Big Faith Brave Heart

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 At school in Vietnam, kids questioned me about my faith. There were Buddhists, Hindus, and others. They would say, “There is no difference between Buddhism and Christianity.” I would say, “Yes, there is a difference.” I am still praying for them and believe one day they will be Christians. 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 There is still danger for Christians in Vietnam. They carry their Bibles in a bag because they can’t open them and read them freely on the street. It’s getting better in Saigon; it’s worse in tribal areas and in the north. 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 If I were in Vietnam now, I would go into the jungle and evangelize people. I would also take mission trips to the tribal people. 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.

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