Day 3 Sunday in Saigon

Sunday morning began early with church at the Evangelical Church of Saigon. We had gone to this church the last time we were in Vietnam and it is located in District 1 of HCMC which is where our hotel is. The church is very large and there were approximately 1000 people in attendance this morning. The church has a section where English speakers can sit and listen to an interpreter through a set of headphones. At the end of the service there were four young Vietnamese men who professed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The pastor prayed with them all in front of the church. It was a very moving experience. Five years ago when we were here I witnessed the baptism of about 40 new believers. At the conclusion of the service we shared in the Lord’s Supper with the congregation.

I talked with two Vietnam War veterans after the service who were seated in the English section. One of them was from Kentucky and he told me that he travels to Vietnam twice a year. He has a number of friends and contacts that he does various things with. He shared with me that there is a Southern Baptist church in Saigon called Grace Baptist. I got his contact information and I hope to speak with him some more before we leave.

A church of 1000 seems like a very large congregation, but Saigon is a city of around 9 million people. Very few Vietnamese consider themselves Christian, only about .5% of the population. Approximately 10% of the population identifies as Buddhist and 6.5% as Catholic. About 80% of the Vietnamese population consider themselves non- religious. The Vietnamese government has been oppressive to just about all organized religion in the past. Over the last several years a number of doors have been opened and I am sure even more will be in the future. Religious materials and proselytizing are strictly forbidden in Vietnam, but some areas are more tolerant than others. I noticed that the bibles and hymnbooks in the church were labeled “For Internal Use Only”.  Pray for the Vietnamese people and that they might be given full access to the gospel through missionaries, teachers, and materials in the future. The gentleman from Kentucky shared with me that there are now over 30 Gideon camps in Ho Chi Minh City.

When I met the man in the park yesterday (the one who gave me the ride on the moped), I asked him if he knew who Jesus was. He shared with me that he did not go to church anywhere, but he knew who Jesus was because he had learned about him when he was refugee in Hong Kong many years ago. It is amazing to me sometimes to see how the Word is spread, even in areas where the “doors” are often closed.

Tomorrow we are going to take a trip out to the Cambodian border to the city of Tay Ninh. The city is the birthplace of the Cao Dai religion. Cao Dai is a mixture of multiple religions including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism. The religion has been made famous by the ornate design of its temples which are crowned with the all-seeing eye. After visiting Tay Ninh, we are going to take a trip to Nui Ba Den (The Black Virgin Mountain). The mountain was the scene for years of bloody fighting between American forces and the Viet Cong. I hope to have some pictures to share tomorrow.

UPDATE: Don't know how I left this out, but our luggage arrived today. They located it yesterday in Beijing, China and were able to get it to us this afternoon. DeanAnne and I were both so happy to see that suitcase. I have been wearing the same pants since Tuesday and washing the other stuff in the sink at night. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Day 2 Excitement

Our second day in Ho Chi Minh City was really an interesting one. The boys really wanted to go back to the playground area again, so we decided to take them again. The particular playground that they really like is only a few blocks from our hotel. On the way to the park we pass by the Reunification Palace which is the renamed government building of the South Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. The area is very beautiful. We pass right by the front gates which were the sight of a very famous scene that the North Vietnamese spread throughout the world after they captured Saigon in 1975.

We spent all morning at the park and I talked for a long time with a Vietnamese gentleman who had two children at the playground. (Any time that we stay in a place for very long I am approached by someone who is looking to try out their English skills with me.) He wanted to talk to me and have me clarify some different words that were confusing to him. I am amazed at the desire that so many of these people have to learn the English language. This man had a book that he had used to teach himself with. Many of the people go to schools and pay private tutors to help them. There are so many Americans here who make their living by teaching English as a private tutor. Many of them have no formal credentials. They are just meeting the demand of the market.

