Glenda and I remain in Hanoi. Our team flew back to Kona, leaving us behind. The past two months have flown by at light-speed.
So many great things have happened that it will be hard to report. Actually, reporting is hard because words can never do justice to the experience. For example, we can show a movie and talk about crossing the street in Hanoi, but until you step out into the traffic you cannot experience the parting of the sea. I am sure the Israelites had a similar experience when crossing the Red Sea. They also had to step out in faith. Can you imagine trying to describe that experience to others who have never been there? That is how I feel every time I try to write a post here.
Since our last post, we have been involved in may different activities
We were able to share in an English Club with Detech Gateway. This club was held at Gateway International School, many of the students were staff and teachers at the Sakura Montessori School which is located on the same campus. Here is a picture of one of the classes on the day that they brought TET food to share. Many great relationships were formed between our team and the students as we shared english and some of our western culture.
Our team was able to sing some kids songs at Hota Kindergarten’s outdoor gathering. There were lots of people, here are some our team leading the song “Feel it in my Bones“
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We spent some time in some drug rehabs where members of our team were able to share life-testimonies and stories about the freedom they have experienced. We were able to teach how addictions can be cured and complete healing found when we walk with the way, the truth and the Life.
A new opportunity came about this year as we were invited to start an english club at the VTV3 television station. This is a great story and the club will continue as we stay in Vietnam.
Our overnight trip to Ha Long Bay was a time spent on a boat on the calm waters. The first day was the clearest and brightest, with very good visibility, the second day was a bit cloudy, foggy and rainy. Andy was able to kayak and take a winter swim in the bay, Glenda visited a floating fishing village and we enjoyed a spectacular sunset.
While in Sa Pa we visited a few ethnic villages, we stayed 4 nights and the town was in the cloud the whole time. Even though it is in the tropics, the elevation makes for a cold and damp climate during winter. The last day we took the world’s longest cable car ride to the top of Fansipan mountain. We started out in the cloud, the 20 minute ride was almost all in the cloud, then we broke through into brilliant sunshine and blue sky just before we reached the summit. It is the highest point in all of south-east Asia, 3,143m (10,311 ft) and is the first peak in the Himalayas. We spent time leaving footprints on the high place and proclaiming the word over the nation. There are several temples and pagodas under construction on the summit, some of our Vietnamese Christian friends say there is a push for a church to be built to represent their faith as well.
We were able to eat many TET meals as friends invited us to their homes to share these special meals with us. These were times of great blessing for us as we fellowshipped with no other agenda than to enjoy each others company.
So now, we are in Vietnam until June, seeking direction each day, and looking forward to what will come about. We are planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City in April where we will visit with some Y friends and take a course.
Until next time be blessed and be a blessing, A&G
Scripture fromEnglish Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 byCrossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
I have had a couple of opportunities to go kayaking here in the Kahului Bay, a couple of Saturday mornings. Heading out early we can can paddle a couple of hours and get back to base in time for brunch. A couple of weeks ago, we had about 40 or more dolphins out with us. Last Saturday, no dolphins but the adventure continued as we had some great swells in the ocean with waves breaking over the bow of the kayak on occasion.
Each Tuesday morning we gather in the Prayer Room for family worship and intercession, it has been awesome to have the teens and children involved in leading the worship, great kudos go to Brian and Cristina, two of our students, who have done an amazing job of getting the young’uns involved.
wheel vehicle. Everything is 
hauled in and out on the back – the back of a person, the back of a water buffalo or the back of a motorbike. All the materials used in the building in this picture were transported 4 kms (2 1/2 miles) on the back of something. 
On the day we were there, hundreds of children gathered in traditional dress inside the building.
ach team was able to 
purchase some items which we left with community leaders to distribute to those in need. 240kgs of dried fish; 3 grocery carts of dried milk products, & diapers; 8 bunk beds for a drug rehab house; and hundreds of pairs of socks and gloves were among the practical items that we were able to give.
During the first week of August we were able to participate in an 
Andy and Glenda Read 
