unusual, so challenging...He participates with us, encouraging, affirming, strengthening us through it all.

Thank you, Lord, for teachable moments with my children...and as your child!

Grace and peace!

Facing Our Fears

2009-05-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

The brave and beautiful Elizabeth!
Making dentures...

in the parking garage below the dentist's office!

Jillian with Dr. Hung

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

That's a verse, a declaration of promise that we have learned and use often in our daily lives here. We began saying it daily as Elizabeth was struggling with Math--not her favorite subject.
Today, Elizabeth and I both had the opportunity to face our fears, rely on the promise of God and run to the roar.

For me, it involved the motorbike. I had a little mishap over the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, the girls took me to see the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic" (yes, we are very limited here on movie offerings). Any way, Sunday nights at Big C are wild--because of the heat, there is always a crowd out on the streets at night. Big C's parking lot is under the shopping center, with a steep ramp the get in and out. As we were leaving, people were crowding, trying to get ahead. There is no such thing as "lining up" here. Any way, a boy on a bicycle was several yards ahead of me. He managed to get up the ramp, then stopped abruptly to look back at his friends. By that time, I was on my way up the ramp. It is impossible to stop on the ramp, so I tried to hug the wall on the left to miss the boy. Unfortunately, I wobbled, into the wall on my left arm. No biggie, really. I didn't tip over. Jillian and Faith were with me, they didn't even touch the wall. I had a few scrapes and bruises, but it shook my confidence. I wasn't sure I wanted to ride up the ramp ever again. But, today I did, without incident. Thank God!

Elizabeth had a bigger hurdle. We visited the dentist for a teeth cleaning. He found the tiniest of holes in Elizabeth's tooth and recommended filling it. We proceeded slowly, and while it was not pleasant, Elizabeth came through like a champion.

About the dentist, he is a very nice man, named Dr. Hung. Linh told him about our work with orphans and he said that because of our work, all of our dental services would be free. In addition, he said he would treat the children at the orphanage and any children from Tien Phouc and Hiep Duc that we bring to him. What a blessing! By the way, everyone's teeth are in good shape with Jillian and Faith getting a report of perfect!

Another interesting thing about the dentist: his office is in a building with its own parking on the ground level. In the basement, near the parked motorbikes, two men sit at a table making dentures.

The Lord is so good. Marissa spent the day working with workmen preparing to paint the kids' rooms at Dai Loc. How exciting! Their living space will soon be so much better than what they have had in the past.

Whatever is before you this day, I pray that you know for certain that you really can do all things through the Christ who will strengthen you at every turn!

Grace and peace!

Happy Birthday, Anna Mei!

2009-05-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Birthday Girl!
Party crew!

Joy takes a ride on Daddy.

Faith loved the goggles!

Cake decorating.

Anna Mei just opened Elizabeth's gift.

The cake.

Anna Mei jumps (backwards) into the pool.

Anna Mei jumps off Dad's shoulders.

On Tuesday morning, May 9, 2000, a tiny bundle of energy and love came into our family. Happy Birthday Anna Mei! What a great day--we had a swim party at the home of our friends from New Zealand. They have a lovely pool and the kids had a wonderful time swimming, jumping in and being thrown into the pool. Anna Mei wanted to decorate her cake, so she and Jillian worked together. (Elizabeth was visiting Duc and Linh and the twins went with Daddy on a long motorbike ride.) We celebrate the blessing that Anna Mei is to us and everyone who knows her!
Grace and peace!

Happy Birthday, Anna Mei

2009-05-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hello, all--

Tonight I put to bed a sleepy 8-year-old, knowing that as the sunlight gradually overtakes the night, Anna Mei will begin the coming year as a 9 year-old. It hardly seems possible.
Tonight, she asked again to hear the story of the day she was born. She never seems to tire of it.

Nine years ago tomorrow morning (May 9), Tony called me from his office to say that by the afternoon, a baby we hoped to call our own would be born at the hospital. I was taking care of Jillian, who wasn't feeling well, at the house. Thirty minutes later, Tony called back to say he was on his way to pick me up and we would head for the hospital--things had moved along more quickly than anticipated. Even then, this little one was in a hurry!

"Aunt" Aurora stayed with one year old Jillian. Tony and I arrived at the hospital just after a 7 lb. 2 oz., 20 1/2 inch bundle of energy and joy entered this world. I carried her from the delivery room to the hospital nursery. I rocked her and sang her special song--"My Help Comes From the Lord" by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. (She loved it, of course.)

It was an exciting day--Tony returned home late in the afternoon to find a fire truck, an ambulance and a small army of emergency personnel at our house--Jillian had become worse, and Aurora had called for help. She was hospitalized at a different hospital from Anna Mei, so I left our sleeping newborn in the loving care of her nurses, and met Tony and Jillian at the ER.

Two days later, the sisters came home from their hospitals.
In the house, Jillian climbed up on the couch, held out her arms and said, "Hold her!" And she did, with her little arms propped up on pillows.

Now, my two "big girls" consider themselves "pre-teens." Without a doubt, they are the "big sisters" of this tribe.

Happy Birthday, Anna Mei. You are every inch your nicknames...

Anna-mazing

Anna Mei-tion

Peanut

We are blessed, indeed.

Grace and peace!

Busy Days

2009-05-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Jillian finishing up her art work. Chau is in the background.

Faith and Kerry get started.

Elizabeth loved the paper mache!

Ready for take-off!

Hello, all--

I didn't realize it had been so long since I had sat down to write something about our daily lives. Here's a quick "catch up"--

This past Sunday was a big day for our family. Along with our entire office and household staff, we performed a sign language interpretation of Helen Baylor's song "Lord, You're Holy." We practiced long and hard to get the signs down for the Sunday morning service of a conference for Vietnamese deaf here in Danang. The service began at 8:30 am at a local tourist location, so 16 of us loaded up on 7 motorbikes at 7:45 for the 35-minute ride. After 4 days of rain, I was more thankful than you can imagine for a sunny day. The song went great--then we were off to the service at the Danang International Fellowship where I had the opportunity to preach (our pastor was preaching at the deaf conference service). A couple folks at the conference took pictures (and even video)--they are sending them to us, but we don't have them yet.

I shared on Paul's prayer of "grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ"--a prayer/wish that he repeats in many of his letters. I will post some thoughts on it separately. What a power-packed statement!

We ate out after church. Normally, I enjoy cooking on Sunday, but we had left the house so early, it just did not happen this week. Oh well...no dishes!!!

Then we came home and prepared for a snooze in the living room while the kids watched a DVD of a movie "Monsters vs. Aliens." Unfortunately, our DVD was in German, with Vietnamese subtitles. The twins liked it any way.

Today we had a wonderful treat. We recently met Kerry, a teacher from Australia who has been teaching English as a volunteer here in Danang. Although her time here is almost finished, she offered to come help at the office and do some art classes with our girls (she teaches art and music at the primary level). So today, we did paper mache in the kitchen! What a mess! What fun! Kerry will return Friday for some finishing touches on the "animals," then next week we will paint them.

I am getting more and more comfortable riding the motorbike (though not in a careless way--every trip brings a "reality check" which prevents relaxing). It never ceases to amaze me to see what people here carry on a motorbike. Today, I saw two men carrying a tree, roots and all--about 10 feet in length. Awhile later, I saw a couple transporting a large mirror- about 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 feet. Scary.

After joining FaceBook three weeks ago, I am enjoying reconnecting with friends. I am also enjoying the many quizzes that are available on FaceBook. So far, I have found out that I am a genius (ha!); if I were a candy, I would be M&M's; if I were one of the 7 dwarfs, I would be Happy; if I were one of the 12 Disciples, I would be John; if I were a book character, I would be the teacher from "Dead Poet's Society"; I use my right and left brain equally; and, I have a Sanguine personality. How's that for self-awareness? Thank you, FaceBook.

I am more aware than ever that there is more to do every day than I can accomplish. I have been practicing a keyboard a little (literally "playing"). I have to get the girls to bed now, then prayerfully work on song selection for this Sunday's church service. Life is full these days. God is good. I am so thankful to be here.

Grace and peace!

A Tale of Two Writers

2009-04-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

It was the best of stories. It was the worst of stories. It was athoughtful, well-plotted tale. It was a "fly by the seat of your pants"short story to finish as quickly as possible. I speak, of course, of two of my students. The assignment was the same: write a short story utilizing about half of this week's spelling words. Jillian wrote a page and half about two families who are evangelists, traveling through many states sharing the gospel. Her last sentence reads,"It was busy, but they didn't mind because all of it was for God and God provides."

Third grader Anna Mei took a different approach. There were just too many words to be contained in one story, so she wrote a collection of four shorter works, each about a paragraph or slightly longer. The conclusion of her anthology is this offering. It is entitled, "Alert."

"Today after school, I am going to write a song called "Alert." I'll sing it right now. "Alert. Alert. I love the sound of Alert, ert, ert, ert. Alert, ert, ert......." I love that. I hope it turns out okay."

I will leave it to you to guess the spelling word in use there. If you are "alert," I'm sure you will figure it out.

On another note, we have a special blessing. We met a lovely lady from Australia who is here for a short time to teach English at the university. Her time is almost concluded, but in the few weeks she has left, she wants to do something to help the children we work with, as well as our girls. She is a teacher of art and music. So, for the next couple of weeks, she will come and do an art class with our girls two afternoons per week. It should be very interesting and fun for them!Kerry (the teacher) will also be helping us develop materials to use with the children we serve. It will be great to have some special art projects to share with them.

The Lord is good! Grace and peace!

Cindy Perfume

2009-04-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks, in Vietnam there really is a "Cindy" perfume. It comes inseveral "fragrances." It has become a source of amusement for our family. Here are just some of the comments we have come up with...

"Gee, Mom, you're kind of cheap."

"Someone told me to smell Cindy."

"I smell Cindy!"

"Ah, yes, the many smells of Cindy."

"We went to Big C today and three Vietnamese women were smelling Cindy!"

"I spent a lot of time in the perfume aisle, but when I smelled Cindy, I nearly fell over!"

"What's that smell? Oh, yeah...it's Cindy."

And the slogan: "Cindy...stinkin' up the nations!"

I hope something here made you smile (or chuckle, giggle, guffaw, chortle,cluck, snicker, or roll in the floor--hmmmm, now there's an image....)

May our prayers rise today as a sweet fragrance to the throne of God...prayers of joy, thankfulness, faith, surrender, and love.

Grace and peace!

Birthday Boy

2009-04-20T05:39:00.000-07:00

Tony's birthday was yesterday. A wonderful day! He preached the message at church...a tremendous word of encouragement from the Book of Revelation. With Kentucky flavor, his sermon talked about "Big Doin's." The main sections were...
A Big Blessin'
A Big Revelation (A Big Deal)
A Big Testin'
A Big Surprise
A Big Harvest
A Big Meetin'
A Big Weddin'
A Big Supper

Tony reminded us all that Jesus is the Lord of all history...and more pointedly, my history. He is the Lord of my beginning, end, and everything in-between.

Tonight we took a motorbike ride along the beach with the girls. It was beautiful, and a welcome respite from the heat--the summer season is upon us!

May you be encouraged by the presence of the Lord today!

Grace and peace!

Solving the deep questions of life

2009-04-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

The egg drop!
Jillian's "bubble tube."

Yep, that's one big bubble.

Growing, growing, growing...she's an expert!

Hello, all--

While newspaper headlines may speak of governments, world economics, astounding developments and discoveries, I thought you should know that the really big questions are being answered right here in Danang.

Did you know that a fried egg yolk dropped from a height of 6 feet will follow a straight trajectory to an 8-inch plate, landing precisely on its target?

Do you have any idea just how big a bubble can be "hand made" by mixing just the right combination of water and soap and making a large, rounded opening with your hands?

And, by the way, exactly where in the family budget do we include the demands of the Tooth Fairy?

Rest assured, these and other important matters are being explored in our midst.

The egg question was settled by Dad, to the great surprise of Mom, Jillian, Anna Mei, Elizabeth, Faith and Joy. Bee frequently fixes fried eggs for breakfast. Joy loves the yolk (Faith prefers the whites, of course!). Tony offered his yolk to Joy, who gladly accepted. Then, as we all sat wide-eyed with mouths agape, Tony climbed over the back of the table bench and stood on the seat beside Joy, where he proceeded to lift the yolk to his full height and drop it to her plate below. You can imagine the squeals of delight this magnificent feat of precision evoked.