After talking with the man at the playground for a while, we said goodbye and DeanAnne, the boys, and I began to pack our things to leave. After the boys got their shoes on I noticed that the man had stepped away from the playground, but his two children, a three year old boy and a five year old girl, were still playing. I didn’t see him anywhere, so I assumed that he had gone to get his moped out of the parking area. His son who was three years old left the playground and began to walk up the street. This particular area was not very busy so I assumed that he must know where his father was and he was just walking to him. We left and began to walk back to our hotel. After we got away from the park and back on the main street, I noticed the little boy about two blocks away. I told DeanAnne, “That is the man from the park’s son.” He was walking down the sidewalk of one of the busiest streets in Saigon. Nobody even paid him any attention. He began to just walk out into the street and the mopeds would just drive around him. DeanAnne said, “What should we do?” I told her that we couldn’t grab him because there was no telling what the people would think. I told her and the boys to follow him while I went back to find his father. I immediately started running the few blocks back to the park. When I got closer, I saw the man frantically asking around about his son. He saw me coming and he ran towards me. I told him that his son had wondered away and that my wife and sons were following him. He ran to get his moped and I told him we would meet on the next street.

Meanwhile, the little boy has realized that DeanAnne and the boys are following him. He begins to run out into the street to get away from her. She has to get JR to go and try to get him to stay on the sidewalk because he is terrified of her. He runs down the street and a woman who is selling things stops the little boy. DeanAnne tries to explain what is going on, but the woman cannot understand her.

By this time, I am convinced that I will not see DeanAnne and the boys again because they are nowhere near the area I last left them. The man from the park has driven along beside me the whole way as we were looking. He keeps insisting that I get on back of the moped with him and his daughter, an idea that I have resisted so far. I just can’t envision how such a small man can hold that thing up with such a large man on the back of it. All I can think about is the two of us riding a wheelie through Saigon with that poor little girl on the front. We had already gone so far that I knew we might not catch up to them if I didn’t get on. I wish that I had a picture to show you, but thank goodness none exist. I’m sure some tourist snapped a shot of us and it will show up on some blog about the amazing loads that Vietnamese people can shoehorn onto their tiny motorcycles. I got on and we shot off like a bullet with both wheels on the ground. After ten minutes of racing around I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I prayed, “Lord please don’t let some danger come to my family in our efforts to protect someone else’s family.” I think the Lord looks after children and giant men on the backs of tiny motor bikes. We made a turn and there was DeanAnne and the boys. I was so happy to see them. The woman that had gotten the little boy had stripped his clothes off of him and was washing him from a pan of soapy water right there on the side of the street. The man was so happy and I was too. He just kept saying “Thank You” over and over. We said goodbye and parted ways, paths forever linked by a moment of excitement and a mad dash through the streets of Saigon on a grossly overburdened Honda moped.

After resting in the hotel for a little while, we made a trip to the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre. Water puppetry (Vietnamese: Múa rối nước, lit. "puppets that dance on water") is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century CE when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam. Today's Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water. When the rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other using this form of puppet play. The show was really funny and the boys loved it. Water puppet theatre is a truly unique Vietnamese tradition and one that no trip to Vietnam should be without.

We ended the day with a trip into the downtown area where I took this picture of the Ho Chi Minh City Hall.

First Day in the City

Well we just finished our first day in Saigon. Everyone was up about 5:45 this morning because of the crazy schedule we've been on for the last few days. We finally left the hotel after breakfast and walked down the street to the Ben Thanh market. This market is one of the largest in Vietnam and probably the busiest places you have ever seen. I’ll try and get some pictures up in a few days.

We headed to the clothes section and began to look for a few clothes to wear until we are reunited with our baggage from the airline. I really avoided the clothing sellers in these markets the last time we came to Vietnam and I had forgotten why, but I was reminded in the first few minutes. Clothing sellers are the pushiest people that you will encounter here. They will physically pull you into their stalls and pressure you to buy all sorts of things. They all try to lure me in with the same call “I have your size! I have your size!” Most of the time they don’t, but a few of them do. I bought two Polo brand shirts that are size XXXXX (the equivalent of our 2X). After you choose what you want the fun begins as you diplomatically arrive at an agreeable price. The conversation, somewhat one-sidedly, usually goes like this: Them: You live in America. You are rich, right?  Me: No ma’am.  Them: OK, I make you good price, $200 for 4 items. Me: No, too much (and I begin to walk away.)  Them: Wait, I discount for you. After ten minutes, I pay $40 for all four pieces knowing that I am overpaying by their standards. They remind me of the pushiest used car salesperson you have ever dealt with x3. At least pushy car salespeople do not usually put their hands on you. I need to get a video of a couple of these young girls as they run out of the stalls in the market and pull me around trying to pull clothes over my head. It was a little more than the boys expected, so we did not stay too long.



