So I've spent all this time and cyberspace analyzing the food, culture, and reporting on what ministry took place in my presence. I have neglected to mention what part I had to offer, what God had equipped me for in this strange new place. A place where I couldn't communicate. A place where I had almost no clue of the social cues and body language. A big part of my task was to get to know Thuy the best of my ability and to love on her. Other than that, I only had one other thing to offer- my smile. I brought it everywhere I went- the stinky market, the crazy-busy streets, the grass huts, the boat coasting down the river.

  As people stopped in their tracks, stared, and even whispered to others around them, (okay, some did not whisper...some hollered and laughed others pointed or dragged their kids to me), all I had to offer was my smile. That's what Jesus would have done, right? I knew it was better than me being remembered as 'the angry or glum rather large yellow- haired woman who walked through the stinky meat market today'.

  With hard financial times for many, and an election that doesn't seem to be offering anything fantastic, how has your 'ministry of the smile' been lately?

The entire country of Vietnam is an need of God's hands and feet in so many different ways, I can't even express it all here. The predominant religion of Vietnamese people is Buddhism. There is also poverty on a wide scale. Education is limited, and possibilities for work to provide for your family are slim. When Deerhunter first came to Vietnam about 8 years ago, he had to hide. It was illegal. There was a government sanctioned Baptist church (sermons were submitted ahead of time, government operatives sit in the congregation). So much has changed since then. House churches, in most areas, can meet freely. It does not mean they are without persecution, however.

 The area we went to minister in has a strong group of men who oversee one congregation, made up of about 5 house churches. They meet weekly in the homes, then once a month gather in a building together for worship and communion. I know that as brothers and sisters in Christ we have kinship, but I was not prepared for the bond I would feel with these people I have no other thing in common with. They knew no English. Many of them lived in grass huts. Yet, they eagerly awaited our arrival, some even squealing with delight wanting us to jump out of the boat and into our arms. They are very loving and hospitable people. We were immediate family.

  We had prepared 50 sets of food stuffs to hand out. 1 kilo of rice, soy sauce, cane sugar, cooking oil, and some other things. We distributed them among the church families and the pastor also pinpointed people in the 'neighborhood' that he knew were in need and that he and others have been witnessing to. So we set out on the water in the boat-full of rice- to take in the sights and meet the people.

 We were welcomed in, and in most cases fed. Evidently the pastor's home is where Al enjoyed his meal of rat last year. There were plenty of jokes about that going around the table as we ate. At another home we had the 'homemade sprite' thing I mentioned in my last entry. We were offered something at every home, except one..which I'll get to in a moment. Our last meal was served to us by our squealing greeter and 'grandma'. Fish, eel, snails, veggies, and rice...and rice paper wraps to put it all in. We walked in her house and she astounded me. Their families' home is about 12' by 12', sleeping 5 people. It is their kitchen, bedroom, everything...mud floor. We walk into her home and she announces 'my house is small, but my heart is big'..with her signature big smile and expressive way. It was humbling to say the least.

 One stop along the way several church members hopped in the boats and joined us. We were going to deliver food to a family who had recently been saved. As soon as we get there, church members divide up between the man and his wife, talking with them, praying with them, but not so much in a fun, fellowshippy way. I look around inside the hut (it only has 3 sides, and is open to the river) and see all kinds of altars. Someone comes by me and quietly explains that the man has been being bothered by demons. He sees them not just at night, but they torment them during the day as well. They want their home blessed. The church members were trying to explain to them that the altars, to several different gods, needed to be taken down for their blessing to really work. Neighbors came out to hear and see what was going on, since about 20 of us landed upon their residence...which doesn't happen much out there. The babies were scared half to death because there were so many people...and my blond hair served as a distraction for the enemy to maximize upon..for they screamed at the sight of me. I stepped away from their view. It was so good to watch this unfold. The pastor walked the perimeter of their home, praying in the Spirit quietly, and listening to the ministry taking place. His elders really took hold and did their best to explain to the family why. All the while, the neighbors were watching. They could not take down their idols yet. We all prayed for them. We passed out traks to the crowd who had gathered, and went on our way. How we forget in our society about idols. I know we have our idols here..money, power, status...but to forget that so much of the world is still bound by idols, it was a wake up call. It will be exciting to hear testimonies when we return next year...maybe those neighbors will have made a commitment to Christ as they see those idols come down and the peace that will reign in that home.