Anna Mei and Jillian are perfecting the "hand blown bubbles." They have tried shampoo, hand soap, shower gel and dish soap. Anna Mei prefers hand soap. Her bubbles are regularly larger than her head. She can stretch them the length of her torso. Jillian's specialty is the a long, slender tube-like bubble.

Tony recently sent a list of our daily expenses to our office manager in the US. Here were our expenditures for the day...
Household: 574,400 VND ($33.79 USD)
Office: equipment: 60,000 VND ($3.53 USD) business meeting in neighboring town: 100,000 VND ($5.89)Office total: $9.39
Transportation gas: 20,000 VND ($1.18)
Tooth Fairy: 4 teeth @ 10,000 each = 40,000 VND ($2.36 USD)
Why 4 teeth? Well...the girls informed us that we had several dental losses unpaid. :(

Sometimes I wonder how I could ever have deserved so much happiness. These days are precious, wonderful, surprising and always interesting. I have to refuse worry over what struggle or sorrow the future may hold--can this possibly last? Mostly, I just enjoy the moments. And I am thankful.

I am very aware of pain and suffering in this world. I pray that whatever your situation or circumstances might be, that you find comfort to sustain you, strength to meet every challenge, hope to look through the eyes of eternity, and joy born of the unquenchable Holy Spirit.

Grace and peace!

First Easter in Vietnam

2009-04-12T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Table Sunday morning

Dawn helps Joy with an egg.

Elizabeth with the finished product!

Jillian at work.

Hello, all--

We had a wonderful, glorious celebration of Jesus' resurrection! I hopeyou did, too. For those interested in details, read on...

We were blessed that our friend Dawn had recently received a box ofassorted food coloring from her mother in the US. Some food coloring isavailable here in larger bottles, but limited colors--I have seen red,green and orange. It is expensive--one bottle costs about $4. Dawn came over to the house and we colored boiled duck eggs. They are larger than chicken eggs, and are readily available here with white shells (all the chicken eggs have brown shells). Dove eggs are also available (with a couple other unknown fowl), but they are considerably smaller.Marissa helped us color the eggs (Tony and Enoch watched a movie) as well, so we had a great time together. The girls had so much fun mixing some new colors and trying different methods of decorating. While I took Dawn home on the motorbike (my first trip across the bridge in the dark), Marissa and Enoch did "egg hunts" with the girls. Of course, by the timeI got home, many of the eggs had been dropped at least once, cracking the shells. Elizabeth ventured to eat one--she really liked it.

On Saturday, Jillian and Anna Mei were invited to go to a beach resort with their friend Lucia and her family. Tony did some fun outings withElizabeth, Faith and Joy, so I could get some things to fix Easter baskets. There are no decorations, baskets, chocolate eggs, plastic eggs,etc. here in Danang. For baskets, I bought a set of small collander-type,colorful, plastic bowls. In each one I put some goodies that we don't often have--pretzel sticks, real chocolate candies, and a small toy. I also put in some things the girls will use in school--cute little rulers,band some small art supplies. On Sunday morning, they were so excited! Tony and I fixed pancakes and scrambled eggs, and he read an account of the resurrection from the Bible at breakfast. At church we had a full house! Six missionaries from Cambodia were visiting, as well as a new lady from Australia. It was a wonderful gathering. Our pastor spoke on what the resurrection means to us: forgiveness from the past, strength for the present, the security of the future.

After church, we had a fellowship lunch together. The church provided hotdogs, hamburgers, and french fries. We all brought the rest. I had baked a peach cobbler that morning. I left the house earlier than Tony (I lead the worship singing), and when he was taking the cobbler out of the toaster oven, the rack tipped and the whole thing landed face down on the kitchen floor. :( Not only did we lose a dessert, I spent a good portion of Sunday afternoon on my hands and knees cleaning it off the floor. :( :(

Sunday evening, Marissa, Enoch, Duc, Linh, and Sally joined us for supper. We had chicken and dumplings. We watched the first half of "Ben-Hur." Part 2 will be shown Tuesday night. Then, the bedtime preparation train had to roll out of the station. It is a production.

It was a great day. Anna Mei declared it was the "best Easter of her life." Jillian was a little more pensive. Holidays, of course, make us all more aware how much we miss seeing loved ones.

The Lord is good. Thank God for the victory He gives! Thank God for the victory He IS!!!Let us rejoice in His resurrection life!

The Great Watermelon Caper

2009-04-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

"I can't believe we get to do this!"

"All done!"

Hello, all--

One day this week, while we were together eating lunch, Faith and Joy were enjoying their favorite portion: watermelon. The discussion turned to musings about just how much watermelon these two 6-year-olds could eat. Being the focused, in -the-know kind of guy that he is, Daddy proposed a luncheon for Faith and Joy of only watermelon...as much as they wanted to eat. We asked Bee to buy 3 watermelons, and slice two of them (each on a platter), keeping the third in reserve.
The next day, the twins squealed with delight when they saw the mountains of watermelon at their places. They ate and ate. Finally, Faith said she was full. She had eaten about 90% of the watermelon. Joy was still munching. After finishing the whole watermelon, Joy, too, said she was fully satisfied.

You might think that they would be tired of watermelon. Not so! They were each ready for their usual 6-8 slices after their meal at supper tonight.

Though not so scientific, the watermelon experiment was so much fun. We have 11 people for lunch every day around our table (7 Brewers, 2 Eubanks, Chau, and Bee). I don't know who enjoyed the whole event the most.
Grace and peace!

Into the Wind

2009-04-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Jillian gives a ride to Joy and Faith. They are in front of our gates on the sidewalk.

Hello, all-

Today, Jillian and I went on a little fact-finding mission. As we try to be good stewards of all we have, keeping our grocery bill down requires constant vigilance. So, we went price-finding at Big C. Up and down the aisles, comparing brands. Interesting.

On the way home, it was 5 pm rush hour. The traffic was maddening. I had to stop in the middle of three intersections to avoid hitting another bike that refused right-of-way. To complicate things, the wind had really picked up. I felt gusts push against the bike, giving us an added little bobble. I was thankful for my mask, glasses and helmet--at least my face was protect from swirling leaves, a few stray pieces of paper, etc.

While driving home, I couldn't help but think of how I noticed every bump, uneven grade, and sand-covered spot in the road. On a sunny day, they are hardly noticeable, but in the aggravation of the wind, every little thing raises another challenge. It's like the windy, stormy situations in life. Minor obstacles and imperfections are not given a second thought when theday is smooth and circumstances favorable. But let the wind kick up, and the journey get testy and slow. Suddenly, minor things are not only noticed, they are annoying (at first), then grating. Just like my drive home, with some extra care and attention, with some perception of the causes of difficulty, the trip can be made with a minimum of hassle, anger or frustration.

May you find peace in your journey today!

My Scribe

2009-04-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Anna Mei

Hello, all--

We just finished lunch, but a couple of funny things happened this morning and I want to share them before I forget.

First, for some unknown reason, Anna Mei has developed a keen interest in the Old Testament book of Daniel, so much so that she is copying it (word for word) in a notebook. Today, when it was time for her spelling test, I told her to get a piece of paper from her notebook. She said, "Mom, I can't use that paper! I don't know yet how much Nebuchadnezzar is going to need!" Since I am not copying the book of Daniel, I gave her a paper from one of my notebooks. :)

The second thing that made me laugh today was more visual in nature, but I will try to describe it. Every day we are a group of 11 that gathers at our table for lunch (7 Brewers, Marissa & Enoch, Chau and Bee). So, there is a lot of chatter and the noise of dishes, etc. Faith was sitting next to me at one end of the long table. Near the opposite end was the object of Faith's affection: a platter of watermelon. Now, remember, Faith is the littlest of our group--her dad calls her "Little Bit." She obediently ate her vegetable soup and french fries, then asked me if she could eat watermelon. I said yes. To the table, Faith said "Pass the watermelon,please!" in a clear voice. In all the conversations and eating, no one paid attention. Faith let her back slump, put her elbow on the table, and slapped her right palm to her head, letting her head rest there. She was a woman who had lost hope of getting the watermelon. Of course, I had her make the request again, and she was rewarded with a lot of watermelon. In the end, she and Joy each ate 7-8 pieces. One other thing about Faith that blesses me each time I hear it. She loves for me to lay down beside her--day or night. Whenever I do, she wants to make sure that I face her, and she says, "Put your face on me." I can't help but think how much joy we bring to God's heart when we say,"Father, put Your face on me."

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

The Danang International Fireworks Competition

2009-03-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

For the past two evenings, Danang has hosted a fireworks competition. It is a very big deal, even though this is only the second year for the event. This year, five teams competed: Vietnam, Phillipines, Spain, Australia and China. Each team has about 20 minutes to present a"choreographed" presentation of music and fireworks, shot from a boat in the Han River, near the bridge. Hotels have been booked solid for over two months, and a large bleacher section built along the river sells tickets for 125.000 dong each ($7-$8 US dollars), which is an expensive ticket here.

We planned to watch the fireworks from our 3rd floor balcony. On Friday night, Mr. Bo and 10 of his friends planned to watch from our balcony as well. It was a bit crowded. Mr. Bo brought chairs and a television set, so we could hear the music for each presentation. The Phillipines,Vietnam and Spain made their presentations on Friday night. Because I couldn't see very well, I can't tell you too much about it. Vietnam's display included the Christmas song, "Carol of the Bells." Duc was here. When I told him it was a Christmas song, he just shrugged and said, "The fireworks went with it well."

On Saturday night, only Mr. and Mrs. Bo came to watch with us. It was a great evening. China's presentation was spectacular. Their music was from "Romeo and Juliet" and they used a lot of red and white bursts (also some that opened in the shape of a heart). At the quieter moments, they used fireworks that seemed to float in the air, sparkling colors drifting down in silence. It was beautiful.

Australia chose a mixture of music, beginning with an aboriginal style of drums and stringed instruments, then incorporating classical music. It also had some narration. When they announced the results of the competition, they began with what the announcer called "the encouraging awards" (everything was translated into English). Those were the 4th and 5th place, which went to Vietnamand Phillipines, respectively. Australia was 3rd, Spain 2nd and China received 1st place. Well deserved. Throughout the evening, the announcer would say, "Give a big clap for ..." It was cute.

In preparation for the competition, the Han River bridge has been closed off and on for the past 10 days. At times, no traffic could cross. Other times, bicycles and motorbikes were allowed, but no cars. Even when it was open, it was like an obstacle course, with large trucks parked in the right lanes (or both directions--it's a 4 lane bridge) while the crews worked.

One other observation I made today. Bee bought paper towels. They have a lovely printed pattern on the bottom border. Unfortunately, the pattern faces the cardboard tube, so you cannot see any of the colors until you actually remove the paper towel from the roll. I don't know what the reasoning behind that move was. I told Jillian that the paper towels were just part of the mystery we call "Vietnam."

I hope you, too, have just enough mystery and quirky situations in your life to keep it fun.

Grace and peace!

The Lazarus Experiment

2009-03-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Chau, our teaching assistant and office worker, has been a great addition. She is now our "roach catching hero!"

I have to write about today's adventure in homeschooling. I am not a "bug
lover,"but we are studying insects in science, so I have put my
disdainful shivers aside for the good of education (yes, children,
straighten your back, lift your chin, and sniff for the old college try).

Any way, our book encouraged us to try "The Lazarus Experiment" to
demonstrate the remarkable ability of insects to close their breathing
apparatus (called spiracles, located mostly in their abdomen) in order to
survive a deluge of water. Here's how the experiment works: place a
living insect in a bowl of water and submerge it with a spoon. Keep it
under the water for 3 or more minutes. Take the "dead" insect out of the
water and place it on a paper towel. Cover it with salt to absorb the
extra water more quickly. Soon (within about 10 minutes or so) the insect
will "come back to life." Of course, in actuality, it was not dead, but
closed the spiracles and went into a kind of "hibernation."

So, armed with a live (large) roach this morning, we attempted to make our
mark in the field of science. Within 5 seconds of opening our container,
the room was filled with screams as the roach escaped. A battle of wits
and will ensued, the likes of which are the stuff of legend. After 4 or 5
attempts to submerge the creature, Chau and I banished the girls from the
room until we could catch it again in peace and quiet.

In the end, we prevailed. The experiment worked as outlined, and the
roach has now been adopted by Elizabeth who has decided it is cute. She
has named it "Catcher."

How wonderful...our friends have returned from New Zealand! Jillian was
so happy that Lucia is back, as we all are happy to see the family. The
girls and I spent most of the afternoon there. All the kids went swimming
in the pool. A lovely end to a good day.