Jett washing the sand off of his feet, in true Saigon style, after a thunderstorm.

 After the market trip we walked to a nearby park to let the boys play. They had a good time on the playground and they made a lot of friends. People are amazed at James’s hair and he attracts a crowd oftentimes when we are out walking. They will grab him and feel of it. He has been really good about not overreacting and he seems to be adjusting to it. One lady walked up to us in the market and asked to touch it. She wanted to know if it was real. He just smiles and doesn’t say anything.

I found a Ho Chi Minh City John Deere dealership close to our hotel called Mekong Machinery.

My mother slipped and fell in the park today on a slick piece of pavement. She caught a taxi back to the hotel and put ice on her knee. She is going to hang around the hotel tomorrow and ice it again to make sure it is OK. She can walk fine, but she's still sore. Pray that she will quickly recover so that she can get around like she wants to.

We got a call today from the airport, but they just wanted to be sure we were going to stay in the same hotel. Hopefully they will find our stuff and get it to us. I'm actually looking forward to some clean pants.

Finally Made It

Well we finally made it to our hotel about 11:30 tonight and we only have one problem. When we got off the plane in Saigon, an airline representative was waiting for us with a sign. It seems that they somehow lost mine and DeanAnne's entire suitcase. It was filled with pretty much everything we brought. I am really hoping that we hear something tomorrow. I will have some slight difficulty finding clothes that fit me around here. I guess I could wear the same shirt and pants for two weeks. Maybe noone wouild notice.

JFK Adventure

                The last twenty four hours have been rather exciting. When we got to Savannah/Hilton Head Airport yesterday afternoon, our flight was delayed because of bad weather. After an hour of waiting in line, the ticket representative finally told me that we would not be making our connection in Washington D.C. on the way to New York. They offered to reschedule the flight for the next day at five o’clock. That would have been fine except for one minor detail. In an effort to save money, I booked the flights from Savannah to New York and New York to Saigon separately on two different airlines. This decision had the benefit of saving us quite a bit of money while costing us the luxury of having the airlines to take care of any cancellations and reschedules. We had to get to New York City for our 1:25 flight to Tokyo or we would have given Japan Airlines quite a substantial gift.

                I thought for a minute about all the possibilities, but only one real idea came to my mind. We had to drive from Savannah to New York. 815 miles is not really that far. An airplane can make it in about two hours. Surely it won’t take that long to drive.

                Luckily my daddy had decided to hang close by the airport after he dropped us off. We gave him a call and he came back to give us the car. We loaded up and left Savannah at 8:00 pm. 13 hours later we pulled up at the JFK Airport in New York City. My momma and I swapped driving and we made the entire trip with only three stops. We are exhausted, but we made it.

                We are sitting in the terminal now waiting for the call to board the flight to Tokyo. The boys are a bit delirious, but they are making it. Jett came over by me a few minutes ago and fell asleep while standing up. He is exhausted. I know exactly how he feels.

Jett's Had a Hard Day (and Night)

Ready to Board for Tokyo

Homecoming Vietnam

Wow. It is so hard to believe that we haven't posted to this blog since 2008. My how time flies. I remember as a child that it seemed like it took forever for Christmas to come around. Now it seems like it comes three times a year.

So many things have changed over the last five years. Jett has just finished his first year of Pre-Kindergarten and he is really looking forward to starting Kindergarten next year. He is such a smart fellow and charming as well. He seems to be a celebrity around town. I have lived here all my life and sometimes I don't even know who some of the kids are that I overhear saying, "There's Jett!"

In 2007, DeanAnne and I set a goal to try and return to Vietnam every five years so that Jett could see the country and have a better understanding of his roots as he grew up. I also wanted J.R. and James to be able to explore Jett's homeland. Those of you who followed our blog originally will recall that they stayed with my mother during that month that we travelled. Fast forward five years and now we stand ready to return for the first time. I guess it is a homecoming of sorts for a little boy who has only really known the home he has become part of on Rebie Road in rural Bleckley County, Georgia (that's about as far away from the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as you can get, 9390 miles to be exact).