Remember my 'Do's and Don'ts' entry shortly before we left fro Vietnam? It was a really good thing that I read that book prior to our visit. MANY of the things in that book I got to see and experience first hand, and actually, it took some of the shock away to allow room for other things I didn't expect. I've heard people come back from overseas mission trips before saying it is just too much to process, to comprehend, that your senses are overloaded with information. I do believe that is true. Here are just a few things we encountered that I thought you might enjoy:

Was I able to keep up with my healthier eating?  Pretty close. Most meat items were caught, killed the same day, and most produce was grown in small scale farms. Everything was fresh..although you did need to make sure to go to market earlier in the day to avoid meat spoilage. Any sweets we had were different. They use sugar cane in everything, not the crystallized sugar we use.

Did I find any favorite foods/drinks? I loved the steamed rice, all the different rice noodles, and the grilled and fried meats. They have a sugar cane drink that is really good, and one of my favorite drinks was like a homemade sprite...they give you a cold bottle of soda water, afew slices of lemon or lime, and a glass of ice with sugar (that cane sugar) at the bottom. It was fun to make and the citrus and soda wasn't too bad for a queasy tummy. And I love a Veitnamese french bread sandwich...minus the peppers.

The strangest things I ate... By far the strangest was the eel. Just like fish, but a little slimy. Deerhunter and Eric fought over eyeballs at most fish meals. Eric is Vietnamese and will et just about every part of every animal he is served...the fatty fish floating 'bladder' and all. DH also ate a pidgeon, fried head and all..that grossed me out.

The french influence..was something I kind of already knew about, but didn't realized how prominent it is. I knew my Vietnamese friends loved French cake and pastries. Fresh french bread was sold everywhere. All the bakeries had french cake. The men sit around at cafe's and drink 'cafe suda', which is coffee and condensed milk poured over ice. There are many words that the Vietnamese have adopted from the french. I also learned that the French eliminated their 'picture language', like what the Japanese and Korean have, they don't have it because the French ordered it eliminated..pretty sad. But I did notice that they take great pride in neat handwriting.

The influence of technological advances...there is an odd dicotomy here. Depending on where you live, you may be in a hut, a partly brick home, or a 3 story solid home. That does not dictate what kind of access you may have to technology. Most everyone has one cell phone, if not 2. Most homes do not have computers, but there are internet cafes all over the place. In the internet cafes you will find primarily young kids...some teenagers. Most of what they do online is chat and play online games. we went to some intersting cafes. One was about half hut, the other was missing all the letters off of the keys. They are dusty and dirty, and the computers are old. In one visit we had and electrical fire start...that was our adventure for the day. I found it sad that the cafes are being used that way. I saw not a single adult in there using a computer for work, or a single young person using it for research.

The wide array of toileting facilities...I didn't realize how much I appreciated a good potty until this trip. Western toilets are hit and miss around Vietnam. The city gives you the best shot of finding one, but it doesn't guarantee the condition. Potties are not of great importance in Vietnam, because men pretty mauch take care of their business wherever they see fit. Even in the city, though, you may run across a bathroom with the infamous hole and balancing bricks. And a potty doesn't necessarily mean what you think it does. There were times where necessary parts or paper products were missing, or there was no door, or there was a chicken coop full of baby chicks where your feet should be. Hot water is a luxury, and water pressure too.

