Sunday in Saigon

After a whole lot of trying, we finally found a church to attend today in Saigon. Sue, our agency director , and I have been trying to locate an evangelical church and last night when we talked to the lady at the front desk at the hotel we found out she was a Christian. She gave us the name and address for the Saigon Evangelical Church.

We got there about 8 o'clock and Sunday School was in progress. They do not have many rooms besides the sanctuary, so everyone met in the sanctuary. There were about fifteen groups seated throughout the sanctuary and each one had a teacher going over a bible lesson with them. We waited around until Sunday School was over and then a gentleman directed us to a special section of the sanctuary. There we were given a set of headphones and an English translator translated the entire service to us. The church held about 500 people by my count and it was overflowing. Shortly after the service began, Jett had a bought of diarrhea and ruined his clothes. DeanAnne took him out and changed his clothes. Before she came back an usher came and asked her to let the nursery keep Jett so that she could hear the service. After a week here there is one thing I can tell you about these people, they are extremely kind and compassionate. DeanAnne took Jett to the nursery and felt comfortable doing it (for those of you who know DeanAnne, that says a lot for the nursery). After the service we went down to pick Jett up and he was asleep on the caregiver's shoulder. The service was extremely interesting and the pastor delivered a message entitled, "Where's Your Faith?" He used a scripture from the New Testament about the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee during a storm. Jesus was asleep on the boat and they woke him up, terrified that they were about to die. Jesus stilled the storm and asked the disciples "where is your faith?" The sermon really spoke to me as it seems Vietnam has been our "Sea of Galilee" and at times we have to be reminded that nowhere on this earth is out of His reach.

The translator that took us to Tay Ninh the other day stopped by and brought us some Vietnamese fruit. I don't know what all of it is, but the spiny one that looks like a sweet gum ball is a rambutan. The large pink and green one is a dragon fruit I think.

Tomorrow we will have our Giving and Receiving ceremony if nothing changes. This is an official ceremony where we will sign documents and after it is over the country of Vietnam will recognize us as Jett's legal parents. We leave early in the morning, so we are making final preparations tonight.

We went out walking tonight and it ended up pouring while we were out. We waited for about 30 minutes and the rain never broke so we went into the closest restaurant and had dinner. After dinner it was still raining, so we caught a cab back to the hotel and started getting ready for bed. Here are a few pictures of Jett at bath time. He seems to be doing better now and his fevers are lower and less often. Maybe now we can keep him well until we get back home.That's all for today. Pray for G&R pictures tomorrow.

Day at the Zoo

This morning we decided to get up and make a trip to the Saigon Zoo. The zoo is located on the edge of the Saigon river. It's in a really shaded and beautiful park area. The zoo itself has some interesting animals, but many of them are in pretty bad conditions. The grounds are well kept though and there was a huge crowd while we were there. One of the things that amazed me most was that many of the grassy areas were trimmed by hand by staff at the zoo. I mean just a pair of over sized scissors. Then they gather the clippings up and carry them off in a basket.

The zoo was full of all kinds of animals, but I found the hippopotamus to be the most fascinating. Those things are huge. The one in this picture is a good 10 feet long and probably 3-4 thousand pounds. I don't think I've ever seen one out of the water. There mouths are full of teeth as well. It was really neat to see one like this.

There were also several other animals. Bears, deer, crocodiles, snakes, and monkeys.

The central area of the zoo had a stage and there were various acts like little girls twirling fire, juggling, and other stunts.

There was a small amusement park inside as well. One of the neatest things I saw were miniature cyclos for kids to ride other kids on around a little track.

They also had several elephants which interestingly enough can be found wild in the central highlands region of Vietnam. Here's a wild one now that has scooped baby Jett up and is about to carry him away!

After the zoo trip we walked down to the Diamond Plaza. It is a huge office building with a mall on the first three floors. The fourth floor has a Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, pool hall, and bowling alley. The US Consulate also has office space here and we will go here for our INS interview next week. We have to get past this interview so we can go up to Hanoi and file at the Dept. of State for Jett's visa.We went on into the Pizza Hut and shared another pizza.

We are all in the hotel napping now. Tomorrow is Sunday and then hopefully we will get this show back on the road Monday. I'm really ready to make some progress.One last shot of baby Jett for everyone.

J.R. and James: Be good for Me-Ma. We love you and miss you very much. Hope to see you again soon. Love, Momma and Daddy.

Chad: I just thought I'd show you a picture of the Bohannon's Builders Supply in Saigon. I knew ya'll were looking to diversify, I just didn't know how much. That motorcycle with the bed on the front is their delivery vehicle and I have seen them haul as much as you could get on a pickup truck and that is no lie!

Day Out of the City

Today I got up about 5:30 and took a ride out of the city with our agency director, Sue. DeanAnne stayed behind at the hotel with Jett because he has been sick for the last couple of days. His fever last night was 102.5, but we finnaly got it down and he's doing pretty good. Sue and I rode in a rented vehicle out of Ho Chi Minh city through the town of Cu Chi and on to Tay Ninh. Tay Ninh is the world center of the Chao Dai faith. It is a little known religion practiced mostly in south Vietnam that combine elements of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. We saw several Chao Dai temples on our way and they are eaily distinguished by the symbol of the all seeing eye that is similar to the eye above the pyramid on the US dollar.

