Viet Nam Experience

In anticipation of my coming to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), mixed emotions were all over me. Never in my dream did I consider coming to Viet Nam, not at least, of all Asian countries I've known. When my friend told me that the work opportunity she wanted me to consider was in Viet Nam, I had the notion to say no. What I imagined the place to be was what I saw in movies, read in history books- the Viet Nam years passed. My fear and curiosity had me browsing the net to get information of this place, the people, their culture and anything that would appease my reluctant heart. My mother-in-law was the first one to get excited and told me that Viet Nam is fine.

On May 27, 2009, aboard the Vietnam Air with my friend, I reached the City of Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh. From a few altitudes high, I found the place to be just I imagined it to be, green fields and buildings. The International Airport has some resemblance to the NAIA in Manila. The first citizens I met in the arrival area were young men and women, in their late teens or early twenties. They could barely speak English but managed at least to understand and be understood. The hotel chauffer was at the lobby waiving mine and my friend's name. I said hello and he managed to say a word or two in English. All throughout the trip to the hotel my friend and I talked of the similarities and differences we noticed between Vietnam and the Philippines. The driver was silent during the whole trip. As soon as we unloaded our luggages, we went to Ericsson for the briefing and job orientation.

It's been more than a week now since I set foot in this city of Ho Chi Minh. The first thing that amused me and still amuses me today is the Viet Nam Dong. On our first day going to Ericsson, we took a cab. Since the rate of VND to 1 USD is 17,800, we changed only 20 USD each. We asked the hotel crew how much we had to pay for the cab. I showed him the bills and asked him to count the money for me. He got 120,000vnd, that much for the cab. Every time we pay, we cannot help but be amused of how much money we are counting. In the Philippines, P50,000 is a lot of money. A meal in Vietnam costs between 20,000 to 80,000 dong. I am a millionaire here with my 600USD pocket money.

The second thing that amuses me is their food. Viets always serve you soup and side dish, even in lowly carinderias or turo-turo. Their soup is rich in vegetables, meats and seafood. Unlike in the Philippines, their fried rice is loaded that you don't need to order for a separate viand. One serving is good for two ladies or enough for a gentleman to be full. They are experts in French and English dishes and foreigners enjoy the good taste.

Saigon has fast foods like KFC, Pizza Hut and proudly Filipino's Jollibee. Their chicken joy is served with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber, well arranged on the plate. For additional 4,000dong, hot chicken and vegetable soup will go with the chicken joy.

The city streets are full of motorcycles driven by every kind of citizen of legal age- men of all sorts, women of all sorts, sometimes wearing plain dresses or skirts. The number of motorcycles is something you may have never seen before or will never see until you come. With those motorcycles coming from and going everywhere, crossing the streets is difficult. Every time we get back to the hotel, the guard goes out to meet us and help us cross the street.

The people's looks are not very different from Filipinos. In Ericsson, the employees are a mixture of different nationalities. Filipinos and Viets can hardly be distinguished until you hear them speak. The locals I work with could barely speak English, but my young interpreter, a 2nd year college student speaks very good English. His accent though sometimes makes his statement confusing. The look on my face often makes him repeat what he said, in a more legible manner.

My student-interpreter will be absent for eight days in the next three weeks because of examinations, sort of performance evaluation and entrance tests at the same time. According to him, every year before the enrolment all students in every level have to take the tests, otherwise they cannot enroll for the school year which starts in September. High school students are also subjected to similar tests which run for three days. If Viet students are forced to study to pass the yearly test, I wonder how well Filipinos can be academically, if the same is done in the Philippines.

Viet Nam has seven mobile operators. We are working for Viet Nam Mobile that carries the Mobifone Brand. I still do not understand much of their mobile numbering. Some begin with 011, others 093, 090 and many more. Usually the mobile number, excluding 0 and the operator codes, is only six digits.

There are many stories to tell about Viet Nam, but I can only say that much for now. Till then…

MSU

MSU

God's Love

God's love is like sunshine-
it warms my heart back from a cold winter.

God's love is like the morning dew-
It moistens my parched soul and spirit.

God's love is like the rain-
it removes the smog from out of my head.

God's love is like the gentle wind-
it blows away the heat of my day.

God's love is perfect, pure and immeasurable
because GOD IS LOVE-

...and GOD LOVES YOU and ME.

The One Who sits on the Throne

The One who sits on the throne,
He is Christ, the Messiah
Emmanuel, Prince of Peace
King of Kings, Lord of Lords.