Driving...Deerhunter has always gone on and on about traffic in Vietnam, so I knew this would be an adventure. Luckily we had Driver Guy on our side. He's a paid driver who is at our beck and call the entire trip. I found out with most clients he sleeps out in his car and eats ramen noodles. Not with us. We've used him over the past few years and we treat him like family, seating him with us at restaurants, letting him sleep where we are staying...don't tell, but we even sent him home one day to spend time with his family. And really, he's more like a personal assistant..you name what you want to get done or what kind of food you want to eat, and he's on it and takes you where you need to go..he even haggled with us while souvenir shopping AND cooked us a meal....he's really close to making a decision for Christ....sorry! BACK TO THE TRAFFIC...horns are for multi purposes...to signal 'get out of my way', 'I'm passing you', 'I'm here', and even "Watch out because I am making a left hand turn from the right hand lane'. Turn signals are used differently too.  Lines on the road are just suggestions. Lights..some matter and others don't. If you get into a scrape with someone, you settle up right then and there. The helmet law is new, so almost all adults are wearing them..no kids. Oh yeah, there is no limit to how many people or how much stuff you can put on your motor bike. I saw as many as 4 or five people and many bikes with 100's of pounds of stuff. It was amazing. This trip our team only saw one dead person on the road and a couple of accidents, which is amazing considering how they drive and how many people are on the roads at once. And one connection- the way they drive on the road is very similar to how they walk through the markets...no personal space, they will even nudge you out of the way or poke you to get you to move.

Entrepeneurship is king... everybody and their brother has a business of sorts. Most people don't work for companies. They sell goods at market, or drive around to sell them. If they have a business, it is most likely in the same location as their home. I didn't get a good picture of this, let me try to explain...most shops are open air in the front. In most cases the first thing you would see would be parked motorbikes, then their shop or business, then just past that you would see hammocks or a bed/table and a 'disco buddha'...as home business operators ourselves, this was a totally different take. Oh yeah, and if your business is part of your home, that really proves out in the Vietnamese way of sleeping anywhere thre is a hammock or flat surface. My first night we passed a casket business, on the sidewalk was casket..casket..person sleeping on lawn chair..casket...casket...another person sleeping on lawn chair. And did you know the seat and handlebars of a motorbike make for great REM sleep?

..that's enough for now...there's so much more, but I know you have better things to do right now than sitting at your computer...like sleeping on your dining room table, maybe? 

  Well, I am in a hotel room by the LA airport. We had a delay earlier, which made us miss our other flight. We leave the middle of the night tonight and will be in Alabama in the morning. Although I really want to be home, a few down hours and a great hot American style shower is really a great trade off. My brain is swirling with ideas in how to share all that we've seen and experienced. The pictures are great, but by no means say enough. It's not just what we saw, but what we felt as we visited with Thuy and her family, toured, and ministered in a remote area of the Mekong Delta...see what I mean?? And then, yesterday during our layover in South Korea we were treated to a tour of Seoul and traditional Korean dining. That scrapbook I bought cannot possibly be big enough. I had all of about 48 hours af stomach trouble on our trip, which was helped by my precautionary CIPRO that I brought. It is good to be back in the states, where I can read the signs and I am not sticking out like a sore thumb all the time, although I do think L.A. must be some sort of alternate dimension.

 Pics are coming soon...there are about 200 to sort through, so between the massive number and the jet lag it may take a week or so, but they are on their way!

Not too much time to write here. We are in Vietnam. So far we have had no illness. I have had problems with swelling, but it seems to have subsided since the 10 hour rest I got last night..thus still trying to adjust from jetlag. My brain goes into overload quite easily with all there is to see, hear, and think about.

 Right this minute we are literally in Thuy's village, around the corner from her house, where she brought us and immediately typed in this blog address...memorized...so it has been her visiting the site over the months. I can't tell you how that encouraged me. We are setting up an email account for her so we can comunicate more directly..with a little help from yahoo translate (thanks to Dan and Beth). We are going to requesst she get off scool next week so she can go with us to Saigon, and so we can look into an english tutor.

