by Mary Herman
BBFI missionary
In February, my ministry took me to Asia. I serve at the request of missionaries whom our Lord has carefully placed around the world, usually to teach teachers or to minister to women. On this trip, I served mostly with Mike and Sandie Reap in the Philippines, with Rick and Tammy Salmon, who work in Thailand, and missionaries in Vietnam (whose names cannot be published). Clearly, none of these opportunities would have been possible without these missionaries partnering with me, hosting me in their homes, and even traveling with me with their own busy schedules and ministries as well.
Getting there was bumpy. My flight was 24 hours away when I totaled my Ford Ranger on black ice. I walked away with only a slight limp, but flight delays on the journey aggravated my sore knee, and by my arrival in Manila, I was one tired lady and my knee was getting steadily worse.
The ministry began the next day with a LIFT meeting at Berean Bible Baptist in Paranaque City where Mike and Sandie Reap serve. It was a great time of renewing friendships and sharing with the ladies. The following week we flew to Vietnam where I was met with many surprises and opportunities.
I was able to spend a few days in North Vietnam, where we met a tour guide named Hei. Among the things I learned is that each year is called by an animal name. Hei was born in the year of the buffalo, so according to tradition, he could not marry someone born in that same year because when the year of the buffalo comes around again, he must be very cautious because he is prone to bad luck. If his wife were to be having bad luck also, it just would be too hard.
While he was teaching us the customs of the land, I was reminded again that every man has a longing for God. There is a void that can only be filled by Jesus and if they do not know Him, they create their own god in an attempt to fill that God-shaped void in their lives. Because of this need, our traveling companions are feeling an urgency to take that Truth to the people of North Vietnam.
The missionaries and national pastors here are friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome and appreciated. I was privileged to meet with six different churches and I was impressed. There are challenges, especially with space, but all manage in the best fashion they can to communicate God’s Truth. Meetings are usually in homes, and, with creative usage of space, probably three times as many Vietnamese people can fit in a small place as Americans could, or would, fit. Being close doesn’t seem to be an issue.
The opportunities extended for me and the other missionaries to serve were wonderful as well. I was privileged to speak for two ladies’ events. The first was with 42 ladies from local assemblies on the first weekend we were there. The next Saturday was a full-day seminar on Methods of Bible Teaching with 11 different churches involved and approximately 50 in attendance.
Another ladies’ conference was a highlight for me. It was hosted by a Vietnamese pastor’s wife with a burden to reach out to women in ministry who have little opportunity for fellowship or training.
The participants were Vietnamese ladies from the provinces (farms, villages, or mountainous regions). Ten churches were represented with pastors wives and staff wives, many of whom traveled by bus for 24 hours to arrive on time and were happy to sleep on the concrete floor with little to cushion their bodies. They grinned broadly, enjoyed fellowship, and listened intently.
One older lady did not have a Bible and, although she raised her hand to respond, the leader did not recognize her when games were played and questions asked about the lessons. When asked about this, the explanation was that she could not read. She accepted her lot with grace, but a surprise was coming. It was my privilege to present her with her own Bible. She hugged it ever so closely and a neighbor helped her to find the right Scriptures as I taught. She said they had no Bible in their home, but it would be treasured and her daughter would read it to her.
In speaking with the Vietnamese pastor and his wife, I learned that the whole of Vietnam is not nearly as advanced as the cities. The living in many provinces is still quite simple and these precious ladies work so very hard to ensure their families are provided for and to enable their husbands the opportunity to study and fulfill the calling they have for ministry. They needed encouragement and to be helped to see how wonderful and worthy they are. That was the easy part! They are precious ladies who carry heavy burdens and count it a privilege to serve the Master.
It was my privilege to spend time and share with these ladies. Although we speak different languages, there was a kindred spirit with these servants of our Lord. Their educational level was lacking, but they were eager to learn and many made decisions regarding service and dedication. I am a blessed woman to have been given the opportunity to serve these women.
Mary Herman serves missionaries and churches around the world in a unique teaching ministry. Look for more from Mary’s travels in future editions.