The trip out was very interesting. We drove through rice field after rice field. South Vietnam is pretty much nothing but delta and well suited for rice production. Most of the work is done by hand or oxen. I saw some oxen pulling carts on the road as we passed.

There are also many cows in the delta. They cross the roads in front of vehicles while travelling. There are a few fences in some areas, but most of the animals free range or are tethered with ropes in a certain area.

We also pasted numerous brick kilns in the process of firing brick. I guess this area is also suited well for clay excavation to produce bricks.

There are also numerous buddhist temples in this area. Many of them are involved in production of some kind. There were numerous places to buy elaborate wooden caskets or stone mausoleums with built in altars. We passed several cemeteries where the dead were buried in unique above ground mausoleums.

We also crossed several rivers in this region. The scenery on the rivers is very unique. The houses are old and ricketty. It really reminds me of scenes out of the movies.

I'll throw in a picture of Jett for everybody to see. He's really doing good. Can't wait for ya'll to see him.

The mission team from our church leaves today for the Dominican Republic. Everybody remember them in your prayers. Pray that their work will be fruitful and far reaching. Also remember the Vietnamese people. For all practical purposes, this place is unreached by the gospel. There are a few Christians here, but not many. I have only seen one catholic church outside of Ho Chi Minh and no evangelical churches. Vietnam reminds me of what Jesus said in the bible about the harvest. The fields here are white unto harvest, but the workers are few. Pray that the Master will provide workers. Pray that the Vietnamese can have access to bibles in their own language so they will at least have the opportunity to read and make their own decision.

Out and About in Saigon

Today we got up and went down for breakfast in our hotel. The food is very good here and breakfast is included in the price of the room. The foods are a bit non-traditional but there are some similar things. I eat either beef pho(noodle soup pictured below) or beef steak and french fries every morning. You have to get down early to eat the pho as it is very popular.

After breakfast we went out walking and ended up at Independence Palace or Reunification Palace. This palace was the presidential office of the South Vietnamese government until it dissolved on April 30, 1975. By this time the American forces had been withdrawn from South Vietnam and only essential military personnel and embassy staff remained in a show of support for the South Vietnamese Democratic government.

Symbolically the capture of this palace by North Vietnamese tanks on April 30, 1975 signaled the reunification of the entire country under communist control. This day is a public holiday in Vietnam known as Reunification Day. These gates pictured are the very same gates shown during the North Vietnamese invasion.

Before this event took place all Americans had been evacuated from Vietnam along with thousands of Vietnamese refugees fleeing the communists. Those who did not escape were re-educated by the North Vietnamese in concentration camps.

The palace is very nice and has a beautiful view. It is about 5 stories, and includes a theatre, a gambling room, rooftop helicopter landing pad, various meeting rooms, and an underground bunker.

From there it was on to the War Remnants Museum. This is a museum constructed to show pictures and effects of the Vietnam War. In Vietnam the war is referred to as the American War. The walls are covered with photographs of bombings of churches, villages, children, and other areas. It even has jars with preserved fetuses that were supposedly aborted or damaged by Agent Orange. It is very gruesome, but a site that is worth seeing. I try to remember that there are two sides to every story and the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.

The grounds around these areas are well cared for and very beautiful. The city really has some very nice areas.

After the museum it was back to the hotel. Jett went to sleep very quickly so we decided to order room service. Everything on this tray was $5 and it was brought to our room. I just had to show you the squid that was in one of the dishes. It is very good. I tried to get DeanAnne to eat a piece and let the tentacle hang out of her mouth, but she was to embarrassed.

Another note for those who are yet to travel; The streets of Saigon are filled with beggars. Many of them walk on their hands with flip flops for gloves. Some of them are missing limbs or have severe deformities. Some of them are very old ladies. They will pursue you relentlessly for donations or to sell you something. If you are seen giving to one, many more will follow you. Many of them claim their deformity is a result of the war. You have to prepare yourself mentally to turn these people away. If you even stop to talk to them or look at what they have to offer, you will be in a situation. Sometimes it is very hard not to help these people, but many of them are nothing more than con artists waiting to prey on sympathetic travelers. Just a word to the wise so you can be prepared. Most of them are not intimidating or scary, just extremely persistent.

J.R. and James: It was good to talk to you on the video phone. We were so proud to see you both and Julian too. We love you and miss you. Love momma and daddy.

Here are a few more pictures of Jett. He really likes it when Daddy feeds him supper. Oreo cookies! I'll make up for it at breakfast so he can get some dairy products, ice cream!

He has really improved in many areas. He is pulling up and standing on the edge of the bed and chairs. He has also learned to patty-cake. I say patty-cake, patty-cake and clap my hands and he will stop what he's doing and mimic me. It's pretty amazing after only 4 days.


He's been running a fever the last two days. Even while sick he still smiles and laughs alot. We can't wait to get him home for everyone to see!