On Tuesday, May 29, we will depart (this time with the entire family) for Saigon. We will spend approximately 14 days in the Thien Xuan Hotel. This is the same hotel we stayed in for weeks in 2007. We are looking forward to returning, this time on our own schedule. We felt that it would be fitting to crank this old blog up again to chronicle the experience. I hope that many of you who joined us the first time will follow along with us again. Many of your prayers, comments, and encouraging messages sustained us through many dark moments during that month five years ago. I hope that many of our new friends will share in this experience with us this time as well.

Remember us in your prayers as we leave out Tuesday evening from the Savannah Airport for New York City. From there it will be on to Tokyo, Japan and then down to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The entire flight is a little more than thirty hours with layovers. The longest leg in the air will be about 15-16 hours. The boys have never been on a flight like this, so pray for their peace and patience (ours as well).

I couldn't finish out this post without putting some pictures of then and now. The picture below is the first picture we have of DeanAnne and Jett within moments of meeting him for the first time. Just looking at the picture makes me emotional. I went back and read the post with this picture and looked at the many comments that people left for us. It brings tears to my eyes. God has been so good to our family. We have been so blessed to share these last five years with Jett. I am looking forward to the next five.

Easter Update

As I logged on to update our blog, I noticed it has been since December that we have posted. That is pretty bad. We probably won't have many viewers, I am sure most have given up on our updated anymore. We stay busy, needless to say.

Jett is doing well. He is finally growing some and eats pretty good. He loves candy and also feeding himself. He also is talking good. I am very proud of his vocabulary. His dad works diligently with improving his words and speech. He can say Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh(partially), and also his Vietnamese name- Gia Bao. He can also tell someone to do something "right now." I think right now, stop, and mine are his favorite words(behind "candy".)

We had a wonderful Easter. I was very grateful that Jett was here with us this Easter and I did not have to wonder where and what he was doing. I also know he had plenty to eat which was such a blessing. He wasn't much for hunting eggs after he found the first ones with candy in them. All he wanted to do was eat the candy. As I looked at him this Easter, I was very glad to know that one day I will be able to teach him what Easter is really all about. I am honored to know that God chose my family to show this little boy about the love of Jesus Christ and all that Jesus has done for us. One of our reasons for adopting was so we could do this, and now, I know we will be able to with Jett. What better time to reflect on that but Easter.

I have included a few pics from Easter of the boys. Also one of James with his Chicken. He loves to catch them and then hold them like a puppy. Also, our Donkey Festus. Jett will ride him, but not for long-so no pics. I will try to post more often for those of you who still check.

Christmas pictures and more

Since returning from Vietnam we have not been that good at keeping up with our blog. I guess my goal is to post at least once a month(pretty sorry huh.) Jett, JR and James are doing well. Jett's new word(that I heard last night when I got home from work) is Baseball. Jon teaches him new words almost everyday. He is doing good, but a little sick now. He is also cutting 2 teeth.

Some of the pictures are from our Christmas play at church and some are just of the boys just playing around. Jett loves to dance so there is one of him danciing. I will try to add some more pictures later.

DeanAnne

Halloween and Beyond

Halloween was a blast this year. Jett hates to dress up, but he is all about some candy. This kid will cry and cry because he can't hold another bite of supper, but you break out some chocolate chip cookies or candy and his stomach is instantly empty. He eats them like he has never seen food before. Here are the costume pictures. Jett is wearing a dog suit that J.R. wore for Halloween after he was born in August. He has finnaly gained some more weight, but he's still not on track with the two family fullbacks. I'm thinking maybe a wide receiver or quarterback!

We had a request for pictures at mealtime. I thought spaghetti would be a good choice since everyone does such a nice neat job with it.

James

Jett

J.R.

Jon

and DeanAnne!

How Time Flies

Just thought I would take a moment to update the blog after I got a little reminder from our good friends Joe and Katie. Everything is going great. Jett is a remarkable child. He has been walking now for over a month and is in fact quite accomplished. I'll try to get a picture that shows his stance, it is so funny. He holds his elbows at his waist and puts his hands straight out to the side. His feet also turn out like duck feet. As he walks he swaggers at the hips and you can't help but laugh, sort of a Charlie Chaplin kind of thing. He says several words icluding juice, momma, da-da, me-ma and when in a good mood almost any single word you ask him to he will attempt to repeat. Halloween is just around the bend and I will try to post pics of the boys in their costumes. Jett is a puppy, J.R. a dragon, and James is a dinosaur. I'll try and post some of these pictures on Thursday.