 It has been overwhelming in so many ways. I have been taken out of everything familiar. I have been giggled at and have stopped traffic. I have survived the crazy traffic. And I am enjoying catching up with our friends the Vo family.

Can't wait to post pictures!!!

 I've been noticing some interesting traffic on my website, so I thought it would be a good time to brag. I've got 2 brothers deployed somewhere in the world, together. I love them so much. We don't get to talk hardly ever, even when they are 'home'. We see each other at family functions, but don't really get to have deep conversations...I've been in baby world, and now it's their turn, so everyone is too busy with kiddos to truly visit. Beware the sappy, silly list below:

* I love that they are doing what God has equipped them to do

* I love that God has given them divine favor in all they set their hands to

* I love to see them as Daddies and Husbands

* I love the fact that they are heroes

* I love that they love God

* I love that in a few days all 3 of us will be zigzagging the planet, following God's lead

* I love that I know their secret weaknesses

* I love that I had a part in helping them become the men they are

* I love that my girlfriends have always thought they are SO handsome

* I love that they survived my bossy naggy self..gave me practice for today

* I love that they appreciate the way we do family, no matter how different is from theirs

Miss you...see you before you know it!

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!

  Deerhunter and I leave in about 2 weeks for Vietnam, so I am writing lesson plans, getting shots, and reading the book, Do's and Don'ts in Vietnam. Nevermind the fact that haven't been on an airplane in over 13 years, or the fact that the cruise was as foreign as I have been in my life..this, my friends, can get overwhelming when you get to thinking about it. I pulled out the book to answer some of my questions as to what to pack to wear and found myself reading for hours. Some of what I found was funny, some explained my Vietnamese friends' quirkiness, and some was a little scary. Here are a few bullet points:

* be assured that as a foreigner, you can get away with just about anything-so long as you do it with respect

*don't be offended by personal questions and remarks....ex. "why are you fat?" or "your husband is ugly" (that explains some conversations I've had)

*someone who can crack a joke is appreciated..it even helps when bargaining.

*Vietnamese people also laugh when they are sad, angry, embarrassed, etc.

*forget about political correctness

*shyness is seen as an outward form of respect and is prized as a virtue.

*don't cross your fingers...refers to a private female part

*no public displays of affection (DH may have a hard time with this one)

*nobody walks in Vietnam, Don't expect to be able to walk down street pavements in town...these are generally reserved for parking cars, motor bikes, and cutting hair.

*beware of anyone holding a sleeping child while begging. Children are sometimes rented and drugged.

*don't hesitate to wear snug fitting clothes, and sheer is fine, just don't bare much bare flesh.

*there are no dangerous parasites in still waters, just leeches

*leave shoes outside, but bring motorbikes in.

See what I mean? Then Deerhunter says I can't pat kids on the head. Oh man, I think I'm glad for the first  tip, it should cover a multitude of sins for me!

   Here are the pictures I promised. We had a great time at the beach. Mater&Co. invited us to stay with them in a bungalow big enough for both crews. The weather was perfect every day we were there. 6 kids can get crazy, and there were loud wild moments, but overall they did wonderful. Nuff said. enjoy the pics. The 'strangers' are Sharkbait- I mean Mater and fam, our neighbors.

  Okay, so I started a whole detailed account of our cruise, but thought it might get boring. So I decided to go with the bulletpoint style and let you guys fill in the blanks with your wonderfully creative minds-

*a boat of about 900 people, most from Alabama or somewhere else in the deep south

*boat of said people, drink specials, all you can eat buffets, and 24 hour pizza

*boat of said people with drinks..and a hairy chest contest

*without tenaCious, cha cha class just isn't the same- but enjoyed watching the instructor :)

* run into instructor close up and realize- he's batting for the other team :(

*play slots and win, then lose

*play bingo and win, but have to split with 4 other winners

*deerhunter, left to pack on his own this trip, doesn't pack right and so we miss formal night.

