Tuesday, 2026 Journal Entry
Central Highlands, Vietnam
We are leaving the hotel after two nights. They’re bussing our team to a different location today and we’re spending the night elsewhere. The dental team is splitting off from us today, for today only.
In fact, the authorities only let Dr. Stan, Dr. Le, and two Vietnamese dental and medical personnel with American passports work with the dental team today. The rest of us American passport holders were not allowed back.
I awakened this morning praying for the local pastors, and the church in Vietnam, especially the Highlands.
The people of the Central Highlands seem to be much more open to the gospel and come to faith much easier than the populated areas of Vietnam. They seem to have a simple, child-like, faith, and not so much indoctrination as those in the cities and more heavily populated areas.
I had an impression to leave some T-shirts that have Christian messages for local pastors as I go. I asked Pastor Ngoc, and he said that would be fine, but not here, due to the scrutiny. In the next villages it should be fine.
One interesting thing happened at a public restaurant last night. The local pastor prayed over our long table of about 30 people (mission team plus local church members), a long passionate prayer in Vietnamese. A table of men drinking beer at the next table clapped loudly when the prayer was finished. So we did too. One of them looked me in the eyes and said in broken English, “Good prayer!” :):)
That was a new mission experience!
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In the early afternoon our dental team of four rejoined us. We boarded our bus and drove a few hours to our next location.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” I’m not sure where that pharse comes from, but out leader, Pastor Ngoc, must take it to heart, because at our next hotel in the Central Highlands, we were suprised by two Asian elephants giving rides next door! What a sight, and experience! All this was in the middle of a beautiful agricultural valley on the shores of a very large lake. It was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful setting we were to enjoy morning and evening for two days before and after serving in nearby villages.
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“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”(Galatians 6:18)