Big Faith and a Brave Heart |
(The following true testimony tells the story of Trinh, a young Vietnamese woman now living in the U.S. Trinh tells what her life was like as a young Christian in Vietnam when she was about the age of the Vietnamese girl in the photo. The testimony is adapted and paraphrased from interviews with Trinh and her mother. Her name and some identifying details have been changed to protect her identity.) Growing Up In Vietnam I began driving a motorbike at age 13, without a license. It’s not necessary to have a license in Vietnam. It’s different in America. People drive cars and there are rules and regulations. There are no rules in Vietnam. On the motorbike, I helped my pastor and his wife in their ministry. When I had free time, I stayed home with my family. My dad shared God’s Word with me during those times. He was training me to be a servant. Still Dangerous for Christians Because of our Christian beliefs and activities, my mother was taken to the police station for questioning about 10 times. Sometimes they kept her for two days. My sister and I got to school on our own. The police asked her, “Why do you continue to talk to people about Jesus?” She answered: “Because I want everyone in Vietnam to come to the Lord, even you. Do you want me to pray with you to come to Christ?” The police told her they could send her to prison. She said if they did, she would share the gospel with the prisoners. One Sunday the leader of our house church was preaching when six police came. They told him to stop preaching. He said, “No, the service is not finished yet. Sit down and wait.” The police sat down! After the service, they took the pastor to the police station, walking down the street with people watching. The 35 believers from the house church followed them down the street! When the police took the pastor into the station for questioning, the believers all knelt in the doorway to pray! “You can’t pray here!” a policeman said. “This is not a church!” “Our God is everywhere,” a believer explained, “not just in church.” After much talking, the police allowed the pastor to go home. Trinh’s Vision My heart is for reaching Vietnam with the gospel. It is a vision God has given me. I want to learn as many things as possible to prepare to serve God in Vietnam. I thank God for giving me big faith and a brave heart. I am prepared to go to prison. |