Leaving Vietnam!

with Steve, Monday 26th, 1:30pm

Final photo with team at Saigon Zoo after Bible drop.

Saturday morning the team again rose early packed up all the clothing we brought along with the candy and balloons and headed to a leprosy colony. Although there is medication for leprosy now, about 250 families live at the colony and are quite poor. They also do not get many visitors.

It didn't go exactly to plan but I think the team had a good time sharing with the families. Jon, Shannon and DJ were making balloon animals none stop. This was Shannon's first trip activity since being sick and I think it was a bit difficult as all the children were mobbing her. She was a real trooper and did the best she could to make the kids smile.

DJ also had a great time. He couldn't make the balloon animals fast enough and even began to make up his own designs. It was neat just to watch him interact with the kids. I couldn't tell who had a bigger smile, him or them.

Wes shared a greeting and presented a nice leather Bible to the pastor at the village. The pastor was very impressed to receive the Bible and asked Wes to sign it for him. Bethany also had the opportunity to share her faith and pray for some girls her age that were not believers.

On the way home, our Vietnamese host (Pastor David) took us to a seafood restaurant in his village. It was a local outdoor restaurant and all the seafood was alive before being prepared for us. We had Shannon, Bethany and DJ help catch the shrimp from the large holding tanks. It was a scream. We felt bad for Jon who cannot eat seafood as I think it was the best shrimp the kids had ever had.

A highlight of the event was when Brad had the opportunity to give his guitar to one of the Vietnamese kids who traveled with us. Since Brad first bought the guitar (in Bartlesville) he asked us numerous times what he was to do with it. We always told him to just wait and the right time would surface. The young man he gave it to was so happy. He knows how to play but does not own his own guitar. He has a street ministry and has to borrow a guitar each week from the church. Brad was equally excited to have this opportunity. I'm sorry I was not able to take any pictures as I was with Pastor David preparing for the next day's activities.

We originally had a dinner planned at the same hotel we did the interviews in Friday night. But we later learned that the police had come the next day wanting to know what we were taping, why we had a general with us and why we were speaking of "religious" matters. We also learned that the police saw the same group had a reservation for Saturday and were waiting for us to arrive. So a quick change of plans were in order. Had we gone, our entire project could have been in jeopardy.

So on Saturday evening Ginny and Taani went back to the Christian coffee shop for Karaoke night and I took the rest (with the exception of Shannon who needed to rest) out for dinner. We went to a cool roof top restaurant and just had the best time talking. They mainly wanted to know if they could be included in future versions of the show. Ginny and Taani met us a bit later for ice-cream. It was a nice break from the hectic schedules. NO CAMERAS!!!

Sunday morning the whole team went to the official church. They really saw the contrast from the underground services they had seen. The Pastor had been taken to the police station more times then he could remember and was really a sweet man. But the difference between the registered and unregistered churches remained obvious. We also learned that the Pastor had been suffering for two years from a severe kidney stone and could not afford the surgery. He was in constant pain. The surgery was only $500.00 so we gave the kids the money to pay for it.

Sunday afternoon was also a highlight and kind of the grand finale as we made plans to deliver all the Hmong Bibles we brought. After meeting with Pastor David and his couriers, it was deiced that the best way to give the literature was to pack it up in backpacks and make the drops at the local zoo where we wouldn't raise too much suspicion. So Brad and Bethany went out shopping for backpacks and began equally distributing the Bibles. Only the backpacks ended up weighing like 50 lbs each! There was no time to re-pack so we made the best dealing with broken straps and heavy backpacks. Summer and Linh secured motorbikes and transported the kids to the zoo were they were given instructions to meet the couriers at a certain location. They were all really excited and all the deliveries went off without a hitch. We really had much more material than we originally thought.

DJ and Shannon getting ready to delver their Hmong Bibles.

DJ's backpack was so heavy, both straps had broken.

Sunday evening was our "wrap" party. It was great to be with all the teens (and all feeling better!) and some of the crew just to hang out without worrying about filming. We are still amazed at how well the team has bonded. 

This morning we had a final round of interviews and allowed the kids to go shopping. I think by now they are pretty much sick of me and the others asking questions on camera and telling them to "be real." Ginny has already left for the airport as she is heading to a conference in India.

Ginny saying good-bye to Taani and Wes. I will not see her for another week or so and we barely

got to see each other on this crazy adventure. I miss her already.

So all and all it was a very successful trip. Part of me still cannot believe we even attempted to do this. But then again, nothing ventured, nothing gained. (But keep praying as we still need to get out of the country!)

Jayson ended up moving into the production suite as the helpers we hired never showed up.

He worked through the night on more than one occasion. And he wants his wife to know he is still alive!

Ramsey was equally wiped out. He and Jayson worked an average of 20 hours per day!

Not pictured is Steve Brown who went way beyond the call of duty staying in the edit suite whenever the team went out. With all the problems we had at the events with the police we never wanted to leave our production suite unoccupied. Steve also stayed up a number of nights transferring tapes. We would have been lost without him and he barely got to go out on any activities. Thanks Steve Brown! When you return to the Australian VOM office I think they should give you a raise! (Or at least a few days rest.)

The team with the 4 Star General who is also a Christian. (Shannon and Taani were not feeling well)