#24

"Hello! I hope that you are having a good week! It’s been a very busy two weeks for us here. We’ve been getting ready to come back to the States for a visit. Everyone in Vietnam loves big goodbyes. It’s really kind that they care about us and want to wish us well in our return to the States, but it’s also a bit overwhelming. David’s family had a farewell party for us in the countryside. It was a blistering hot day, which was made even hotter when cooking over an open fire. I included a photo. Also, in their kitchen, the chickens just run around freely. I’m glad that the bird flu isn’t a big thing now because chickens are everywhere!

One of my students invited me to her “hometown”. She said that it was in the countryside, so I had my reservations already. I pr*yed, prepared myself mentally, and set out on my motorbike with her. The farther we drove, the more nervous I became. I started feeling a bit worried when we started driving up a small mountain road. My worries then turned into almost sheer terror as I found myself driving through the mountainous jungle on a tiny dirt path. We drove through waterfalls, through tiny spaces with sheer drop-offs on either side, and finally, up to her front door. 

Unfortunately, the excitement didn’t end there. For dinner, they served boiled whole fish rolled up in rice paper with “fish vegetable”, a vegetable that literally smells and tastes like rotten fish, rolled up in rice paper. I pr*yed a lot and asked for some tea. I knew I couldn’t make it through that meal without a drink like Vietnamese people normally do. I needed some liquid to choke down the fish! Thankfully, we made it back home in one piece, even if a bit shaken and shocked.

Since this past week was our last week of teaching, we baked cookies and took them in for all of our students. I was completely amazed when the first class ate all of the cookies, not leaving them half eaten on their desks. I seriously expected to find partially eaten cookies stashed under desks at the end of class. I was really surprised that all of the classes loved the cookies. After four years in Vietnam, I have finally discovered that sugar cookies are the best loved of all of the sweets I’ve served. I will definitely file that in my brain for next year.

I’ve been really hungry for butterscotch pie. I followed my Nana’s (Bea Winger) recipe, and worked hard to make a good dessert for us. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out like Nana’s, so I bemoaned this fact for a long time to "Boo-Boo". At the end of my whining, she said, “Well, did Nana bake her butterscotch pies in a rice cooker?” Good point! "Boo-Boo" is always wonderful at being my encourager when I get down in the dumps.

Another mishap happened this weekend. We went to Da Nang to visit the teachers one last time, as well as to sign our contract for the next school year. My family, friends, and even my boss in California had previously advised me not to get my hair cut in OUR CITY. I have been almost bald because of the “salon” there, so they told me to please go to Da Nang to a “real” salon. 

Well, "Boo-Boo" and I decided to do just that. We decided to go to a better place since we wanted our hair to look nice for our return to the States. I am not sure what happened, but somehow, we got seriously lopsided haircuts. For me, one whole side of my head was shorter than the other. For Susan, they just didn’t cut the back of her hair. Instead of waiting to get it fixed in the States, I tried to fix it myself. That was a bad move! I ended up sobbing and, following "Boo-Boo"’s advice, on the phone with David. I asked him if he would please take me to a salon to get my hair fixed. They “fixed” it, but it is still really bad. When Hannah saw it, she said, “Well, your hair WAS nice before you got it cut.” Her son said that I looked like a boy. After her husband finished laughing, he said that I looked younger. Is a compliment really a compliment after a person laughs hysterically?

 I had almost recovered from their comments when I went out to eat che (sweet soup) today. The owner laughed and laughed, and then called his wife and kids out to see it. And laughed some more. I just laughed right along with him. I thought that my insulting evening was over, when I walked into the guest house and one of the other ladies who live here told me how sorry she felt for me. I told her not to worry, that it was “fixed” and better now. She said, “Better? It could not possibly have been any worse.” 

Thankfully, "Boo-Boo", who is always encouraging, told me that it looks great. I’m not sure if I completely believe her, but I was just happy for someone who wasn’t laughing at me. If you are wondering, there are pictures. "Boo-Boo" said that I needed to “warn” my parents before I met them at the airport. After I sent them to my parents, however, I took the pictures off of my computer, never to be seen by anyone again. I’m sure that many more people will see my awful haircut. I just really don’t want it documented to be relived at a later point.

I’ve been meeting Hannah almost every morning for breakfast and coffee. We’ve been talking a lot about J*sus and the Bible. She said today that she thinks that J*sus was a good man. He taught us how to live for something beyond ourselves, as well as how to help others. She compared him to Ho Chi Minh. I’m sure, to some of you, that is a real slap in the face to J*sus. However, if you consider her position in g0vernment, and know how much she worships and adores Ho Chi Minh, it’s a real compliment. She has come a LONG way. When I met her almost two years ago, she pretty much hated all Believers and anything to do with G0d. Please pr*y for her as I give her a Bible tomorrow. I am nervous, but feel like its time. I hope that she will read it as she is resting before her baby is born.

We’ll be headed to Berne at the end of this week. It’s a LONG trip. Longer than ever before. We have 7 stop-overs on our trip home. It is crazy. I am not happy with our travel agent, but it wasn’t worth the money to change our tickets. Anyway, we will be at home for about 6 weeks. Much of that time is already filled up. We have so much to do to prepare for training this summer as well as family to visit. Then, in July, we’ll be going back to California to train the new teachers. This is the hardest part of the year for me. But until then, I’m going to enjoy the time with my family. Please continue to lift us up as we finish signing contracts for the other teachers. Also, please lift up our friends as G0d continues working in their lives.  I hope to see many of you around town or at ch*rch. Thanks for another year of great support!! I feel so very blessed to have so many people encouraging me, pr*ying for me, supporting me, and blessing me. I hope that you enjoy your summer!"

Love,

"Yogi"