I appreciate your prayers, as I am sharing the message at the
international church this Sunday. This is the last week of a series on
the Book of Galatians, so I will be sharing from Gal. 6.

I hope your week has been one in which you have felt the love of God in
your life in tangible, particular ways.

Grace and peace!

Double Take

2009-03-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

Daddy tries to tell them apart: Faith is on the left, Joy on the right.

True love

One day there was a business here, the next day...gone!

Hello, all--
Faith and Joy have decided they want to really be twins. A couple days ago, Joy said, "Faith, I want my hair cut like yours so we'll be twins." I thought it was just a passing thought because Joy has always loved to brush her long hair, and turn in front of the mirror so she could see it down her back. But, two days later, she was still asking me when we could have her hair cut.
So, today... The results are adorable. The girls are thrilled. They are having too much fun telling all of us that Faith is Joy and Joy is Faith. It has given us all a lot of laughter.

On another note, there seems to be a habit here in Vietnam that amazes me. When a business moves, they not only take their inventory and furniture, they take their building! I first noticed this when the motorbike repair shop next door moved out, doors, walls, roof and all! Now another business has left--a cafe on a corner in the next block. It is so surprising to have a building on a lot one day and the next day, the lot is empty.

Of course, I realize that for everything that I find to be strange or inexplicable about the Vietnamese, they are observing things about me that surprise them as well. I'm sure we are a curiousity to many.

Lord, help me to appreciate differences without judgment and enjoy the diversity of your beautiful world!

Grace and peace!

Put THAT in your piggy bank and smoke it!

2009-03-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

Hello, all--

Tony and I rode 100 miles today on the motorbike. I am sitting gingerly, moving slowly and feeling every minute of my considerable years. Owwww.

During our trip (which was to attend a meeting), we stopped at a roadside cafe for a cold drink. We shared a soda for the whopping price of 8,000 dong (about 50 cents). Tony paid with a 20,000 dong bill. The cashier did not have any 1,000 denominations, so she used what she had--she gave him a 10,000 bill and two cigarettes! (I had to get a picture of Tony--it is on the blog.) It is not unusual to receive a piece of hard candy for small change, but the cigarette is a first. :)

Speaking of using what you have, I had an interesting conversation recently. I was talking with a missionary to another country. She has four children--all a little older than ours. She was "encouraging" me to make the girls "independent and responsible" so I could leave them with the housework, cooking, and preparations for guests while I went out to do "important work." But for me, the girls ARE the important work. This is what God has given me. I want to be faithful in it. As I do that well, I am confident He will send others to me to love in His name.

Of course, 100 miles on a motorbike gives one some time to think. Somehow I got to thinking about my growing up. My parents were divorced, so there was no father in the home, or really in the picture at all. I was pondering how that living arrangement affected my walk with Father today. Maybe because I felt securely loved, I have not questioned His love for me and I am able to give my love to Him. But I think that I am more self-reliant than I might have been, which has tended to make me independent and perhaps too tied to my own ways. I hope He deepens my prayer life and draws me close and quiet to His heart. I need Him. I need His voice. I need His strength and peace.

Today, I pray He calls you to Himself and speaks the words you most need to hear.

Grace and peace!

Milestones

2009-03-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Tony and I beside the Han River.

It has been an interesting few days here. I have now begun to use my Orphan Voice email account. My new email address is cindy.brewer@orphanvoice.org. Moving the address list was a challenge for me, but, if you are reading this, I have successfully completed the task!
Other recent milestones ....
1. I have now ridden Paddy (the motorbike) with two of the girls as my passengers. All was calm, all was bright. Jillian says my next step is to either ride with one of the girls in front of me, or to have an adult passenger. Hmmmm, we'll see.
2. When we moved here, three of our girls still used the training wheels on their bikes. Now, Faith is the only one with the extra wheels--much to her frustration. There is no teacher like your twin having her training wheels removed. I expect soon we will have only "2 wheelers" in the house!
3. Awhile back, Elizabeth bought a toy iron that plays music at the push of a button. Not surprisingly, the button broke off, leaving a myriad of tiny wires inside, but no music. Yesterday, Anna Mei "hot wired" the iron, and once again, it whistles while Elizabeth works.
4. We are anticipating the return of Enoch and Marissa tomorrow afternoon. Today, Faith prayed that they would "come home safe."
5. I am blessed to have a new helper, Chau ("chow") who is assisting me with homeschooling in the morning, and will help in the Orphan Voice office in the afternoons. The girls love her. I will introduce her more fully soon.

As happens so often in life, I experienced a trial recently where everything within me wanted to rise up and deliver a grand defense (peppered with a few personal jabs of retort). I was hurt. I was angry. I was ready to let another individual have "a piece of my mind." Tony wrote me this poem...

No matter what they think or say

My love for you is still the same

The love command I bid thee follow

T'will all be well upon the morrow

23 years of marriage and he starts writing poetry! Any way, you can imagine how that message did so much to calm my heart. I have certainly vented...but to the One who can change me and the situation. I know I am happier because of it.
May we all follow the path of Jesus' love today--
Grace and peace!

Silk Worms

2009-03-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

Feeding the silk worms

Along the river at Hoi An

A street in Hoi An

To coincide with our science unit on insects, today we visited a silk worm business in the town of Hoi An ("hoy ann"). It is known as "The Ancient City" and is full of shops selling all things silk, art, shoes, jewelry, etc. Very touristy. It is about a 30 minute motorbike ride from Danang. We were quite a caravan on our bikes: Duc, Linh, Sally and Elizabeth; our friend Chau with Jillian and Joy; Bee with Anna Mei; Tony with our American guest Chris; and me with Faith.

Silk production is very interesting. It takes more than 100 silk cocoons to make just one tie.

The girls were able to see silk worms at 2 days, 2 weeks and 4 weeks old, plus the cocoons in all states of progress. Then we saw how the silk thread is removed, and woven together. We also learned about three different qualities of silk and what makes the taffeta silk so special, and the raw silk so rough.

Our textbook credit Christian monks with sharing the secrets of silk making with the world. Chinese emperors carefully guarded this knowledge and executed anyone who tried to export the knowledge. The monks carved out the inside of their walking sticks and put some silk worms inside, then walked out of the country. Pretty smart, eh?

The Vietnamese people love to eat the pupa, the silk caterpillar inside the cocoon. It is killed when the cocoon is place in hot water to make it easy to get the thread off. The people then fry the pupa and eat it.

Up through about 3 weeks of age, when they are mature, the silk worms are fed mulberry leaves every three hours. The worms are kept in a heap on a large, round, flat basket. The woman at the plant brings out a large cutting board, a butcher knife and a pile of leaves. She chops the leaves into tiny bits and covers the worms with the food. They literally eat their way back to the top! They are fed every 3 hours during the day, and twice through the night.

After the thread is removed, it is woven into cloth. Using a handloom, a person can make about 3 yards of cloth per day. With the automated version, they make about 10 yards per day. They also use the silk thread to make needlepoint-like pictures. They are exquisite.

So, that was our day. Before we came home, we all enjoyed a bag of iced sugar cane juice. Most cafes put cold drinks into a baggie with ice, then rubberband it to a straw--no cup needed!

The wonders of God's creation are truly amazing. What a creative and brilliant mind He has! May we all notice His handiwork with new eyes today.

Grace and peace.

Fish

2009-03-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

The fish have arrived! Oh happy day! There are 20 of them. I can't keep track of all the names...Shinestein, Pinky, Sky, Shark, Ariel, Shirley Temple...these are just a few. But they are so beautiful to watch. I have had to hide the food, of course. And there have been more than a few threats made about taking the top of the aquarium off to "stir" the water with the net! But it is a wonderful addition and we are enjoying it.

For those who like to keep up with cost differences between here and the US, the aquarium, filter, light, rocks and decorations, fish, and the table (made to our height specifications) all cost about $60. In addition, for about $5 per month, someone from the fish store comes to our house twice per month to clean the tank, replace plants, etc. Is that a bargain, or what?

Hope your life includes some beauty today. Things here are going swimmingly!

Grace and peace!

More Pictures

2009-02-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth in Anna Mei's latest design
Jillian in another Anna Mei original

Jillian at the beach.

A lot of sand gets moved on our visits!

Joy in the surf.

Don't worry--she's sitting in the water--and

loving every minute of it!

Elizabeth examines one of the ocean treasures that she found.

For about 2,000 dong (a little more than a dime) you can

shower off the sand.

Motorbike Mom

2009-02-23T04:21:00.000-08:00

Here I am in the courtyard in front of the house

Welcome, Paddy!

Anna Mei's beach handstand

Hello all,

Well, I now have wheels. My motorbike is a small Yamaha, called an "Ultimate". It is white and dark blue with a camel colored seat. We had a carrying case put on the back--someplace to lock my purse while driving and to carry small bags home from the market. Already I have been practicing. I rode to church yesterday (a friend here had spent the night with us and she rode in the taxi with the girls). Tony rode with me on his bike since it was my first trip across the Han River Bridge from home.

Later in the afternoon, we rode to the beach. Tony took three girls on his bike, Jillian rode her bicycle and I took Faith on my bike. Everything went well. I am taking it slow and being very careful. Daily we pray for safety for every passenger that ever rides on Paddy (well, I HAD to call it something!). Paddy is a reminder that"Prayers were Answered through D and D--Yahoo!" "D and D" are the friends that made this purchase possible (I thought they might rather remain anonymous). I also get a kick out thinking I have my own little "Paddy wagon"--I must be a little off my rocker to start riding a motorbike in Danang traffic at the age of 50! Any way, I'm having a wonderful time--holding my breath through busy intersections and generously using my horn.

A couple other things I wanted to share. At the beach, the Lord brought to mind another spiritual truth that I need right now... The day was breezy and beautiful, with wave upon wave rushing up on the sand in ever-increasing arcs. I was walking along the edge, watching the water wash up, then back. It was rather dizzying. I felt and perceived that the earth was shifting and rolling. The only way to maintain balance was to keep my eyes most often fixed upon an immoveable point on the horizon. If I was too interested in the waves, I lost balance. By looking up, I could enjoy the waves that lapped across my feet; but I could also remain stable and steady against the larger waves that slapped against my knees with surprising force and speed. For me, it was a reminder to keep looking up, keep perspective, enjoy life's pleasantries and stand strong in adversity.

Last night we experienced a first. About 10pm, we heard loud music from the street. I went to the balcony to have a look. There in the middle of the street was a young man with an amplifier, electric guitar and microphone, sharing his music with the world while motorbikes, bicycles and cars went around him. Eventually, one of the little cafes next to us invited him under their tin roof shelter to sing.

And, on more thing. Anna Mei said today that one of her back teeth had chipped. I took a look and saw a rather large hole. So, we paid a visit to a dentist, with much fear and trepidation on my part. I am so glad that Tony went with us (Linh came to translate, Jillian came for emotional support). Thanks be to God, all went well. He put in some kind of filling. No pain, no fear. He did say that 3 baby teeth need to be pulled to allow room for the permanent teeth to come in. We are praying about what steps we will take, plus investigating how to proceed given Anna Mei's heart history.

Thanks be to the Father who gives every good and perfect gift! Grace and peace!

Fashion Show

2009-02-19T04:01:00.000-08:00

Joy loves to pose in purple!
Ta da! Anna Mei shows off the back of her design.

Our family fashion designer....Anna Mei, age 8.

3 Princesses on the 3rd floor balcony, Joy is in the front, Elizabeth and Anna Mei in the back.

Joy's twin, Faith, is not much for girly dress-up games, but she would love to be a ninja warrior! Here she offers her protective services to Joy.

Joy received a bag of fabric pieces for Christmas. Today, Anna Mei designed all these ensembles for herself, Elizabeth and Joy. What a happy afternoon! Anna Mei has pleaded with me to stitch up the "dress" so she can wear it to church, etc. Hmmmm....

I am so thankful for moments like these.

Grace and peace!

Snapshot of Daily Life

2009-02-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, he's on the serving platter...just a little too "fresh from the sea" looking for me!
A rice field with the plastic "scarecrows" for rats.

Luncheon in Dai Loc--in the middle of an intersection!

Hello, all--

Summer-like weather is returning. We have actually had the AC on in the schoolroom today, and a little in the bedroom at night. Not the blistering temperatures that are coming, but noticeably warmer.