The One who sits on the throne,
He is Jesus, Yeshua
The Lord of hosts, creator,
ruler of the universe.

The One who sits on the throne
He is God, the great I AM.
He was, He is and He will
For He is the same yesterday, today
and forever.

The Message of the Cross

Salvation through Jesus Christ

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said 'It is finished'. With that He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.” John 19:30

Every so-called Christian in the world knows that Jesus Christ was crucified, died, buried and was resurrected into life on the third day. The world commemorates that death and celebrates the resurrection of the one Savior Jesus Christ.
However, to know the fact about such event is one thing, while to understand the essence of that same event is another. Though many knows that Jesus Christ came to live with men and died to save men, the truth stands that many professing Christians do not really understand the finished work that gives them salvation for free. It is obvious from the different ways people remember His sacrificial death. In my country alone, Easter fanatics believe that submitting themselves to penitence or having themselves crucified would gain heaven's approval or wash their guilt away.

Jesus said as quoted above, “It is finished.” The work of salvation by the Savior is culminated in His death. The message of John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”, is perfected in His death and resurrection. You don't have to do anything except to believe that Jesus Christ alone can save you from sin. Just accept the fact that you have been a sinner who cannot be righteous no matter how hard you try. For the Word of God says in Romans 3:23-24 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Salvation is free to everyone who believes. Why free? Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.” There's no way you can buy your way to God except through Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, submit to His Lordship and acknowledge that He alone can take your guilt away. He died a terrible death to give you a new life. In Him there is peace, in Him there is freedom- freedom from sin and the curses that come with it. Jesus Christ offers you forgiveness, salvation and a new life. It's all yours for the taking. Let this Easter be the mark of a newly resurrected you through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you do, soon you will be able to say with Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Two Different Visions of Running the Race

by Kelry Green

Recently, God spoke powerfully to me in two visions involving two groups of people. In the first vision, I saw a company of people running a race. Their faces shined like the sun. As I gazed upon them, I had a strong sense of God's presence. It was so powerful. The Lord then let me feel the hearts of these people. Their hearts were full of peace and joy. Then, the scene suddenly changed to the second vision.

In the second vision, I saw another company of people who were also running a race. This group of people were a little different from the first one. They were always looking around them as they ran. They looked to their left and to their right, as well as behind them. They ran swiftly and most of them were smiling. Then the Lord let me see their hearts. I did not feel their emotions at first, but then I felt an intense pain in them. As I looked, I could see their hearts were bleeding.

I asked God, "Who are these people?" Immediately, 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 was impressed upon my heart: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

Then God spoke to me, "The first company of people you saw was running the race for the 'imperishable crown.' They accept and experience My unconditional love daily. They love Me with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength. They understand that they are sons and daughters and not orphans. They live a lifestyle of loving selflessly, seeking meekness, thirsting and hungering for righteousness, and are poor in spirit. They have an understanding of their eternal inheritance. They relate to Me with the same intimacy with which My Son Jesus relates to Me.

The second group you saw was running the race for the 'perishable crown'--the crown that man can give them. While they smile on the outside, they really hurt on the inside. They compete with each other and live striving for man's acceptance. They are not orphans, but they have an orphan mentality. Not believing that they have the promised inheritance, they fight for all they can get in this life. Men crown them often, but every crown that man crowns them with only decays. There is no eternal significance. I love them with everlasting love. I long to spend time with them. I want to heal their hearts, but they are running so hard for the perishable reward that they do not make time to spend time with Me and receive My love, kindness, and acceptance towards them."

He continued to speak to me, saying, "I'm raising up a company of people in the nations of the earth that will not run the race for the perishable crown, but for the imperishable crown--the one that will last forever. I'm the One who gives the crown that does not fade."

Right after this, I felt led to look up the rewards that were given to those who "overcome" in the seven Churches in Revelation, chapters two and three. These rewards are imperishable. They can never decay. Below is a list of these seven Churches, along with the rewards due to those in these Churches who overcome:

Ephesus--the tree of life.
Smyrna--the crown of life.
Pergamum--hidden manna, and a stone with a new name.
Thyatira--rule over nations, and receive morning star.
Sardis--faithful, honored, and clothed in white.
Philadelphia--a place in God's presence, a new name, and the new Jerusalem.
Laodicea--share Christ's throne.

All the rewards are imperishable and will never decay!

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