Touching Base From Vietnam


Hi everyone, if you get this, please thank the Lord, because we’ve been in port all day here in Viet Nam and there’s NO INTERNET whatsoever, as we suspected, but we may have figured out a little trick.  Here goes: Hope you’re all well and happy as we are.
When we first boarded the ship, we noticed that there’d be a “passenger led” Bible study.  Of course we were curious, so we showed up in the chapel at the appropriate time……..and there was just one other lady.
We got to chatting, waiting for the ‘leader’ because we agreed none of us were going to lead it, and then, an hour later, we left with enough stories of God’s faithfulness to keep us going for a while.  What fun!  She’s a youngish single lady from Germany by the name of “Uttu” (bad spelling, but close to phonetically right), and of course she speaks English.  I think she’s a self-funded adventurer for God.  Her tales of His faithfulness are enough to keep us going for quite awhile, and believe me, it’s good for us to remember how great God really is when He’s doing His thing.
One of this girl's focuses is the Muslim world.  She’s been in several of the countries where you and I wouldn’t go, and some of her tales remind me of reading Brother Andrew back when I was a teen.  One time she was crossing into a country and she, in her nervousness, forgot to hide her several Bibles.  She is completely aware that carrying a Bible into that country is an invitation to offer your head, or at least several years in a local prison, and that’s why she was so nervous on this particular day that she forgot to HIDE the Bibles she was carrying in her backpack to the bottom, where she usually put them.
With only one person in line in front of her from the inspector she remembered they were right on top, where she’d put them in her haste to leave and get to the border.  
She couldn’t be seen repacking things, so she just prayed, “Well God, I am your servant.  I will be your servant to the people who are waiting to hear about you, and yes, that might be in prison, I understand that."  
According to her story, she went up to the lady, who very gruffly opened her bag and stuck her arm in clear to the bottom, yanking out a handful of clothes and amenities. She NEVER noticed the Bibles glaring at her from the top, in plain sight.  Another man, at the signal from the inspector, came and called her out of the line and led her across the border with no more interrogation.  She was left wondering if they SAW the Bibles and secretly wanted them in the country (as many Muslims are coming to Christ) or did God just intervene for His compassion for the lost.  We may never know.  
Isn’t it amazing to hear what God continues to do for the people He loves, both the missionary and the lost?
Next Sunday, we will dock in Hong Kong, go to our old favorite church and have dim sum with 14 of our friends. I wish you could all join us!  Again, may or may not get out a blog this week but thanks for being here with us in spirit.
Marsha

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