Americans: Good or Bad?

Well, I guess that depends on who you meet and where you go. I've had the absolute pleasure of meeting some awesome people while I've been in Hanoi. I met a wonderful lady named Goguie from El Salvador (but she lives in Japan), a great guy named Faysol from Lebanon (but he lives in Dubai), and another wonderful gal named Jhett from the Philippines (but she lives in Hanoi).

The first day I arrived in Hanoi, again I got to see a taxi driver waiting with a sign that had my name on it.....it kind of makes me feel famous. He was waiting just for me :) He drove me to my hotel and I felt like I was living in luxury. I actually had hot water AND A/C. How lucky am I?? I walked around the city for a bit, and realized I am only about 5 minutes walking from the river. It was awesome! I met up with Jhett (one of the ladies from the Philippines told me about her friend Jhett who was living in Hanoi and we connected over Facebook) for some coffee and dinner and we had a blast talking! At dinner she ordered all the food, that way I was getting the best of the best, and it was delicious! I stuffed myself silly and slept like a baby that night in my nice cold room!

The next day I ate my free breakfast and then jumped on the bus for my tour. I decided to book a tour since I'm traveling by myself, and it was a great thing that I did because I met Faysol and Goguie, who I ended up hanging out with the entire day. We went on the Hanoi city tour and they took us to all the temples, museums, and even a pottery village (where I bought kissing cups....too cute!) where we got to see the people working and making amazing pottery.

Ho Chi Minh's house and the Masoleum where his body is still able to be seen. Two months out of the year they send his body to Russia to do the touch ups to his face and make sure he's still presentable to be shown to the loads of tourists that come every year and walk into the masoleum (cameras are not allowed inside and they are strict about no talking (it was really hard for me to do, I got in trouble a lot and told to shush :)) and you have to walk in a double file line).

1. Ho Chi Minh Museum 2. Single Pillar Pagoda 3. Confucious

1. The lake right by my hostel 2. Banging the gong at the Temple of Literature

1. The Temple of Literature 2. The turtles that you are supposed to rub to make you smart (after I took this picture I saw signs everywhere telling you not to sit on them.....I guess I'm destined to not be smart now ;)

We got back and I went shopping and around the town with Faysol and Gougie while we waited for our Water Puppet Show to start. I did some great bartering for my new friends (they're a little bit shy to do the bartering and I didn't want them to get taken advantage of). I even got myself a really cute hat for half the price of what they were asking (Gougie got the same one) :)

This made my shoulder sore, I don't know how they do it.

Our water puppet show started at 6:30 and we were there right on time. The show went through 17 different acts and each one told a story about the history of Vietnam. They had music and singing as well. Some of the Vietnamese instruments are amazing and the things that the girls do with their voices are crazy! It was a good time!

Then I took a taxi to my friend Jhett's apartment and she made me traditional Filipino food. It was awesome! She was so sweet! It was great talking with Jhett and being able to share my faith and my testimony. I also got to talk with Faysol and Gougie about my Love and that was awesome (Gougie's catholic and Faysol's muslim).

So are Americans good or bad? If you ask the people I just met, I bet they would tell you we're good. If you walk through the history museums here, I bet you would get told we're bad. But don't worry. I've been representing our fine country well, and now America has completely been redeemed in Vietnam and they now love us all! What a good ambassador I am :)

It's back to the airport in about an hour to head back to Ho Chi Minh for 2 days. I'm going to try and visit the war museum as well as the underground tunnels that the Vietnamese used during the war. Then it's back "home" to Thailand!

Is it Saigon or Ho Chi Minh?

Both :) And what an awesome city it is! When I first arrived, there was a taxi driver sitting on the bench holding a sign with my name on it and a huge smile on his face. I pre-arranged a taxi to pick me up so that way I knew I'd actually get to the hostel that I booked :) He grabbed my backpack and in his broken English began talking to me, the smile still remaining. We made our way through the ridiculously crazy driving and traffic and made it to my hostel, Yellow House. I walked up the three flights of stairs to my room lugging my backpack like a warrior. Then, I set out into the town. When I walked out the doors to go tour this great city I was amazed at how many foreigners there were. On the main street, everywhere you look you see a white face. It was kind of dissapointing, but as soon as you go into the city, it's less touristy and you get to see the history. I took a motorbike into the city and my knees almost knocked a car and a couple other motorbikes.....it was quite an adventure :)

The motorbike taxi dropped me off at the Reunification Palace. Then an old man riding a bike with a lounge seat in the front of it asked me if he could take me around and show me all the sights (he was missing most of his front teeth but that didn't stop him from smiling :)). I agreed to let him take me around and I got to see all the sights in Ho Chi Minh by bicycle :) I saw the War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office, City Opera House, Ben Thanh Market, and the Saigon River. It started to sprinkle while we were biking and it felt awesome!