Linh and I went to Dai Loc yesterday. As we prepare for more rennovations there, we talked to the staff about the needs for the children's rooms and the kitchen, mainly. When I first asked if they needed anything, the only thing they said is that they would like to have a large serving bowl for the rice they fix at meals. We kept talking, and of course, the needs are far greater than that. Lord willing, we will have a hand in making their lives a bit easier, and their home more welcoming and comfortable. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to understand some of the Vietnamese conversation with the orphanage director. Yeah!

I had not been to Dai Loc by motorbike since before the rainy season, so the ride was especially enjoyable. I felt like a Danang-native on the bike--while Linh drove, I text-messaged someone on my phone. The rice fields are a luxurient green, decorated with "plastic scarecrows"--bright plastic bags on wooden sticks that keep rats at bay.

Dai Loc being a more rural area, there were many animals roaming the streets. I had to smile, one stray cow was standing calmly at the door of a karoake cafe, looking as if she was waiting to enter. There were all manner of fowl running around loose--chickens, geese, ducks, etc. They seem oblivious to traffic.

Over the months that we have lived here, fish has become one of my favorite foods. Bee has fixed all kinds. Last night, when Linh and I returned, supper was on the table...but I just didn't have the heart to eat the big fella on the platter.

A great day, all in all. So much for which to be thankful. I pray that is your experience, too...Grace and peace!

Appearances

2009-02-15T00:31:00.000-08:00

It just looks like we live in a city--the herd that walks past our house a few times a week says this is their home!

It's not a "pin-up" pose--don't you know a mermaid when you see one?

Hello, all--

There is a saying here: "Vietnam....where "yes" means "maybe" and "maybe" means "no." Things are not always what they appear, are they?

Today in church...everyone came with a smile. There were hugs. Niceties were exchanged. From outward appearances, just a gathering of happy folk who gather weekly to grin about their "easy" lives here. But we all knew. The smiles were real, but sometimes they shared a tear. The niceties were sincere...we really wanted to know "how are you?" The hugs were brief (mostly), but they carried heartfelt emotion. Because in our little gathering of believers, we knew...
...one had lost her mother this past week, but won't be able to travel home to the US for the funeral
...one had a co-worker receive our Father's message and join our forever family this past week
...one had problems with her local employer, who had not disclosed to officials that a foreigner was employed, and her visa was revoked. She leaves on Tuesday, just six months into what she planned to be a 2-year stay
...one will begin an exciting new work this week with young girls...one just arrived a couple weeks ago from Michigan.

So, "Blessed Assurance" brought a rolling tear, or two. When we sang "Who am I? I am Yours" it was a decision to trust the heart of the One who holds the future. We sang in celebration, in faith, in hope. In all appearances, it was just the "music portion" of our worship service.

From all appearances, I was facing the increasing temperatures with my bicycle for transportation. I am a wimp. I have never pretended to be anything else. I knew that the heat would get to me. It was only a matter of time until I would give up biking...and the freedom that goes with it. One phone call changed all that. I received word that a very generous donation was going to purchase my motorbike. Hallelujah! Thank You, Father! Thank you, dear friends!

Yesterday, for Valentine's Day, we took the girls to the beach. It has warmed up, so there were swimsuits and sand toys (uh, digging tools), and towels. Standing at the edge of the surf, I observed that if I stood still, the ebb and flow of waves washing ashore eroded the sand under my feet and it was difficult to maintain my balance for long without moving. The more I "dug in" my heals, the harder the time I had standing upright on the shifting ground. I had to laugh a little. Isn't that a picture of life? Things are always changing, sometimes with a tidal wave, most often from the rhythmic movement of time. If I refuse to move, I may fall on my face (or...the other way). The more I set myself to "stay put", to demand "my space" and "my way"--the greater the danger of a fall. In the surf, and perhaps in life, the only way to stay balanced and upright is to stay on your toes and keep moving forward, even by inches. It looked like I was standing still, but I wasn't.

I have chosen to laugh this week at a few other appearances...
...it looked like a tablespoon, but it's really a thick piece of foil that bent in half under the weight of a scoop of (soft) ice cream.
...it looked like a child's new shoe, but one trip up the stairs revealed that it was really two piece of cardboard glued together with a thin layer of black rubber for a sole.
...it looked like a wafer decorated with paprika; it was a wafer all right, but one that lit of ball of fire on your tongue (that ain't no paprika, son).
...it looked like a piece of crunchy cardboard, but it was...delicious! (and the "rice-thingy wrapped in a lettuce leaf" was yummy, too. I skipped the dipping sauce...it is ALWAYS hot!)

In the scheme of the universe, you may appear to be small and insignifiicant. But the Creator of it all knows you by name. It may look like someone has "messed up" your life, in even thwarted your purpose. But the One who holds you in His hand is all-wise and all-powerful. He laughs at what we call a "power play." May that reality give us all cause for rejoicing this week!

Grace and peace!

Contradictions

2009-02-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

r
Barrel of trouble or tons of fun? It's all in perspective. Top: Anna Mei loves for Einstein to play with her hair. Bottom: Shasta in the arms of a favorite buddy, Faith.

Hello, all--

These days have been busy as ever, but seem especially to bring to my mind the bittersweet realities of life. We have received news of friends and loved ones struggling with tragedy, deep inner wounds, and loss. Yet in the midst, there is the promise of new life, the anticipation of a spring time for the soul. I am choosing to reach toward healing, toward help and strength that are outside the bounds of human wisdom and ability.

There is so much comic relief in living here--for us and our Vietnamese friends. We are as much a mystery to them as they are to us. Duc, Linh and Bee cannot fathom the joy the girls get from the puppies. I think they see Einstein and Shasta as furry, disease-prone, noisy, destructive, bundles of trouble. That's quite a load for a puppy to carry! :)

Someone recently asked me what I missed most about the states. I think it is simple shopping--not a grand shopping spree, but just being able to go look at a variety of items and make a selection. Whether it's food, clothing, or even glue--most often, there is one choice: take it or leave it. The other day, I was at Big C in the "baking aisle." It made me drool for Wal-Mart or Kroger--or even Save-Alot. There was one brand of sugar, one kind of wheat flour, one brand of powdered sugar. No baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, vanilla or food coloring. One bag of cake mix. No frosting, no pancake syrup, no cake pans, muffin tins or cupcake liners. Some stores carry some of these items, so finding them is a bit of a scavenger hunt. But, there are so many lighter moments. The girls are excited about having a "Valentine" party in our school tomorrow. So, today we walked to a little store a couple blocks behind our house to get some treats. The man who has the store speaks a little English. When we were on the way, he came running toward us from across the street. Turns out he was visiting someone and his store was locked up (at 3:00 in the afternoon). When he saw that we were going to his store, he ran out to open up just for us. We bought a liter bottle of 7-up, six little bags of chips, and a large package of wafer cookies--all for about $2.25. When we returned home, Bee was completely perplexed at the purchase. How do you pantomime "Valentine school party"?

It is simple things that continue to bring me the greatest joys. Studying the faces around the supper table, spontaneous eruptions of celebration because our weekend menu includes chicken and dumplings or potato soup. Goodnight hugs and kisses. Sleepy faces waking with smiles to puppy kisses and tail wags.

Another joy--I have been asked to lead the worship each week at the church. What a blessing!

We appreciate your prayers. Much is happening. And everywhere we look, more to be done. May the Lord reveal His goodness to you in ever-amazing ways that touch your heart and strengthen you in every way. Grace and peace!

My Seaside Lessons

2009-02-02T03:15:00.000-08:00

Lining up for the race
The big finish!

Enjoying a picture-taking opportunity!

Hello, all--

If one bike ride to the beach amazed me, then I am definitely bowled over, having now completed three trips! The second was the most difficult--a very windy day, with most of the ride home riding into the wind. It was a hard go for me and for Anna Mei. But...we made it! On the third trip, Jillian was my companion, having returned from her excursion to the countryside. Not surprisingly, the travel time with Jillian was nearly cut in half--she didn't need to stop as often as Anna Mei (I use the term "need" loosely--Anna Mei likes to stop more than she needs to!).

Any way, there is something about the sea that makes me meditate on the things of God in a different way than I otherwise would. Perhaps it is the sheer expanse of it--an unending view of deep waters. On our second visit, the wind made the waves much higher. It was an awesome sight, waves cresting higher and higher, with a sheet of white blowing off the top as the wind caught the foam. The sound was deafening, but the words that came to my mind were "the roar of peace." The rhythmic ebb and flow of the crashing waves was musical, even comforting. Of course, that is the case because I watched from the safety of the shore. In the distance, I saw a boat bouncing and swaying. I dare say that its occupants did not find the same peace in the churning water. Isn't that the reality of so many things in the kingdom? Watching the mighty hand of God move from the vantage point of safety enabled me to peacefully enjoy the beauty of swirls of white and blue. If I am in the middle of the storm, looking to a feeble mass of wood for safety, clutching in my own strength and resources--my response is fear. I recognize that one's vantage point has little to do with outward physical location and everything to do with one's inward reality. The heart rested on the goodness of God can find ease while standing on the rocking vessel. The wandering, doubtful, skeptical soul finds no comfort in the safety of the shoreline--only noise and a sense of insignificance.

Another point I have been pondering came after our third visit to the beach. While we were there, the girls decided to have some races. With Tony at the starting line, and me to judge the finish, they raced back and forth. It was a lesson in celebrating our differences and accepting varied personalities. At the start, all the girls would line up like Olympians. At the signal to run, three of the five would shoot out from the starting line. Joy would usually sit dow to build a sand castle; Elizabeth would run a few steps, then return to spend time with Joy. Jillian, with eyes focused on the finish line, usually shot across it first, then kept running without breaking stride. Anna Mei crossed the finish line, then immediately broke into a victory dance (the victory was that she crossed the line), and Faith would be almost at the finish, then see the inviting waves and veer off course to play in the water. Isn't that a picture of life? All kinds of people, running the race from different perspectives, goals, and plans on how to finish a happy race.

One other humorous note (at least to me). On our last visit, a group of Vietnamese approached me to try out their English. I think the group included a couple of sisters and their friends--all in their 20s. They asked if I would take their picture, with my camera. Mind you, I had no way to give them a print, and they did not have email. They just wanted to see the display of their picture on my digital camera. It gave them immense pleasure. :)

May we all find enjoyment in such little things, without demanding more, more, more. Every day is a gift in itself. If we are able to hold close those that we love, let us count ourselves blessed. Even more, think for a moment of the indescribable blessing of being one who is loved and known (and still loved more) by the One who created it all.

Grace and peace!

Expectations

2009-01-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

Faith and Joy on a ride--with their helium balloons!
Jillian and Anna Mei at the park.

Faith and Joy in the ball pit.

The girls with An, their ballet teacher, and her two daughters (on the back row). The fountain in her house is on the left.

Hello, all--

We are coming to the close of our first Tet holiday. It is amazing to me that most stores are still closed. All the local hair salons, bookstores, bike repair shops, furniture stores, and most everything other than food places still have their doors locked. It is slightly easier to get a taxi, but still requires patience. From everything I had heard about Tet, I was expecting more frustration. Not that there haven't been moments...

The day before yesterday, the girls and I walked a few blocks to a local "carnival" that opened on an empty lot for Tet. There was one kiddie ride, and several "games of chance." Vendors also sold balloons and food. We met a couple of friends there--ladies who are here teaching English. A Vietnamese man started talking to me (as much as he could with very little English). First, he wanted me to buy balloons. I told him "not yet." Then, he seemed to take a keen interest that the man in charge of the ride did not charge too much for Faith and Joy. When he seemed to get a little too attached, Dawn, Susan and I decided we had better leave, and maybe we could come back and he would be gone. That was our hope, but we never expected him to leave with us! He came with us down the street, first arguing with Dawn that I must be kidnapping Vietnamese children, I couldn't be the mother of three Asian girls! She assured him that I was their mother, and pointed out that they all spoke English. That did not satisfy him. He kept walking with us--I kept the girls at the front of our procession with me, then Susan was the buffer, and Dawn (who speaks the most Vietnamese, having lived here for 2 years) kept the man at the back and tried to persuade him to leave. After awhile, he told her that he wanted me to give him money for all of his "help." By this time, we had walked several blocks, and when we came to a cafe, we went in and sat down for a soda to try to get away from this man. He continued to call into us. Finally, the lady who owned the cafe told him that if he did not leave us alone, she would call the police. Finally he left. Whew!

