Jesus in Vietnam Ministries

CAESAR’S EYES ON THE CHURCH
About 4 weeks ago Caesar showed up around the same time in both Suoi Bang at Trong and Tam’s house (while Elder Nhan was there holding a discipleship class) and in Tan Thang where Elder Truong and Thao were taking pictures of kids who have signed up for this years VBS. They “invited” Elder Truong and Thao down to the police station to interrogate them. They told them they had no business taking pictures of the kids and confiscated their camera. After a couple of hours Elder Truong stated it was late and they were going to go home. Caesar wanted his ID card, but Elder Truong stated he didn’t have to give it to them since he had not broken any laws. While that was happening, Caesar told Trong that he needed to petition for the church to meet in his house. Trong and his wife Tam are the couple that accepted Christ after the Christmas Outreach and then gave the church a small piece of their land. Later, the officials in Tan Thang returned the camera to officials in Binh Chau, who in turn called Kim in to give it back to the church. They told Kim the officials in Tan Thang were wrong in taking the camera.

WITNESSING FOR CHRIST
The weeks after Caesar visited Trong’s house, he and Elder Nhan went to the police station to petition for the church to meet in Trong’s house. The official called Trong into his office, but not Elder Nhan. However, Elder Nhan could still hear their conversation. The official questioned Trong on why he left his Buddhist religion? Trong (only a believer for about 3 months) gave a strong witness for Christ. He told the official he and his wife argue 30 days out of 30 days each month. However, she went to the Christian church one time and came back home a different woman! The Christians were loving, encouraging, and taught we should be kind to one another. Trong went to church to see what had changed his wife so drastically. He experienced the same love of Jesus his wife had. Now he and his wife do not argue anymore with each other. He stated he was taught about the one true, living God who created everything. There were no other gods, just one! Trong also told him the church comes to visit them and prays for them. He stated the only time the Buddhists came to his house was to ask for money. This official then sent Trong to talk to 3 more officials and Trong witnessed to them also. Then when Trong returned home 5 more officials came and questioned him. Trong witnessed to them too. Plus, Tam, Trong’s wife, normally would have been at work, but she stayed home that day. She gave them an even stronger witness for the Lord than Trong. The officials told Trong he was a pillar in the Buddhist community, had built many altars, and helped them raise money to build others. Why had he changed so quickly? Again, Trong and Tam gave the reason for their faith now in Christ. We praise God for giving Trong and Tam the strength to stand firm and tell all these officials (9 in all) about God and how His love was changing their lives. Cam On Chau (Thank You Lord)! Please pray God will use this couple to inspire others to stand against persecution that comes their way and the strength to defend their faith.

FELLOWSHIP CELEBRATIONS
The picture above shows a dinner Trong and Tam had for some of their brothers and sisters in Christ to celebrate the protection God gave them from Caesar. The picture below shows a dinner they had at their home the day after Easter for some of the Binh Chau church. Trong and Tam purchased all the food themselves in their way of thanking the church for showing them the love of Jesus.

PRACTICING TO SERVE
We lost our keyboard player as Khanh left to work in Saigon. Lan, who is staying with Kim in the orphanage/love house, recently started her keyboard lessons (picture below). We are excited and hopeful Lan will be able to play for the church in about 4 months. Please pray God will give Lan the ability to learn quickly as she has a heart to serve Him.

PRAYER REQUESTS
Please pray God’s protection from the enemy on Tuoi who prayed to ask Jesus into her heart at the Good Friday Service (picture below).

Please pray God will use this year’s VBS to bring many of the non-believing children to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and start attending Children’s Church.

PRAISE REPORT
We now have 156 kids pre-registered for this year’s VBS on June 9-11 with almost 50 of them non-believers. We know we risk a chance of some of these not showing up (usually as parents give in to family persecution), but VBS is our biggest evangelistic outreach we hold each year to bring new kids into the church so we are stepping out in faith, leaving the results up to God. On thing God has blessed us with the last 2 years: we have had more kids show up for VBS who didn’t register than those who registered and didn’t come. God has balanced it all out for His glory!