Cruising the city in style :)

War Museum

I met one of my roommates, Jack, from England and he joined me for dinner at a little Vietnamese shop. I ate some Pho (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup) and it was awesome! After dinner, I had to treat myself to a little pampering and I enjoyed a nice 2 hour full body massage and facial, a pedicure and a manicure........and all for the lovely price of... $20 (including tip :)). I just love Asia ;)

Now I'm sitting in my hostel about to eat my free breakfast and then jump in a taxi to take off for the airport for Hanoi! Keep those prayers of safety coming!

Huling Linggo

That's tagalog (pronounced tuhgola) for "last day", one of the official languages in the Philippines-the second is English. Yes, it was my last day today in the Philippines. Last days are hard because that means it's time to leave. At least I get to take off to Vietnam and it's not back to the States yet :)

I had a great last day that I got to spend with the Norco group and the kiddies! We started our day off with church at the church right next door to where we're staying. It's called the JCCV and it was an awesome service. It was hard to follow what the pastor was saying because he kept mixing English and tagalog. I pretty much got the jist of it ;)

After church, Jeff, the leader of Kids International Ministries and Faith Children's Home, took all of us out to lunch at Chili's. It was funny how much it actually tasted like the Chili's in America. It was really good! There was great company too so that made it great!

After Chili's we got to do a little shopping in the market. Everything's so cheap here, but since I'm just backpacking I can only buy what will fit in my backpack......very sad ;)

Tonight has been pretty hot and very humid, but it didn't stop us from working. I got to help organize and clean the library for the seminary that's at the JCCV church and then I played all kinds of sports with the kids....one of those being basketball. The kids really showed me up though, and I realized how horrible I actually am at basketball :)

We had devotions at the orphanage tonight, and I got to work with the youngest kiddos. We told them the story of David in the Lion's Den. Then we all pretended to be lions and roar! It was so cute watching the kids roar and playing with them! I must admit, I made a pretty ferocious lion!

We ended the night with tucking the kids into bed and good night kisses, some Filipino food, and board games.

It's time for me to finish this blog and go off to pack because I have to leave the orphanage at 10 am tomorrow morning for the airport. It's off to Vietnam. Once again, please pray for safety-on my flight over there and while I'm staying there. I'm so excited to eat some yummy Vietnamese food and get to see the culture and all the history there! Thank you so much everyone for your continued prayers! The trip has been amazing so far!! I'm excited to see what God has planned for me in Vietnam!! Love you all!!

Sweet, sweet little children

What a day, what a day! It was a beautiful day full of seeing God at work! We started our day with building the house. The group that's already here did a lot on it already, so we did the finishing touches, did an assembly line to get cement from the top of the hill down to the bottom where the house was. We were building the house for a lady named Shirley who works for the children's home. She had a worn down shack with tin walls and roof. We built her home out of cinderblocks and now her and her family have a decent home to live in that will actually shelter them.

After we finished up at the house we had to wait a little bit for our ride, but I didn't mind because the view was gorgeous and the company was great!

We stopped back "home" for some grub and then took off to the children's home again to play games with them, put on a skit, and feed them some yummy food! They are so precious!

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."
-Matthew 18: 1-5

I really like Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses:

Christ spoke many words of his sufferings, but only one of his glory; yet the disciples fasten upon that, and overlook the others. Many love to hear and speak of privileges and glory, who are willing to pass by the thoughts of work and trouble. Our Lord set a little child before them, solemnly assuring them, that unless they were converted and made like little children, they could not enter his kingdom. Children, when very young, do not desire authority, do not regard outward distinctions, are free from malice, are teachable, and willingly dependent on their parents. It is true that they soon begin to show other dispositions, and other ideas are taught them at an early age; but these are marks of childhood, and render them proper emblems of the lowly minds of true Christians. Surely we need to be daily renewed in the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, as little children, and willing to be the least of all.