A couple of weeks ago, the ballet teacher invited us to make a Tet visit to her home on Jan. 29. So, yesterday afternoon, the girls and I took a taxi to her address. I tried to prepare the girls to be polite and to withhold comments about the house, the food, etc. Although the outside was very plain with a heavy iron gate for a front door, the inside was lovely. There was even a waterfall beside the stairs, with fish in a pool at the bottom! The teacher An and her two daughters (ages 13 and 14) were so gracious. They brought out candy, coconut, nuts, cookies, a Tet cake, some kind of "gelled" meat, and orange soda. An offered me beer, but I stuck with the soda. They gave the girls the red envelopes with some money. It was very sweet. An does not speak English, but her 14 year-old daughter, Tran, translated for us.

During the visit at An's house, she invited us to a dance performance at a local park tonight. While Tony worked, four of the girls and I went out again (Elizabeth decided to stay home)--with Dawn, and went to the park. It turned out to be an amusement park with many small rides. Dawn told us there is also a zoo there (with less than 10 different animal species). Rides cost about 25 cents each, and a helium balloon was about 55 cents. Cotton candy is about 18 cents. The behavior of the crowds is something else. There is so much pushing--the lines do not form in any kind of orderly fashion. Everyone just stands in a mob near the entrance, then pushes to the front when the gate opens to admit people. Faith and Joy had balloons tied to their wrists. We had trouble getting them off for them to play in a ball pit--the attendant broke the string with her teeth! For the moving rides, I was allowed to stand next to the ride or the track while the girls rode--no waiting outside the fence. And, when Anna Mei and Faith rode a mini-roller coaster, the attendant told me to let them stay on for a second ride without a ticket.

So, it has been an interesting week. In these and other events, I have been reminded that much of my frustration comes when life does not match my expectations. How much more peaceful to recognize that things are just "different"--without judging them as "bad"--and let God's grace flow through me.

One other note, something that I did not expect during Tet...with many people flying the Vietnamese flag, I have been so happy to see our American flag hanging in the classroom. How thankful I am to tell people we are from America. I never really thought before of the great blessing it is to have been born in the United States. Perhaps that is the way people feel all over the world about their own country.

I hope that your joy, strength and peace today exceeds all your expectations! May you be surprised continually by His great love!

Grace and peace!

As Tet Begins

2009-01-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

Tony answers some of the reporter's questions while shopping for Tet.

Hello, all-

Tet officially begins at midnight tonight, which is 12 noon Sunday for those in the eastern US. Already we can see how different life is here during this holiday. The banks closed yesterday and will remain closed for the entire week. Every little cafe around our house has already locked its doors for the week. We tried for about 40 minutes to get a taxi to Big C yesterday--after calling three different taxi companies, we finally found one that had drivers working. At Big C, pandomonium was the order of the day--there were no shopping carts, not one. The procedure for obtaining one is not the most simple: The entrance to the supermarket is on the second floor. Checkout is on the third floor. Then, most people take their purchases in the cart back to the first floor to leave (or even to the basement where the parking garage is. So, to get a cart, you have to go back to the first floor.

So, Bee and I got the cart and shopped for the next 4-5 days--not an easy thing to do with a refrigerator the size of a cooler. I couldn't help but be amused at shopping with Bee. If I picked up two packages of pancake mix, she put one back. When I pointed out the ground beef, she asked the butcher for about a half a pound. So, there was some "give and take" between us (plus, I put the extra pancake mix back in the cart when she was getting broccoli--ha!). Buying vegetables is interesting. In the vegetable section, there are plastic bags, much like in the states. But, when you put the produce in the bag, you must have it weighed and priced in the produce section. If there is no price on it at checkout, you cannot buy it. Also, the attendant not only weighs and affixes the price sticker, he or she also twists the top of the bag closed. If the seal is broken, you cannot buy the produce.

Usually, when leaving Big C, there are 6-7 taxis parked out front waiting to drive people. Of course, not yesterday. And, while we were shopping, the rain started. Bee finally flagged down a taxi. The front of Big C has several steps, so the cart cannot be taken all the way down to the curb. That makes an interesting (and wet) procedure in loading the groceries. The driver backed up on the sidewalk close to the gate at the house, so that helped in getting the groceries into the house.This morning, it was another adventure in getting a taxi. The driver said he would return to the church at 12 noon to take us home...but, at 12:30, we finally were able to get another taxi back.Mr. Bo somehow learned about the television interview. He invited our whole family over for the first airing of it--at 6:00 am on Tuesday morning! The second airing will be Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Unfortunately, Mr. Bo prefers the morning show. He said to bring the whole family and we'll drink coffee (that's good--I'll need it!).

As joyous as Tet is for the Vietnamese, I'm sure it has to be stressful for many people. There are many rules about what to do, when to visit, what to take, even what colors to wear. In a country where there is so much poverty, it has to be difficult to provide food for guests, spruce up the house, buy flowers, etc.We welcome your prayers, that we will be a blessing to people we greet at Tet. We want to put people at ease, to go through our day showing compassion, kindness, honor and grace. May it begin in our own hearts and home!

Grace and peace!

Preparing for Tet

2009-01-22T04:18:00.000-08:00

Anna Mei was the first one of us brave enough to try the Tet cake!
A Tet food vendor at the market--from the left, some kind of small bird eggs, beef, hot dogs, vegetables and fish. The corn kernels underneath are stir fried.

Flowers, flowers and more flowers for sale!

The Tet Cake: Sticky rice on the outside, a peanut paste on the inside. The green color is from the leaves that the cake is wrapped in for storage.

Here are the girls with their balloons.

Hello, all--

The rainy season has ended (sigh of relief), and the days are much warmer and sunny, for the most part. We are getting ready for the biggest holiday in Vietnam, called Tet. The schools dismiss for 2 weeks, all the stores will close for 2 days--even ballet is cancelled for 3 weeks. The whole town is decorated, there are gifts, special foods, many traditions, lots of visiting to family and friends. Most of the foreigners we know leave the country because it is crowded, prices are raised, and most stores, restaurants, theaters, etc. are closed. The main Tet celebration is this Monday through Wednesday. It kicks off with fireworks at midnight on Sunday night. Duc says we should be able to see them from our 3rd floor balcony, so I think we will not even try to get down close to the river, even though the girls want to try to stay up late and go.

A local television station contacted our family about filming us for a story about foreigners in Danang for their first experience of Tet. So, yesterday, a cameraman and reporter met us at Big C and followed us through the store as we bought some Tet traditions: a special "cake" made of sticky rice and a peanut filling, fresh pickles, and pickled onions, and some sweets. Also, Tet is a time of beautifying your home, so there are flowers everywhere. We went to a market and bought some flowers, and I bought an arrangement of bamboo--I love it! The girls also got big helium balloons. The news story will air next week; we will probably watch it with Mr. and Mrs. Bo.Tet is the lunar new year. There are many superstitions and beliefs about many things. Mostly, though, people talk about the holiday as a time for family--it is the time when everyone returns home. Children receive "lucky money" gifts in small red envelopes. Tomorrow or Saturday, I will do a big shopping with Bee--getting enough food in the house for 3 or 4 days, since the stores may not be open. Bee will be visiting her family, so she will not return to our house until Thursday.

Personally, I think the excitement that comes with a new year is a God-given desire for all things to be made new. What a wonderful witness to the kingdom of God that the old can pass away and there is hope for the future! In so many of the Tet traditions that have been explained to us, at the root is the desire for blessing in the lives of the people you love, and for yourself. It is a time of leaving the past behind and moving on to something new, something better. It has given us a chance to share a little about our faith, and the God who gives new life.

May His love touch your life in a new way today.

Grace and peace!

Bee's Housewarming

2009-01-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

Joy holding the chick.
This mother and her calf wandered by while we were at Bee's house.

This was one of the tables after the meal!

This man was so kind. I just had to have a picture!

Bee and her husband receive our gifts.

Bee's new house.

Hello, all--

We are ever-learning the customs of Vietnam. A couple weeks ago, Bee brought us a handwritten invitation to a gathering at her new house. The "party" was this past Sunday. I would describe it as a "housewarming" although the main activity was a full meal for 60-70 guests. Christians here use this time also for a prayer of the home's dedication to the Lord, asking for His protection and blessing. The prayer time took place on Saturday, since Bee's house is about a 30-minute motorbike ride from her church in Danang, and the pastor could not get to her house easily after the morning service. Joy surprised us all by wanting to spend the night with Bee on Saturday night before the party. She had a great time!

To prepare for this event, Bee must have cooked for at least a couple of days. There was rice, shrimp, chicken, beef, vegetables, soup, and more. Bee and her husband had rented round tables and plastic stools for the guests, and had moved all their furniture outside beside the house to make room.

It is customary to bring gifts and money to the new homeowner, specifically, money to offset the expense of the meal. This is also the custom for the wedding reception. The gift should be at least 6-70,000 dong per guest ($3-$4). All gifts are given to the family upon arrival, but none of the packages or envelopes are opened in the presence of the guests.

We were, of course, somewhat of an attraction, since only one or two others at the party spoke any English at all.

Bee lives out in the countryside--we saw many rice fields and several farm animals. The house across the street held a treasure for the girls' attention: chicks. Oh, how they begged to bring one home! (No, I did not give in!)

It was a great afternoon. I could tell that it meant so much to Bee and her husband for us to attend. It was a joy to honor her in this small way.

May your life, too, be blessed with good friends and may we all have the good sense to appreciate them and honor them whenever possible!

Grace and peace!

Exploring the Neighborhood

2009-01-18T01:20:00.000-08:00

The harbor
Neighborhood Street

A sure sign the rain is leaving--laundry hanging outside!

Jillian and I near the harbor--I am hoping to replace my baggy clothes soon!

Hello, all--

I am not sure if I mentioned that I, too, was blessed with a bicycle for Christmas. With the rain subsiding over these past three days, Jillian, Anna Mei, Elizabeth and I have taken to our wheels and started riding around our neighborhood. Since our taxis mostly come and go on only one or two streets, we have not seen some of the smaller streets behind our house, or those that shoot off the main streets.

I am so thankful that we did not move. The streets around here are very quiet, and much wider than the street where we had planned to move. So, I feel better about riding with my five travellers. When all six of us ride, we head to a nearby harbor. There is hardly any traffic on the street there, a large sidewalk and a view of the water. Today, with the "older girls," we looked for new avenues. Little businesses are everywhere. Several little "quick marts"--some that are so small that all their merchandise fits on a counter at the front--no need to go inside to shop. I know enough Vietnamese to ask "How much is this?", to understand the answer and say "thank you." I can also tell people that Jillian is from America when they look perplexed about her not conversing with them in Vietnamese.

The homes of most families here are very small. There are many windows and doors to allow air circulation, most have no glass, but shutters close at night or for the rain. One house we passed today had a piece of chain link fence at the window. I'm sure it is very serviceable for hanging things---like clothes that need to dry.

We tried to ride by the harbor on our way home. We didn't stay long--the smell was overpowering. It's not the freshest aroma on a good day, but today it was stifling. The stench of fish was everywhere. There was a strong breeze that seemed to carry the smell and drape it around like a blanket. I felt so sorry for the people who live and work there. Many of them live on their boats, which are small. One end of the boat holds nets and a scant supply of equipment. A plastic tarp makes a tent over the other side of the boat. Usually a change of clothes hangs inside the tent and there is a stool or two for sitting underneath. Not everyone who works there lives on their boats. Some of the "boats" look like large round baskets, about 4 feet in diameter. Unbelievably, they float and the fisherman stands in the middle and guides the vessel with a long pole. Our neighbor told me that it is very difficult to balance in these boats. No kidding.

On our way home this afternoon, Anna Mei's pedal came off. We were ready to dismount the bikes and walk them home, when a man stopped on a motorbike and offered his help. He tried to repair it right there, but needed some tools. So, through pantomime, he said he would take the bike to his house (nearby), fix it and bring it back. Of course, a crowd had gathered to watch the proceedings. So, off he went. We wondered if he would return, but I told Jillian that all the ladies standing there to observe would probably be upset if they thought he was stealing the bike. Sure enough, in a few minutes, he returned with the bike and we rode home. It touches my heart that people who have so much need all around them still reach out to help others. Living here, we are well aware that we are "ripe" to be taken advantage of. But, the Lord brings people along who want to help. This fellow refused any money. He just wanted to help a child with a broken bike pedal.We have had our share of people trying to increase prices, take too much money, give back too little change--but we've also met so many people who are kind and helpful, shy and reserved, yet eager to communicate. Everywhere we go, we are greeted with "Hello!"--the only English word that many people here know.