Feels Like It's Raining All Over the World

Just got back from supper on Wednesday night here and it has rained all day long. Our friend Joe has been in the SOS International Clinic for two days now with kidney stones. Please remember him and his wife Katie in your prayers as they are here in Vietnam with their first child and all these technical difficulties. We hope he will be able to get out tomorrow. Katie has stayed with us pretty much all day and we've let the boys spend some time together.

Tonight we went out to eat at the Texas Bar BQ restaurant and man is it good.

The tables are outdoor and covered by a large canopy. Country music blasts over the speakers while you eat. It really feels alot like being back home. I enjoy eating at this place and this makes twice that we've gone. Check out the tops on the Coke cans, bet you haven't seen one like that in a while!

Last night we ate here and when we left I caught the worst taxi you have ever seen. The driver was young and he kept choking the taxi down. I gave him a card from the hotel which is a bout a $1 ride from the restaurant. Thirty minutes later we are nowhere near the hotel. DeanAnne says, "Don't you think we need to get out?" I said sure, and we'll just wait until daylight and walk towards the Saigon skyline. He finally stopped and asked some people how to go. Once we got in the area, he still wasn't sure where we were so I just told him to stop and we'd get out. We walked the next few blocks and as we were going up the stairs into the hotel I saw him come putting along by. I guess he just wanted to make sure where it was for the next time. I cannot stress enough to those who are coming what a barrier, language will be. Vietnamese is a tonal language and cannot be spoken mono tonally as we speak english. For example, I can speak Vietnamese words and 9 times out of 10 the person I am talking to will not even realize I am speaking Vietnamese. They sure don't understand the slow drag southern drawl Vietnamese that I speak. Thien Xuan, our hotel comes out like "tin swan" with about 7 syllables. They just smile and act like I have said hello. Well that's about all for today. Jett is running a fever and he's in a foul mood when he gets ready to go to sleep. I'm hoping for better weather tomorrow and a better feeling little boy. Until next time, adios or rather tam biet as the locals say!

Tuesday's Gone with the Wind

Last night we went out to eat at an Italian restaurant called Pomodoro. It was very authentic, and very good. We came back and went to bed. Jett woke up a couple of times in the night, but he slept until 9:00. Once we got up and checked the e-mail, bad news had befallen us. Seems our Giving and Receiving which was scheduled for Wednesday, was cancelled and rescheduled for Monday. This really floored me as it will significantly postpone our return, possibly by as much as 5 days. It just doesn’t seem fair, but I have learned one thing through this entire adoption process; when things don’t go the way I planned that just means they went according to the plans of the One who knows much better than me. Please continue to lift us in prayer and our family daily. DeanAnne really got emotional this morning when J.R. said, “Momma, I’m ready for you to come home.”


We went for lunch later in the morning and you’ll never guess where; Pizza Hut. We were supposed to meet our friends Joe and Katie there, But guess what. There are twoo Pizza Huts in Saigon and we both went to different ones. The Pizza Hut was very nice and similar to the ones at home except that it was four stories tall. The menu was pretty much the same. We had a “Country Delight” which has sausage, ham, mushrooms, and pineapple. You couldn’t tell a bit of difference between it and one in Georgia, very good. The service was very good as well. After the waitress took our order, she said that it would be out in 17 minutes. I thought that was a pretty specific time, but she was right on the money. The cost for a large pizza and 3 drinks(no free refills here)= $10. The oddest thing about the place was that the bathroom was on the top floor. Air conditioning ends on the 2nd floor, so those last two flights of stairs were hot! I told DeanAnne I needed to go, but by the time I reached the top I had sweated it all out. I just turned around and headed back down. All that effort for nothing!


Better news came a little later when our facilitator stopped by the hotel and told us he had already arranged for our medical exams to be performed this afternoon. That will help us to move things along a little faster after our Giving and Receiving. Every person, babies included, who wish to travel from Vietnam to the U.S. must first have a medical examination before an entry visa will be granted. This examination must be performed by an embassy approved doctor at an approved facility.

We went to the Cho Ray hospital for our appointment. There were many people there waiting for appointments for a visa examination. Most of them were adults, but there were also a few other adopted babies there for examination. The examination went very well and Jett did not even cry during the exam.

He made up for it in the taxi on the way back. He was very tired and he missed his usual afternoon nap. He is asleep now after much struggling. It has always been amazing to me how the sleepier a child is the harder it is for them to go to sleep. He fought the good fight, but eventually sleep won.


We have the rest of the week free now. I don’t know what we will do but our next appointment is for our Giving and Receiving on Monday. I think we will see a few attractions and just rest. Thanks for visiting our site and please keep the comments coming. They are a great source of comfort for us. For those of you who doubt that I am in Vietnam because you never see pictures of me, DeanAnne snapped this photo at the hospital. My feet were very tired so I had Jett to carry me. Isn't he a big boy.

J.R. and James: Momma and Daddy miss you alot and we hope to be home with baby Jett very soon. Remember to pray for baby Jett to come home when you say your prayers tonight. We love you both! Here's a smile and a wave from baby Jett just for both of you!