Two deaths affected our trip before we even went to the airport. In Los Angeles, the grandmother of team member Talip Peshkepia passed away, so Talip was unable to make the trip. In Da Nang, the grandfather of our former intern Vinh Nguyen passed away, so Vinh would not be able to meet us in Ha Noi as planned.

Providentially, two Ha Noi students associated with Campus Crusade for Christ, a worldwide campus ministry, volunteered to be our guides and interpreters in Ha Noi. Their names were Yen (EE-ehn) and Dung (ZOOHM).

Many Christian students have been ostracized by their families for becoming Christians. In Viet Nam's Confucian and Buddhist culture, changing your religion is tantamount to disrespecting your ancestors. Also, since there is no officially sanctioned Christian church in Ha Noi, Christians there attend unsanctioned house churches.

We had dinner in Ha Noi with students and staff from Campus Crusade.

It was a joy to be with them; they really love the Lord. And they really love to sing!

Then it was on to Da Nang.