So, that was our day (other than school, of course). I have to say, it was a good one. I am grateful to the One who gives every good and perfect gift. He pours joy on simple days like syrup on pancakes--how sweet it is!

Grace and peace!

Oh Well...

2009-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Oops! Oh well...she's a beauty, no matter what!

Wild scissor woman!

Hello, all--

It's Sunday night. It's been a good day. Yesterday was very damp and cold, but today dawned warmer and we were blessed with sunshine!

A team from Youth With A Mission visited our church today. They are based in San Fransisco and are at the end of several-week trip through parts of Asia. They led worship and shared testimonies.

After church, Tony and I thought that it was a good day to try something new, so we had the taxi drop us off downtown near the river and we went walking to find a "local" restaurant. These are the establishments that are all "open-air"--even the ones enclosed with walls have no glass on the windows. Typical food is noodles, rice, pork, chicken or fish. The rainy season is a great time to try out some new places because it is not hot to sit outside to eat.

The place we selected looked somewhat like a cross between a diner and a cafeteria. There was a counter, and the tables were laminant. The chairs were blue, red, and orange and were bolted on to a metal frame at the tables. Groups of three or four tables were joined at the ends with a metal tray to hold condiments. The menus were laminated sheets of paper. There was one menu in Vietnamese and one in English. The menu said "Hamburger" so we ordered six (for the girls and Tony), plus five orders of french fries, and fruit smoothies. I ordered "rice noodles in beef stew." The "hamburgers" turned out to be a slice of pork (somewhat like a pale Spam), with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and a thin spread of liverwurst paste (I kid you not). It actually tasted pretty good to the girls--they all ate. The french fries were ,,, french fries. My stew was beef pieces, carrot chunks, and onion in a tomato based broth, with rice noodles (they look a lot like Ramen noodles, but they are almost transparent in color). The fruit smoothies were a light red in color. They tasted of banana and watermelon, with some type of citrus fruit as well. Very good.

The condiments on the table were interesting, two kinds of soy sauce, two kinds of hot sauce, and chopsticks (no salt, pepper, sugar, ketchup, or napkins). After lunch, we took a walk along the river. It was very nice. There is a large paved plaza that runs along the river--plenty of room for the girls to run. We found a grassy area also. There was a slight incline. Faith immediately laid down in the grass and rolled down the hill, cackling all the way.

Tonight, Faith, Joy and Elizabeth all needed their bangs trimmed. I don't cut much hair, but I do trim bangs. Well...at least I used to. Everything went fine with Joy and Faith. Elizabeth's bangs were very long, since she had been growing them out--past her chin. I don't know what happened, but I whacked them off way to short. When Tony saw her, he said "WHO did that?" She giggled, and said, "Mommy had an accident!" Thankfully, she thinks it is funny (I would have imagined her bursting into tears). And, we know from experience that they will indeed grown back.

So, that has been our day. The girls and I cleaned up the supper dishes together. I love moments like that--we were singing show tunes, dancing with dirty plates, and just having a good time being together. We nearly had a fight between Anna Mei and Jillian about who would GET to wash the dishes (I love it!). It turns out that washing is preferable to drying, sweeping the floor and wiping off the table. Go figure. Jillian won out this time. I did rinse and dry duty, Anna Mei did the floor and worked on the table. Elizabeth helped in general. Faith and Joy were on "puppy sitting" duty. Dad was at his favorite pasttime--reading in his easy chair. I can't complain, though. He had finished up cleaning the kitchen this afternoon, while I had a nap!

This is the kind of day that I fear the girls will not remember, but one that I treasure. Nothing remarkable, but a wonderful contentment and the joy that comes with living peaceful moments without rush.

Grace and peace!

Finding Our Way

2009-01-10T05:06:00.000-08:00

Hello, all-

Joy may be the last Brewer girl to lose a baby tooth, but she made up for it by losing two on the same night! There is now a nice gap in the front bottom row. She loves it.

Today I took Joy and Anna Mei to ballet class. Last week, the teacher surprised us all by giving them matching pink dance leotards. Since Anna Mei and Joy were the only two in the class to receive them, I wondered if we had missed something in a previous week...or if I was supposed to purchase them...or if they were just checking sizes... I called Linh to talk to the teacher on the phone. It turns out that she just saw the leotards and wanted to buy them for the girls (dance leotards are not easy to find here-- many people have them made). They were a gift. I felt bad for the other girls, although no one in the class seemed to pay much attention. Even the other parents who were there were all smiles. Very different.

On the way to ballet, our taxi driver spoke a little English--enough to say "Hello, madame. How are you? Where you go?" That's all it took for Anna Mei. She talked to him non-stop the remainder of the ride. He was grinning from ear to ear, which she took to mean comprehension. She needed no further encouragement. Even I had to concentrate to catch her monologue, which went something like this...

Wow, this bridge sure has a lot of traffic today. When we get really good on our bikes, we're going to ride across the bridge. But that might take awhile. Hey, maybe you can drive the taxi next to us on our bikes and we can wave to you. But you will have to be careful, we are only allowed to turn right on to streets right now. But when we get really good in traffic, we're going to ride to Big C and ballet and Metro and all over. Do you have a bike? I really like to ride. I also like to dance and paint. Do you have kids? You can bring them over to our house to play sometime. It's okay if they don't speak English--I know some Vietnamese. Xin chao! Ban co que khong? Cam on. Toi tam tuoui. ("Hello! How are you? Thank you. I am 8 years old.")

There was more, but you get the picture. The words just poured out of her at lightening speed.All these things made me think today about learning to live in a new culture and adjustments. Which reminded me that I am continuing to learn how to live in the Kingdom. Attitudes, reactions, values, etc. are different in this Kingdom. It is a new "normal." I can choose to assimilate and allow the Holy Spirit to change me, or I can resist and insist on living my own way--even though it will make things harder on me. I may not understand the "whys" of life in the Kingdom. But life will be more enjoyable, peaceful, contented, and productive if I humble myself and give up my "own way."

May your day be joyous because the King reigns in your heart today!

Grace and peace!

Phones

2009-01-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

Faith (left) with Shasta; Elizabeth is holding Einstein.

Jillian returns after a successful ride to the post office to purchase minutes for the phone.

Hello, all--

Another eventful day here. Rennovation has begun on the bathrooms at the Dai Loc orphanage. Tony was out there and the work is progressing nicely. Soon the kids will have new shower stalls and more working toilets.

At our house, we have had an upgrade (we think) to the phone. When we moved in, Mr. Bo had phone service here, with one telephone on the first floor. The phone worked, technically, but had increasing static. Little by little, we opted for the cell phones.Here, all cell phone minutes are prepaid. When the phone "runs out" of the minutes, you cannot make any calls. You can, however, receive calls. Also, most people I know (but not all) can text message, even if they have no minutes on their phone. Minutes can be added to the phone at any post office, which is interesting to me, because you cannot receive mail at every post office. For example, there is a post office almost directly across the street from us. We cannot receive mail there, but we can purchase minutes for our phones. The other day, Jillian ventured out on her bike and bought minutes for my phone. It was a great victory for her, since she went by herself and was able to transact the business without incident or difficulty.

We learned, however, that a "wireless" phone is less expensive than the regular phone service, and about half of the cell phone expense. When Duc said "wireless", I was thinking "cordless." No, no, no. It is wireless. The phone looks like a regular base and handset, with a cord connecting the handset to the base. But it works like a cell phone with a sim card. When charged, it can be carried anywhere--as long as you take the whole phone. We can text message with it, etc.

Another major development here is the addition to our family. Tony and I realize our girls will be young only once. So...today he brought home not one, but two puppies. You can only imagine the peals of squeals. Shasta and Einstein, both males, have been welcomed with open arms. I don't know how Caphe and Basille will feel about their new neighbors. :)

I know that New Year is nearly a week old, but I have been thinking about resolutions. I love the idea of beginning fresh and new. My resolutions are not about perfection, but progress. I am not looking for the final arrival at a destination as much as a definite departure from where I am right now. I am resolved to surrender fully, to look to Jesus in every situation and rely on Him, to experience the joy that He has for me, to walk out a life where in Him I "live and move and have my being." Several years ago, I heard Dr. John Oswalt talk about Isaiah 26:3-- "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." He said that in Hebrew, the picture of this verse is of one a mind leaning upon the Lord at such an angle that should the Lord move, the leaning mind would fall flat with no chance of catching itself. I want to lean like that. Leaning on Jesus while still bracing myself "just in case" is not faith.

Today, I read a quote by Charles Spurgeon that has kept me thinking along these lines..."Faith goes up the stairs that love has made and looks out the window which hope has opened."May we all climb the stairs before us with anticipation and joy!

Grace and peace!

One Sunny Day

2009-01-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

Tony arrives home in the rain. I took the picture from the upstairs balcony.

Hello, all--

I awoke to the same howling wind and continual spatter of rain that had sent me off to sleep the night before. For the third consecutive day, rain was blowing in visible sheets as water poured from the sky. "Hmmmmm," I thought. Another day of clothes that won't dry, of mopping up leaks on the stairs, of layering on clothes against the damp cold that has settled from floor to ceiling. Another sequestered day in the house. Just when I was grumbling toward the coffee, the power went off. I was ready to run with a list of complaints, worries, pessimistic possibilities--when a still, small voice abruptly and unexpectedly stopped me. "You'll be all right. All it will take is one sunny day." I smiled. No need to let the weather "rain on my parade" (pun intended--ha!)

I've been thinking about it all day. If just the thought of a sunny day could turn my day around, what warmth and goodness could I bring to the life of another person? I experienced that today, too. You can imagine that tempers don't always stay pleasant when 6 people are "housebound." (Tony has to get out, so he faces the daily drenching and chill wrapped in plastic.) By the end of the day, I was feeling a little down again--too sharp with the girls, too many commands, demands, and reprimands...

Tonight, I received an email of "The Mom Song." I have put the link below. What a great reminder of all the things we share as parents...or children. The song brought a little sunshine to my night. Hope it does the same for you.

Grace and peace!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw

Tien Phuoc

2009-01-01T06:19:00.001-08:00

The children line up

Actually, this chicken is for the dinner at Dai Loc, but the girls are amazed that they sell them with the heads on.

Gift baskets packed, ready to load on the van!

25 baskets fit on our table--ready to box up for loading!

Here are some of the pictures from the Christmas parties at Tien Phuoc. What a privilege to serve here!

Catching Up

2009-01-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

At the Korean Church: "Asleep on the hay..."

Signing "Silent Night" while the Korean pastor stands by.

Hello, all--

Happy New Year! Just wanted to catch you up a little on what has been happening here over the last week or so. As you know, four of our daughters have birthdays between Dec. 9 and 18. Then mine is on the 21st, which was especially busy because we hosted the three Christmas parties that day, plus the children in our church had prepared some Christmas carols in sign language to share during the service. Whew! What a day...we were up at 5, saw our co-workers off to the Tien Phuoc parties at 6, then got breakfast, girls up and dressed for church. Our congregation joined with a Korean church for the Sunday morning service. Both churches are small, with attendance at each falling between 30 and 50 usually. The Korean Church meets on the fourth floor of a large Vietnamese Christian Missionary Alliance church here in Danang. No elevators, so up, up, up the steps (I am so glad all our girls are older and can walk themselves!). We sang in English and Korean. When it was time for the children, our girls were in the spotlight--quite literally! Five of the nine "regulars" in our children's class are Brewers. The other four were present, but were too shy to get up on the stage. I thought my heart would burst with pride and joy! Our girls filed up to the stage, stood side by side and held hands. They did a great job on their songs--the sign language was beautiful. I could not have had a better birthday gift.

Speaking of gifts, I almost felt that the Lord special-made that day for me. It was the prettiest day we have had in months--sunny, breezy, warm--around 80 degrees! Just perfect...thank You, Father!

The church congregations shared a covered dish lunch after the service, but we could not stay because the van was scheduled to pick us up for the Dai Loc party at 1 pm. So we caught a taxi home, changed clothes, made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and made sure everything was ready to go.I already told you about the party--what a blessed time! It could not have been a better celebration!