*yeah, that beverage..great for helping adjust to the motion of the ocean.

*realize we have assigned seating for dinners- with folks who work for the FL dept. of corrections..needless to say you know where conversation goes :)

*wing our plans on the island, rent a sweet red Jeep with no ac or tunes...saved mucho dinero

*toured the island all by ourselves, almost got killed...good intro to Vietnam driving

*Toured Mayan ruins, got to meet the local Iguana crew...and a killer COLD Corona to cool off.

*Shopped the strip in Cozumel, learned to ignore street vendors..except the iguana guy...

*priced mexican junk...negotiated prices..and lost...

*lunch at Pablo's back porch...a quiet getaway from taxi/vendor world..

*finish shopping, starts pouring, catch a taxi back to the jeep (with no cover)

*cover jeep..turns into rolling sauna..ditch Jeep for closest Margaritaville

* rain stops, head to docks, find a beach for Deerhunter to snorkel in...I sort through souvenirs and take pics..

*make it back in time to head to spa for a massage...

*beautiful sunsets, even more beautiful starlit nights

*singing and dancing (and bouncing/jirating) shows

*naps and snacks

*make it to a midnight buffet, laugh at what we've missed (or not)..when we find a Bham friend who's no longer thirsty, dancing however with whoever....and a 80 year old woman who can't get any of the 20 year olds to keep up with her dancin.

*breakfast with an atheist, who asks too many questions, gets the whole story and gets encouraged...

*a quick run through customs, where I find dance instructor getting his bags searched, and realize...he's not batting for the other team..he's a queen...leaving the terminal in shorts, pointy boots, and a cowboy hat...

All in all we had a great time...if you guys ever get a chance to take a cruise. You'll get spoiled, get to play, and get to meet really interesting people.

'They' whoever they are,say it takes about 30 days to add or get rid of a habit. So in order to spare you the monotonity, this will be my last eating entry unless something in particular strikes me...because this habit of eating healthier should be getting more firmly established and be less exciting by now.

The Unexpected....

Expenses- we knew changing our eating would be more expensive, but I didn't account for some purchases I have had to make lately...kitchen utensils. A 2nd vegetable peeler, strainer, apple corer, and cutting boards...with eating fresher foods and more vegetables I needed seconds of some of these items so they are always handy when preparing meals and snacks. Humm..the melon baller? I've wanted those for some parties we've had recently, and this was a good excuse, plus the kids enjoyed the balls.

Weight Gain-I don't know exactly what to blame it on, it could be Deerhunter's sugar-frenzy of fresh juices and smoothies, my hormones, or just plain ol lack of self control. I fluctuated greatly over one 72 hour period, and am back to 'normal'. I have increased my water intake greatly the past few days to stave off some headaches (dehydration?) and my appetite.

And, ladies and gentlemen, I am praying all this will not be for naught once Deerhunter and I climb aboard the cruise ship in a few days. Not to be a party pooper, but to be wise and have fun without eating ourselves sick and fat and hopefully enjoying some exercise together. My goal is to work on weight loss when we get back, primarily by tweaking what we're already doing, better portion control, and more physical activity...but until then...Cozumel here we come!!!

Our sitemeter is reading visits from Vietnam again!!!!!

Thuy-

Ba and I will be coming to see you in a few months. I can't wait to meet you and give you a big hug. There are so many things we want to tell you.

Do well in school. Tell your brothers and cousins that we send our love and can't waitto see everyone.

Love You!

