In 2004, I led a mission team to work in a squatter’s settlement with Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica. It was a great group of people – one of my favorite mission trips of all time. One young lady on that team has since become a full-time missionary. God triggered her calling to missions that week.
There was another young lady, a high school student at the time, who was moved during that trip. It was her first experience on the mission field. She went back to Costa Rica several times and other places on the globe exploring and seeking her calling from God. She knew that God had planted a seed in her heart for missions. She’s been following the breadcrumbs ever since.
I was thrilled last week when we got a letter from her proclaiming that she has been called to serve in Vietnam. (Confidentiality prohibits me from posting her name here.) It is exciting to watch God shape and mold his children!
Vietnam has a population of 88.5 million people. 81% of the citizens are irreligious. That’s right. Nothing. Nada. That’s hard for me to imagine.
9% of Vietnamese are Buddhist. 7% are Christian (Catholic & Protestant combined). There is a small percentage of the population that cling to some tribal religions and 0.1% are Muslim. Most Vietnamese have no spiritual background whatsoever.
It is a spiritually dark place. It is also known as a “Creative Access” country which means it is more difficult for ministries to send workers there. The government does not allow traditional missionaries to come in to their country to openly spread the Word. Workers must have a specific purpose that benefits Vietnamese citizens in “practical” ways. Because outsiders are under close scrutiny, they must be sensitive to their surroundings and their strategy for reaching people.
It’s an interesting work. I hope you will join me in supporting my friend. If you’d like to join me in supporting this incredible young lady, email me at genepjennings (at) gmail(dot)com for more detailed info.
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