Some of you know that we have been expecting to move for awhile. We love Mr. and Mrs. Bo, and the house has been good (we need some leaks fixed, but we are finding that leaky roofs are quite common place here). But, the house is large with high ceilings, all concrete and tile--Tony calls it "cavernous." The rent was on the higher side of our budget. So, a few weeks ago, Tony and I decided that we would rather get a smaller place and use some of our resources in getting some things to make it more "homey"--rather than see all our housing resources go only for rent. After much looking, we found a place, much smaller, but cozy and pretty (with a garage that would get the motorbike out of the living room!). The rent was half. Throughout this process, Tony had talked with Mr. Bo, who would not reduce the rent.Well, the contract was signed, and 6 months rent paid (which is customary here). Monday morning, Jillian and I rode out bikes to a nearby store to get packing tape for our boxes. When I returned, Bee said that Mr. Bo had come over, seen the boxes and was very upset. He went straight home and called our helper Duc. The end result was, Mr. Bo reduced the rent to half and agreed to repair the leaks (which will have to wait until this rainy season ends). We prayed together, surrendering again our living arrangements, asking the Lord to put us where He wanted us. Tony talked to the new landlord, who miraculously agreed to give us the money back, since the lease did not start until Jan. 1. People who have lived in Vietnam awhile say this is unheard of--NO ONE ever gives a refund! So, we are staying put. I am thankful to be spared the packing and moving! Even though she did not request it, Tony paid the new landlord some of the money for her trouble. She had done some things to prepare the house for us.

We are told that the week of Christmas and the New Year are the coldest weather for Danang. I hope so. We are on our third day of blowing, wind-whipped rain that stings your face and soaks a chill to your bones. None of the houses have heat, so we are all wearing layers.

In the spirit of my language study, I have taught the Vietnamese some American phrases. :) When the Dai Loc orphanage caregivers came to Danang to help choose gifts for the children, we went to a local market to haggle over the prices. At one booth, they found a jacket they wanted for one of the girls. The vendor searched and searched, but did not have the necessary size. As we turned to leave, I smiled at them and said "Phooey." "Phooey!" the caregivers echoed back with wide smiles. Since they speak no English, I wonder what they thought we were saying. :)Then, preparing for the Christmas parties, I was joking with our Vietnamese helpers. We were teasing each other about forgetting things, or not having our own responsibilities done at the needed time. I ended up kidding them about a "weak link." They loved it. Now, we still joke about not being "the weak link" in our every day interactions.

We will resume our homeschool classes on Monday. The break has been good, but I miss the routine. I spent a big portion of the afternoon working in the school room.

I think that brings us back up to the present. I hope your holidays were indeed "merry and bright." I am thankful that no matter where we are, or what circumstances surround us, the Light of the World is ever-near.

Grace and peace!

Too Funny

2008-12-31T18:09:00.001-08:00

Sometimes there are pictures that are just too good not to share! These are a couple of my favorites from our 2008 holidays. The top picture is one Bee snapped at the Dai Loc orphanage party. Tony is with one of the staff there--you can guess, Bee is not accustomed to tall people being in a picture! The bottom picture is Jillian with "Santa Bee." White beard down the front, long black hair down the back, sun glasses and high heeled shoes--I love it!

Happy New Year to all! Praise God for every new day to know, love, and serve Him!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Celebrating the Uniqueness of One

2008-12-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

(From Dai Loc) Top, down: Decorating the tree; a new sweater; feasting; cheers!

Hello, all--

Before we are totally out of the "holiday season" I wanted to at least begin a report of some of our Christmas activities. In the midst of all the Brewer birthdays, we were able to directly participate in three celebrations here in Vietnam (our helpers in other countries took care of Christmas celebrations in their locations). We hosted two parties in Tien Phuoc (pronounced "tin fook"), a rural region about 3 hours from Danang where jobs are scarce and poverty is rampant. The "human services" director for that area invited 200 children and their families for two parties on the morning of Dec. 21. Since Christmas celebrations are new to this area, it was requested that only Vietnamese attend, so our family helped with the shopping, preparing gift baskets, and loading the van. Then we sent Duc, Linh and Bee to deliver the message and host the parties. Our neighbor, Mrs. Bo, also went to take it all in.

For most of two days, our kitchen looked like a warehouse. We prepared "baskets" in kitchen collanders with some items that these families rarely see: soy sauce, fish sauce, a good quality food seasoning, candy, a small cake, and a toy. We wrapped each basket in plastic for delivery. What a production line we had going! All the girls helped, with Jillian staying with it from start to finish. I couldn't help but smile to hear Elizabeth call out from her work station, "Soy! I need some soy here!" Linh and I handled the plastic wrapping. With more than 200 baskets prepared, we boxed and bagged them in groups of five to keep an easy count for delivery.

Thankfully, Tony found a van driver who agreed to come Saturday night and load the gifts. Because of the distance to Tien Phuoc, the group had to leave our house at 6 am Sunday morning! So we gathered at about 5:30 am in our living room for joyous sharing. The Vietnamese like the Santa suit, although most do not know the stories of St. Nicholas. Duc had purchased a suit last year and brought it along--so, Bee played the role. I told Duc about the man Nicholas, who was known for his love and care for poor children and those who earned their living on the sea--which people here can definitely relate to. Duc shared this information with the children, pointing out that Nicholas realized that each person is created with special gifts and abilities that they can use to be a blessing to this world. Small beginnings...but a beginning, nonetheless!

After the two morning parties at Tien Phuoc, the van returned to our house and we left again at 1pm for a party at the Dai Loc orphanage. In addition to the Vietnamese team and our family, a family from New Zealand (Jillian's friend) came with a teacher-friend, plus four new friends from our bank here (all Vietnamese). Yen opened our bank accounts and has shown much interest in doing something to help children. So, we were a group of 19 with about 60 gifts, travelling by 16-passenger van and two motorbikes. Thankfully, the Lord gave us a beautiful day (incidentally, the last sunny day we have seen).Our friends from New Zealand, Kerri and Russell, provided a small Christmas tree, and prepared craft materials for the children to make ornaments. What a joyous celebration! The meeting room at the orphanage stayed abuzz with chatter, laughter, squeals, and playful activity. The kids used every scrap of material--filling the tree, and decorating the walls and windows. Then we played games. Musical chairs was a big hit! What a noisy, happy time as the children scrambled for a chair. They loved it. Then the younger children (age 8 and under) played "Duck, Duck, Goose" while the older kids played another "rowdy" game. After the games, we gathered back in the meeting room, and I had the opportunity to talk about the Christmas tree and the ornaments on it--we had angels, stars, balls, snowflakes, and bells. These provided a way to talk about our Christmas celebration. Next, it was time for gifts. Two of the orphanage staff had come to Danang several days earlier to accompany Linh and me to the market to purchase warm jackets, sweaters, and a toy for the kids. So, each child had items "hand-picked" for them. You could tell by their excitement how much joy they received along with their present. We also presented the eleven staff members with a gift of warm houseshoes.

We ended our time with a feast. Bee had planned the menu. We had shopped together for the food, which Bee and our girls had delivered the day before by taxi (Dai Loc is only about 45 minutes from Danang). During the party, Bee and the staff were busy slicing, dicing and cooking. What a great meal: soup, pork, beef, shrimp, fish, sticky rice, soda...the kids ate and ate! Throughout the meal, each table would spontaneously count "Mot! Hai! Ba!" ("moat, high, baa"--"One! Two! Three!") and raise their glasses in a toast, followed by peals of deep, unhibited laughter.The spirit of the day was present in love, joy, and hope.

We returned home about 7:30 that night. What a glorious day!

Grace and peace!

Birthdays

2008-12-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

Hello, all--

I wanted to share a little about the birthday celebrations at our house. Jilllian turned 10 on Dec. 9; Faith and Joy were 6 on the 16th; and Elizabeth was 7 on the 18th. This is the first year that Elizabeth has had a party all to herself. She thoroughly enjoyed it. But more about that later.

Jillian had two friends over for her party. They are sisters. Olivia is 11 and Lucia is 9. They are from New Zealand. Their dad works for a bank here and their mother homeschools them. Jillian wanted a "cooking party", so we selected foods to represent each continent of the world. Our menu: Pasta habanero-Europe; Chips and Salsa-South America; candy bar cake-North America; spring rolls-Asia; fruit salad-Africa; banana rolls-Australia; ice cream-Antarctica. The girls washed, sliced, diced and cooked everything. We gave each cook a bib apron and wisk. The food they prepared was our supper, and we invited a few extra adults--the Bos, Duc and Linh, and Dawn, a gal who is here teaching English and who leads the children's class at our church. Jillian said it was her best birthday party ever--the girls enjoyed every minute of cooking. The gift Jillian really wanted was a guitar, so now we have lots of strumming in the house.

For the twins, we invited some children to the house for cake and ice cream, and then took the group to the Big C center to watch the movie "Madagascar 2." Our girls had seen it, but they enjoyed it just as much as the first time, maybe more, since they were looking forward to their favorite parts. We gave Faith and Joy small scooters that they sit on to ride. They love them! They have played and played with them, offering their sisters "taxi rides" on the back. Their cake was decorated with their favorite candy: M&Ms.

Elizabeth chose a puppy theme for her party. We played "Put the Puppy in the Doghouse" (like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey") and had a "Puppy Chow" eating contest. They ate cereal from their dish without the use of their hands. Elizabeth won, with Faith a close second. The kids made puppy ear headbands and dog collars. The cake was...what else? Cut to the shape of a dog bone. We had a lot of fun. Elizabeth had been praying for a guitar, so how could we do anything else. Like I said, lots of strumming going on around here.

Birthday parties were easier this year. People are not so busy during Christmas-time here as in the US. Also, we could have the parties right after school during the week, so we didn't have to try 3 different weekends. I am becoming well-acquainted with the toaster oven, having baked four cakes over the last 10 days--the twins got 2 cakes--one for the party on Saturday, and one with the family on Tuesday (their "official" birthday).I can hardly believe how everyone is growing up. Jillian is 10! And our "babies" are 6! It hardly seems possible.

One of the sweetest moments was after the last party. Joy came to me with a very serious face: "What about Anna Mei, Mommy? When do we sing "Happy Birthday" to Anna Mei?" I assured her that Anna Mei is not forgotten.

I pray that my heart will remain tender and caring like that--to take notice if someone is left out, to want celebration shared, to be aware of others even in the midst of my own happiness.

Grace and peace!

Ask (or not) and you shall receive

2008-12-16T04:21:00.001-08:00

Top: Joy (left) and Faith (right)

Bottom: Me in the jacket from Bee.

Hello, all--

I hope you are having a blessed holiday season. Four of our daughters have December birthdays within a span of 9 days, so it has been a busy time. I will share about their celebrations after the final party, which is Thursday afternoon. I am so thankful for our toaster oven--after baking four cakes, I am getting quite comfortable with it.

I am not making light of the Biblical directive to "ask and you shall receive." But today I was reminded again of God's goodness to surprise us with expressions of kindness when we do not expect it.

I think I mentioned that after my first trip to the tailor I was thinking about having a jacket made. Because of the mixed results with Vietnam tailoring, I hesitated to spend the money for fabric and labor to have it done. So, as the weather has cooled considerably, I have turned to the only "warm" clothes I brought--three long-sleeved tops. Jillian bought me a large woven scarf that I wear as a shawl, but I had still been wishing I had taken a chance on the tailor.

This morning, Bee arrived for work as usual. Grinning from ear to ear, she gave me her Christmas present--a silky, tan colored jacket. It is just right! I was amazed. What a precious reminder that the Lord sees everything, and knows the thoughts of our hearts.

Later, as we started school, it was Faith's turn to be the "Prayer Leader." Her job was to ask for prayer requests and then lead us in lifting the prayers to the throne. Faith loves to pray. She is always one who reminds everyone at meals that it is time to give thanks. Often, she has asked her dad if she can say the prayer. Still, I was quite surprised today. Joy was the last person she called on for a request. Joy was more quiet than usual. Faith said, "Are you sick, Joy?" Then, without any hesitation, she walked over to Joy, put her hands on Joy's head and prayed, asking God to make Joy feel better. After she finished, she walked around the room, putting her hands on each of her sisters as she prayed for their requests. I was amazed, touched, and inspired, all at the same time. It made today all the more special...it is Faith and Joy's 6th birthday.

Charles Dickens wrote, "It is no small thing when those who are so fresh from God love us." The prophet Isaiah wrote, "...a little child shall lead them." Today, I feel that I understand a little better the depth and truth of these messages.

Grace and peace!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

2008-12-11T01:50:00.000-08:00

Joy prepares her first Christmas cookie of the season!