Week 3

 We are surviving. Our pantry is slowly being replaced with more nutrient rich, fiber full foods and healthier cooking stuffs. My weight is staying the same, I am not starving. Deerhunter is sending our blood sugar levels into space with fresh juices with his juicer and healthy smoothies. My kids' appetites are increasing. They LOVE the hormone free milk. They are having (besides daddy's concoctions) MAYBE one glass of juice a day, a couple of glasses of milk, and the rest  is water...and not complaining (and not complaining about the rainbow assortment of different breads mommy buys, either). I LOVE Costco even more now, but I am having to use restraint. The kids are honing in on labels that read all natural and organic...and are begging for organic chocolate milk. Their appetites are increasing..did I mention  that already?...my food bill is increasing. I see an exchange in time spent..more time at the grocery (for now) and some really easy quick meals that are healthy. My PMS symptoms are at about 30% of what they have been the last 3 months...so far, anyway...

The ugly....a trip to the barbecue restaurant for a buddies' bday proves hazardous to the digestive system after all these changes, and a tour of a new local restaurant kitchen provides lovely knowledge that , "all our steaks are cryogenically frozen (yes, like W. Disney's head* that's my internal dialogue here*), so we have to set them out for several hours so that the gas smell can air out of them." Yumm, delicious...

Week 4, here we come!!!

As I sit here at Deerhunter's desk, not-so-patiently waiting on hold for a lovely helpful government employee  to pick up the phone so I can let them know that once again they sent me an intent to levy..because I missed a payment, but their computer says I did send it.....gotta love efficiency..first recording said 15 minutes...we'll see..I've checked facebook and all my friends' blogs, and now will write this as I wait...

   God has burdened me lately in the area of our eating. About 2 years ago Deerhunter and I lost a combined 50 or 60 pounds using Atkins/low carb. Although we do think about starches and sugars differently, we have had a hard time sticking to it. We've gained some of the weight back. My kids are not eating enough healthy foods, and as a woman in her 30's I am struggling in the area of hormones. all those factors put together have been a matter of concern, and God has laid it on my heart to make some pretty drastic changes. Here are our goals:

-reduce the amount of refined sugar in our diets

-increase the quantity and quality of fruits and vegetables (going organic when possible)

-reduce and possibly eliminate hormones and antibiotics in dairy and meats

-increase whole grains and fiber

This is our second week. I think I will blog weekly on our experiences as to help those of you who are considering similar changes, or who have helpful input.

WEEK ONE-

I came up with a plan of attack. I wanted to immediately change the things we eat the most of.  So as we begin making changes, I will continue to have us eat what is in our freezers and pantry. I don't want to waste OR hit our pocketbook so hard that we get discouraged right off. I decided that my weekly mainstays will change..hormone free dairy, whole grain bread...and not buy other things without reading labels first, steering clear of fructose, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, phosphates, and anything else I can't pronounce, and as condiments or other thigns run out, replace them with healthier options. DH and I had a date night at Whole Foods, just to see what's out there, learn some things, and get sticker shock.

(yeahh! the hold is over..I'll get back to you guys in a minute!..she put me back on hold! ughhh!)

Also we had J's birthday party this week. I wanted to keep the kids aware of the changes we were making, but also reassure them that special occasions are an exception. I am not at a point in my life where I can do the all homemade treats, so I just did J's party well, plenty of sweets, a really cute construction truck cake made using all different sorts of candies. That brings us to week 2!

WEEK 2

The thing I've noticed this week so far is that shopping takes more time, $, and thought. I have to go to 2 grocery stores now (Walmart and Publix), I may have to go more frequently because of using more fresh produce. And because of having to read labels, I have to either go to the store with 1 or no children versus the 3. Deerhunter is going to check out the farmer's market downtown this afternoon to see what is available, organic or otherwise, since he has a recent infatuation with his new gadget, the juicer. My pantry is starting to clear out, as well as my fridge.

(okay, so the wonderful government employee said they are no longer going to levy my belongings, but has left me confused as to whether I am behind or ahead on my payments...can anyone say 'flat tax please??!!!')

So there it is, in the midst of wrapping my brain around the upcoming school year, I've got this project going...I'm beginning to hear from friends that that is how I operate..it's never just one thing, and it's never simple...it's just me, being who God created me to be!..and sometimes driving myself and the people around me crazy, dizzy, or both....