ASM TEACHING IN VIETNAM
10-18 July

Thank God for the opportunity given to Asia Seminary for Ministry (ASM) to teach the Church leaders and full-time Christian workers in Vietnam. Several Vietnamese, who graduated from the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC), have maintained their contact with Rev. Goh and requested ASM to implement this teaching programme.

We spent three days in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City with preacher Bao An who was in FEBC for nine years. He just returned to HCM City two months ago. His father, Rev Khai, is the principal of the Saigon Bible-Presbyterian College. We visited his church in a poor district in HCM city, and also a few of the church members' homes.

They have a children's programme on Sunday with about 60 kids in attendance. They welcome teachers who can conduct teacher's training programme for their SS teachers. They have an outreach to street children, too. I spoke in the worship service on Sunday, 12 July at the 7.30 p.m. service at Hope Presbyterian Church. This is also the ministry ASM is helping to train the church workers in Dalat. Dalat is only a 45 minutes flying time from HCM city. It is a highland resort with a cool temperature all year round. Praise the Lord for Pastors, full-time church workers, evangelists and church planters who were able to attend the training course from 13-17 July. We had a good turn out of 32 people for the study programme. Initially 50 students signed up for the programme, but some of them cancelled it due to the distance. Pray for those who came that they will apply the lessons learnt in their respective churches and outreach stations.

In HCM city, we also visited Preacher Bao's outreach station, which is about 50 km from HCM City. He has the desire to start a Bible School in time to come.

It was good to meet some former FEBC Vietnamese students in HCM City. They were Phan and Hau who have a Kindergarten ministry. Phan is also the Assistant Pastor of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church (CMA). We also met Pastor Minh with his wife and two children.

It was a joy to meet these brethren, although I do not know them personally. They were mostly supported by Hope Baptist Church, where Rev Goh was once the Pastor.

Thank God also for the fellowship with Spencer and Daisy.

Vietnam has progressed tremendously since I last visited the war-torn country in 1974. Today, there are more Christians, especially in the South. There are also more Christians going overseas for theological training. Thank God for people like Preacher Bao An, FEBC trained, and his father, Rev Khai, who was Singapore Bible College (SBC) trained. They returned to their country to share the Word, establish a Bible School for the Christians and to train leaders for the Lord's work. There are far too many third world Christians who have gone overseas for theological training and have not come home.

Children's Ministry
Street children are aplenty in HCM City. The Church has an outreach programme to reach out to these kids and they have no problems attending Church. They are, however, in need of Christians coming to help them train their Sunday School teachers. Pray for them.

A blessed week
I am thankful to the Lord for ASM ministry. It has been a good week to share God's Word with these students. They are zealous and passionate in learning God's Word and do not mind the distance in travelling and the long hours of courses conducted from 8 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. daily.

The day began with breakfast at 6.30 a.m. (Vietnam is one hour behind S'pore), and they had a group devotion at 7.30 a.m. Classes began at 8.00 a.m., followed by lunch at 11.30 a.m. and dinner was served at 5.30 p.m. Thank God for their utmost desire and hunger to learn God's Word.
Pastor