Then we were back home to eat our dinner before we headed off for the mall. Of course we had to get some DQ (Dairy Queen) at the mall. I thought it was so funny because they say that if they don't serve your blizzard to you upside down, then it's free. As you can see in the picture, I had to pay :(

Then I had to get the perfect photo op

(as you can see written on the chair, if you can't see, it says "photo op area":)).

Through all the excitement, it comes back to the sweet, sweet little children and how they remind me to humble myself daily and become simple like they are. To love with all of me like a little child, to laugh with all of me like a little child, to live with all of me like a little child, and be willingly and fully dependent on my heavenly Father for all of my needs like a child. A sweet, sweet little child.

I made it safely :)

Manila (a bird's eye view from the plane :))

It was a long flight....about 11 hours to Taiwan and then another 2 to Manila. They served me like ten meals though and I got to sleep and watch movies so it wasn't so bad :) When I arrived I threw my backpack on my back, made it through customs, and went out to catch my taxi. I had minimal directions to the orphanage so I was trying to explain it to the taxi driver. He pretty much understood and we set off. He talked to me about the history of Manila, what all the buildings were that I was looking at, and told me how the main religion here is Catholocism (which was shocking to me).

A Jeepney (main form of transportation for locals)

Painting the town (they sure do like color here :))

When we got close to the orphanage, he kept asking the security guards how to get to the orphanage and they kept directing us different ways. As we were coming down one street I saw a group of white people, so I had the taxi driver stop. I rolled down my window and asked if they knew where the orphanage was that I was looking for and it happened to be where they were staying, but it's a different Faith Children's Home. So I met up with a group of about 20 people from a church in California, Norco First Baptist, who are here serving and they let me join their team. So I jumped out of the taxi cab, they took my luggage and put it in a room, then I hopped in the van with them and we went to a group home and fed the kids, played with them, and the group put on a skit about the Samaritan who helped the man. It was awesome!

The funny thing is that they were actually 1 hour late and if they had left on time I would have never saw them and got connected with them and I wouldn't be serving with them right now. God had everything taken care of.....He always does!! Talk about divine intervention ;) I love just trusting Him and giving it all to Him and watching what He does!! Then we went and had a service at the orphanage, then went to a youth service at the church, and now we're back "home". I'm exhausted because I've pretty much been up 24 hours and it's been go, go, go since I landed. The people are all my age and it's been so awesome getting to know all of them! Tomorrow we're going to go build a house! I can't wait!!

Thank you for all your prayers! I'm off to bed, I have to make sure I have plenty of rest for that house building tomorrow :)

Last day at the beach....next stop....PHILIPPINES!!

So, we spent our last day at the beach....I may have gotten a little sunburnt this time, but it was worth it. I got my last serving of Hawaiian shaved ice and that'll have to tide me over till I come back to this beautiful island!! I even saw a rainbow today....it was a nice little going away gift :)

Now it's off to the Philippines bright and early tomorrow! We're leaving for the airport at 5 am. The next time I'll be writing will be from the orphanage. Please pray for a safe trip and for my time while I'm there. Pray for strength and good health :) I pray that I am able to do God's will!!

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15

A certified member of the HCKT (Hawaiian Canoe and Kayak Team)

What a great second to last day in Oahu! We spent the day driving around the island and to the North Shore.

The day was once again beautiful and the views were incredible!

We stopped at the Dole Plantation so I could buy some pineapple wine and Maui passion fruit wine (I'm going to save it for whenever I finally get my house so it can be the celebration wine ;)).

Then we stopped and got root beer, burgers and fries at one of Cherise's favorite restaurants, Ted's Bakery. We had to make sure we ate a nice sturdy lunch because we were off to join the HCKT. We rented Kayaks and attempted to kayak in the ocean. It was really rough and windy today, however, and you pretty much need to be Popeye and make sure you ate all your spinach to get the double kayak past the shore line where the waves are crashing so hard. It definitely would have been a funny sight to see as me and Cherise tried to get the kayak past the waves. Cherise almost broke her toe, I got a huge bruise on my leg and the kayak kept doing it's own thing. It almost flipped a couple times and it did flip me once. Then we were laughing so hard that all our energy was gone anyways, and there was no getting the kayak out there. So we decided we would take it to the calm lake that was a run off from the ocean. That was very peaceful and pain free :) So as much as the HCKT wanted to give us honorary certification, we had to decline and rob them of our skills. They will forgive us someday.