Jesus in Vietnam Ministries
Dennis and Mai Spencer
P.O. Box 54
Cortaro, Arizona 85652-0054
Email: [email protected]
About the Spencer’s
Dennis and Mai in Saigon, Vietnam.
The title of a recent book by Ravi Zaccharias captures the essence of Dennis and Mai Spencer’s life: The Grand Weaver – How God Shapes us Through the Events of Our Lives. God has shaped their lives through a series of events that would bury most people in despair and hopelessness. They lost three of their four children – a son to suicide, the loss of a twin daughter born prematurely and of an older daughter to cancer. They also suffered business and financial reverses. But through it all their dependence on God and their love for one another has grown. Out of it all has come a remarkable story of triumph over the trials and tests of life.
To follow the trail we have to go back to a troubled time – the late sixties and the Vietnam War. Dennis was stationed with the US forces when he met Mai. They fell in love and were married. With his tour of duty over, Dennis left Vietnam in 1971 and Mai followed soon after. Mai wondered if they’d ever see her family again and hoped they could eventually bring them to the United States.
As the years rolled by it became apparent that this would not happen. However travel restrictions to Vietnam were relaxed in 1988 making it possible for Mai to return to Vietnam for a visit. It had been 17 years since she had seen her family! Mai was shocked by the poverty and despair of the people. She determined she would do what she could to help her family, building a house for her mother and helping a destitute sister.
A friend shared Christ with Mai in 1978 and gave her a Vietnamese New Testament. Although she did not understand much that she read, she began to pray to God when she had a problem. He often seemed to answer her prayer. As God began to make known to Dennis and Mai His love for them in the heartaches of life, Mai gave this same New Testament to a friend who planned to visit Vietnam in 1993, to give to her family. As the New Testament made the rounds of her family 35 became Christians in two years! God was working in Mai’s heart and through the Word He now was working in her families’ hearts.
Her biggest request – that her family be allowed to come to the US, was not answered. Now it seems clear why there was no answer. Through the witness of Mai and her family a small group of Vietnamese Christians began to gather together and form the beginnings of an indigenous church in that region. Dennis also caught the vision for a church in her home village and began to join Mai in more frequent visits. As Mai and Dennis made more visits they helped the people and pastors grow a vision for a church in Binh Chau, Mai’s home village. In 2006 they attended the dedication of the church building in Binh Chau. It was the fulfillment of a vision implanted by the Lord in their hearts over 18 years ago. Today it seems clear that God was calling them to a ministry that would not have been possible thirty years ago.
Eight years ago Dennis and Mai became a part of the CFC body and it has enabled them to grow in their faith, especially through EE. One focus of their ministry, Jesus in Vietnam, is compassion. Vietnamese families suffer from deprivation, lacking sometimes even the necessities of life. In obedience to the many Scriptural commands to help the poor they are enabling families to survive in difficult circumstances. When shown mercy these families are very receptive to the Gospel. The Spencer’s also focus on children, who are the future church of Jesus Christ in Vietnam.
Dennis and Mai are a living witness that even in the midst of great trials and testing, God is shaping us for His work. Little did the friend know that the little New Testament would travel around the world and dozens would come to Christ. Surely it bears witness that “God’s Word will not return to him empty”.
Jesus in Vietnam Ministries, is a compassion ministry founded by Dennis and Mai Spencer. Vietnamese families suffer from deprivation, lacking sometimes even the necessities of life. In obedience to the many Scriptural commands to help the poor they are enabling families to survive in difficult circumstances. When shown mercy these families are very receptive to the Gospel. The Spencer’s also focus on children, who are the future church of Jesus Christ in Vietnam.