Hello, all--

As you may recall, about three weeks ago I was invited to preach at the international church here. With the Advent season starting the next week, the phrase kept repeating in my mind "Let every heart prepare Him room...." Here is an abridge version of the message. If you choose to read it, I hope the Holy Spirit uses it in some way in your life.

When I was very young, our church did not celebrate Advent. Our Christmas preparations and celebrations all focused upon the manger. As an adult, I have felt drawn to a time of preparation in my own heart. Calendars are useful for marking time and for relating the events of the past with the present and future. So, each year, with the coming of the Advent season, I am drawn again into God's story and I find myself on the road to Bethlehem.

You see, before a young Jewish couple could search for a place with room for the infant Son of God to be born, God Himself had to search for a heart with room to bear this most precious and awesome gift. He did not choose a woman wise from experience or revered by the community. Instead, He looked to a young girl, engaged to be married, a lowly bondservant, by her own estimation. Human nature being what it is, we are often people of extremes. Some venerate and hold Mary up to the point of making her God. Others shy away from her. Yet there she is…popping up throughout the pages of the New Testament.

From the angelic announcement of her destiny, to the visit with Elizabeth, to the birth of Jesus, his childhood trip to the temple, his life, ministry, death and resurrection—Mary is there. She is involved in Jesus’ first public miracle: turning the water to wine at wedding in Cana. And we find her at Pentecost in the Upper Room, receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit. I like to think of her as the 13th disciple.

So, what can we learn from this young woman-girl, chosen to be called “Mother” by Jesus? God found room in her heart to play a pivotal role in history.
One passage that tells us so much about Mary’s heart is her song of praise when she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary had recently been visited by the angel Gabriel who told her of God’s plan that she would bear His Son. Elizabeth herself was miraculously expecting a child—John the Baptist. You know the story—Elizabeth’s child leaps in her womb at the sound of Mary’s voice and Elizabeth recognizes the work of God in Mary’s life. Mary responds with what has become known as “The Magnificat”—a hymn of exaltation and rejoicing at the works of God.
The passage is found in Luke 1:46-55, a remarkable song. Let's look at the passage in three main parts: Praise, Purpose and Perspective.

First, Praise. Mary’s first words are full of adoration. “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” At the first opportunity this young girl has to share the wondrous miracle that is taking place in her life, words of praise tumble from her mouth like water released from an open dam. You almost get a sense of gushing here, like she has just been waiting to express the joy of her heart with someone who can receive it and share it. I can relate to that feeling. At the time Tony and I were dating, my mother was very dependent upon me. We actually became engaged on the phone. Hmmm...when was it? Tuesday, July 15, 1986, 9:20 am. Now it’s a story for another time, but I might say that Tony and I had met 7 years earlier. And we had lost contact for 3 years. And then God brought him to teach at a school operated by the church where I was on staff. And almost 2 years after that, we began to date. So I was a little….well, okay, deliriously happy about our engagement. However, I knew that my mother could not share my joy. For her, it meant the loss of income and companionship. So she was not the first person I told about the engagement. Instead, I waited until I could visit a motherly-type woman in our church. When I got to her house, I spilled the news in a flood of excitement. I wanted the first person I told to be someone who would be happy with me.

“My soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” In these two words, “soul” and “spirit”, this verse captures the full meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words that encompass the whole of the mind, will, emotions, disposition and personality. A phrase that most closely expresses their meaning is “heart-life.” It also gives us the key to the Scripture’s admonition to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). A heart that exalts the Lord, that focuses on praise, that has eyes turned off of self and on to the worthiness of our great God…that heart will find reason to rejoice. I would say it is impossible to truly lose oneself in adoring the all-loving, all-merciful, all-powerful Savior and not be moved toward rejoicing.

Mary continues…”For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.” Did you know that God has regard for you? That he looks upon you with favor and with partiality? Do you know deep in your heart that he has compassion for your situation and circumstances? The word for “humble” here means “cast down in circumstances or in disposition.” No one else may be aware of what the struggles of your heart are, but He is aware. He has regard for you: he sees, he knows, and he is partial to you.

“For behold, from this time on all generations will call me blessed.” I find this to be one of the most interesting statements in this passage. It is most certainly a statement of faith. Think about it. Mary--a young woman, engaged to be married--suddenly turns up pregnant. The Bible tells us that kind-hearted Joseph intended to “put her away quietly.” Saying “yes” to God’s assignment cost Mary dearly in the way people viewed her—people that she loved, trusted, admired. The people in her community probably had several words to describe her, but I doubt that “blessed” was one of them. It’s kind of like being informed that the grand prize you have just won is a free root canal. You may need it. It may benefit you. But there is some pain involved. Yet Mary had spiritual insight. The word blessed means “indwelt by God and thus fully satisfied.” I love that. Listen to it again. To be “blessed” means “to be indwelt by God and thus fully satisfied.” The approval of others pales in comparison. Praise is the backbone of confident hope.

The second section of Mary’s song centers on Purpose. She boldly proclaims the Word of God, quoting directly two verses from the Psalms, and giving a prophetic glimpse of the work of the coming Messiah. There is a feeling here that Mary knows that this monumental event, the coming of the Son of God as a baby, is not about her. It is the fulfillment, the culmination of God’s promises of help, victory and salvation.

“His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him,” she begins, quoting Psalm 103:17. “He has done mighty deeds with His arm.” In Hebrew, the arm is a symbol of strength, power, ability, and glory. What imagery for us who know “the rest of the story”—that the Sovereign Lord, full of strength, power, ability and glory-- would willingly stretch His arms the length of a cross to accomplish redemption.

“He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.” These prophetic words speak of a Savior who will turn things right—bringing down the proud, all those who trust in themselves as “self-sufficient.” The words here, too, bring to mind Jesus’ statement in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

The final section of this passage shows Perspective. Mary perceives a “grand scheme of things.” The Holy Spirit has revealed to her heart that what is occurring is a fulfillment of the ages. What was promised centuries earlier is now coming to pass. Verses 54 and 55 say, “He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” Mary has not lost sight of the fact that He remembers His people. They are a fixture in His mind. All His activities throughout history have a backdrop of His lovingkindness. He has promised, and He will not forget. When you are discouraged, or weary, or disappointed, remember: there is One who is remembering you. He bears you in mind. Always.

So then, even if the framework of Praise, Prophecy and Perspective is helpful for understanding these verses, we are still left with the question: What kind of heart prepares room large enough to embrace a destiny of God’s design? I would suggest five qualities from this passage, that might help us prepare Him room in our hearts this Advent season.

First, Mary had a heart that refused offense, even if offense was understandable and well-grounded. Can’t you imagine the snide remarks, the condemning and knowing looks, the cold shoulder treatment that she must have endured? I have lived a few years now. I am old enough to know that life will offer plenty of opportunities to take offense. I can receive the offense, and let it grow into festering anger, bitterness, disillusionment, self-pity, and envy. Or, I can refuse it. I can give my hurts to my Savior, who understands them so well. When I do, my heart grows a little larger. I have given Him room.

Second, Mary’s heart showed that she had a God-given wisdom to recognize real, lasting, eternal treasures. More than once we read of her in the Scriptures, “Mary treasured these things in her heart.” She refused to be caught up in herself, or her circumstances. Her focus is always outward and upward. When we embrace the call of God with total surrender, we are free to see and experience so many treasures that we would otherwise miss. We “prepare him room” by giving Him full control and by treasuring the fact that He would choose us as His vessels. Our hearts are enlarged by the size of the treasure that we hold.

Third, Mary’s heart was focused on the purposes of God. She was fulfilling her role, but the design was His. Our hearts are large enough to receive Him, and to share Him, when we live with the realization that in ourselves, we are like the grass that is here today and gone tomorrow. But in saying “yes” to every leading of the Holy Spirit, we take our place in history. We become “indwelt by God, and thus fully satisfied.”

Finally, God chose a heart in Mary that could bear the cost. Love costs something. It is willing to extend itself, to bear the hurt, to persevere in the face of sorrow and personal loss. The joy of tenderly cradling a newborn Son would turn to anguish as He was bruised, crushed and despised. There is a price to be paid in following Jesus with a whole heart. Many of you know it well. A financial price in leaving careers, real estate, or lucrative jobs to come to Vietnam. A relational price in leaving family, friends, vibrant church communities. A personal cost in the separation from tradition and culture or in relinquishing our own plans. But in bearing the cost, we prepare Him room, for we must open our hearts to His comfort.

Like Mary, a heart with room for Jesus does not depend on social standing, age, education, or ability. It is realized through joyful surrender and trust. God delights in using for His glory those who are small, insignificant and ill-prepared for ministry according to the measures of the world. Gladys Aylward was born in England around the turn of the 20th Century. Her family was poor, and she had to discontinue her schooling as a girl in order to work as a maid. As a young woman, she received salvation through Jesus, and shortly after learned of the ministry of China Inland Mission. She felt the call of God to go to China. She eventually made it there, only to be rejected by her superiors and sent home to England. Still, her call persisted, and though it took her 10 years of working and saving, she made it back to China. Miraculously, the Lord opened one door after another for her to share the Gospel. From merchants, to villagers, to prisoners to orphans—Gladys rose to every challenge, empowered by the Holy Spirit. For about the next 40 years, Gladys ministered the love of God to people of every age and walk of life. Once called a “foreign devil” by the Chinese, her name became “Ai-wei-deh”, which means “Virtuous One.” At the end of her life, Gladys Aylward wrote these words. They show a voluminous heart.

“My heart is full of praise that one so insignificant, uneducated, and ordinary in every way could be used to His glory for the blessing of His people in poor persecuted China.”

You and I can be like that. We can fulfill our role in God’s plan and design. We can say “yes” to all that God has for us, and trust Him in all that we face. This Advent season, we are all on the way to Bethlehem. It is a time when we can ask the Lord to once again to work in our hearts anew that we might “prepare Him room” in our lives.

Grace and peace!

The Lock

2008-12-04T22:16:00.000-08:00

Hello, all--

One of our routines at night or whenever we all leave the house is to lock the gates. Like most Vietnamese families, we use two padlocks, one for the inside of the gate, the other for the outside. the handles of the gate have a half-circle opening so you can put your hand through to unlock the opposite side.

The locks are heavy-duty. I don't know what they weigh, but it is easy to imagine one breaking a toe if it fell from the lock. They are meant to last. Yet I discovered last week that they need periodic attention, or they will not work at all. A few days ago, I was outside (in the rain) trying to unlock the gate for Bee, who was due to arrive any minute. Usually, this takes only a few seconds. But on this day, the key would not turn and release the lock. I jiggled. I wiggled. I pushed, pulled, turned softly, used force, took a deep breath, counted to 10...then 20, walked back inside, came back outside and repeated the whole process. No success. What would I do if the house was on fire, I mused. It was only about 7:20 am, and the man who repairs motorbikes at a store next door was just opening up for business. I used my new Vietnamese phrase, "Can you help me?" It took him about a minute, but he opened the lock.

Later, when Duc was at the house, I showed him the lock and explained the problem. "It needs oil," he said simply. He too the lock next door and came back in only a moment with the lock in hand, dripping with oil. It works fine again.I got to thinking...the lock needs attention to work. I couldn't help but think of situations in my life where I (or others) have locked up long-standing anger, bitterness or resentment. Sometimes we defend it...I can't help it. It's there and I can't do anything about it. When a wound is fresh, that may be true. But I have a fair amount of experience with offenses. In almost 50 years of life, 22 years of marriage, 33 years of ministry, and hundreds of family and friend relationships, offenses have been given and received. I know what it's like to lock them away, and I know the freedom and joy of letting them go and receiving healing.

Here is what I felt the Lord put in my mind about that lock: If you (or I) want to keep anger or resentment locked away, we will have to work at it. Why? Because the Holy Spirit will occasionally pour His oil on the lock to make it open. We will have to remove the lock from His presence and refuse His help to stop His oil from loosening the lock. Periodically, He will come afresh and offer more oil to release those old hurts, and the wrongs we have been unjustly given. Whether or not to receive His help is up to us.While we say we want emotional healing and restoration, often we do not. When you have carried a very heavy bag on your arm for a long time, there is some pain when you first release it. Still, the pain subsides and your journey is much more enjoyable, the possibilities for activity much more inviting--with the baggage gone.

Today, I am asking the Holy Spirit to pour a gallon of oil on any lock that I have in my heart, to insert the key, and open wide the gates that are keeping in things that should have been out long ago.

If you have refused His oil before, do not fret. His love will not let you go. He will return with a new flask. Surrender the lock to Him with complete trust. Freedom awaits!

Grace and peace!