November 2001

Note: "Nguon Song" or "Spring of Life" is the name of Vietnamese broadcast on the FEBC Radio.

From Miss L.T.T.H., Lang Son

I don’t know if you still remember me or not, because I have not been able to afford postage stamps to mail you any letters. Earlier this year, I wrote to you, but did not receive any response. I was kind of disappointed, but it’s all right because every time I hear your warm, sweet voices over the radio I feel happy and blessed. I have learned a lot about the Bible through Nguon Song’s teaching programs. God’s Word is beneficial for my spiritual life, and it is too bad that I don’t get to listen to Nguon Song on a regular basis. Your signal is weak and unclear, so I don’t get to hear your programs consistently. I hope that you will change to a different meter band in the near future, so that it will be clearer, and you can bring the voice of love, truth and hope to all people. The congregation in my area does not have a church building yet, so it is really difficult to hold evangelistic meetings. I still wish for our church to get its own building to have these meetings for the people in our community. Please send me some material for Bible study. Thank you.

From Mr. M.T., Vung Tau

May God bless you and your ministry so that the voice of Nguon Song will expand even more. I seldom write to you, but for the past 10 years, Nguon Song has been the source of spiritual food for me daily. Because of that, I continue to pray that God will give you good health to continue in this ministry so that the broadcast will go on forever. I am currently facing a very difficult situation in my life: my wife has left me for another man, and she has taken our two children with her... Please pray for me, and if possible, could you send me a radio as a keepsake? Through it, God’s Word everyday will comfort me.

From Mr. L.T.L., Binh Thuy

I hear your programs everyday most clearly from 8 – 9 PM on the 25-meter band. I have received your letter and the booklet (“Unity in the Body of Christ”) that you sent in the last few months. I am writing now to thank you, and if possible, could you send me the following two lessons: “Voice from the Depths” broadcast on October 2nd at 8 PM, and “Sin and Forgiveness” broadcast on September 11th at 8 PM. May I also have a 2002 calendar? Thank you.

From Mr. L.T.V., Long An

Thank you for sending me the book “Pilgrim’s Progress.” The only thing is, when I received it I didn’t know it was from you, so I didn’t write to thank you for it. It was much longer after that, when I received your letter that I realized the book was from you. When you have a chance, could you please send me lessons on Marriage and Family? Thank you.

From Mrs. N.T.M.N., Ho Chi Minh

Two days ago, I received your letter. This is the first letter I have received from you since I wrote to you a few years ago. I am very glad because even though we are distant strangers, in God’s love we are all members of the same body, the body of Christ. I am disappointed that I have not received all the materials you sent me on previous occasions. Please continue to pray for me, that I may be a “good soldier for Jesus Christ.” I am serving Christ by working with the children in my church. Please pray that I might do a good job.

From Mr. N.H.D., Long An

On September 2nd, I went to church and was delighted to receive your letter. I was really glad because I have sent you numerous letters in the past without a response. I thought I would never be able to contact you. My family is doing well, and I still listen to Nguon Song on a regular basis. Your signal is hard to hear, but we still try to everyday. The things you present in your programs are very beneficial for our spiritual lives. Here, except for the Bible, we only have the monthly devotional “Living by the Word.” Thus, we need to hear God’s Word daily through Nguon Song.

From Mr. L.D.T., Quang Nam

I am really glad because I just received your letter together with 4 booklets, and stamps too! Thank you for thinking of my needs. I would also like to share some good news with you: ever since I started listening to Nguon Song I have been very happy and encouraged in my faith. Every time I sit beside my small radio to listen to your broadcast, I am being prepared to face difficult times ahead. Concerning the stamps you sent, I thank you, but next time I ask that you reserve them for new listeners, so that they might be encouraged to write again.

From Mr. T.T.H., Da Nang

I stopped writing to you over the past few months, because I never received the letters and books that you sent to me. I thank you, because the pastors’ sermons and the hymns have helped me to better understand the Bible. Today, I write this letter to request that you send me the following: “In His Steps, #2” and “Streams in the Desert.” If possible, please send me some music tapes. Also, please let me know what brand of radio is good, so that I can buy one that will allow me to listen to Nguon Song.

From Mrs. N.T.N.H., Tien Giang

I received your letter quite a while ago, but haven’t had the chance to respond because I was in the hospital. Today, my hand doesn’t shake as much as it used to, so I am able to write. I am very glad to have the “Jesus’ Teaching About Prayer” handbook. I have read it many times, and now I know how to pray. I sincerely thank you for your consideration. I was glad to be released from the hospital, and be able to resume listening to Nguon Song. However, I did not get to hear “Listeners’ Mailbag.” In two more days, the new programs will begin. Hopefully there will be nothing to deter them. I can hear your programs clearly, because I now live in my own house, instead of a rental. Please pray for me, that I may soon be well again. I am looking forward to your letters, because they are a great encouragement to me. I am very grateful for you.

From Miss N.T.L.T., Ha Noi

I was very happy to receive the letter and lessons that you sent to me. I was especially glad to be referred to the church here in Ha Noi. It is too bad that I have been too busy studying to go there yet. I went one time, but was too late, so I left. I hope to receive the next lesson in the “Faith Illustrated” series. When I read volumes 1 and 2, I found it very helpful for my life. Thank you.

From Mr. N.P.T.L., Ho Chi Minh City

Today, when I received your letter, I thanked God for using you to encourage me. May God bless you with new strength so that you may continue to serve Him. Last year, I received a Bible (both Testaments) and still have it here. I also received some Bible lessons: The Epistle Philemon and the Fifth Commandment. Every night I also listen to Nguon Song, the signal is very clear from 7 – 8 PM. After 8, there is a lot of static that makes it more difficult to hear. I think that from 7 – 8 PM is an ideal time for the whole family to listen, because everyone is home by that time. Please pray for me, because I am having some difficulties in my housing situation.

From Mr. G.T.T.N., Binh Duong

My first word is to thank the whole Nguon Song staff for sending me the Basic Christianity lessons. Even though your letter was slow to come to me, I still received a lot of encouragement from you. I am very glad because you have made it easier for me to study the Bible. To thank you, I promise that I will try my best to learn these lessons so that my faith may become stronger, and to help others grow as well. After awhile of being out of commission, my radio is now working again. You are now on a new airwave, and it is very clear. I would like a new program guide so that I can follow your broadcasts and introduce them to other people more easily.

From a Group of Hmong Christians, North Vietnam to Government of Vietnam

Based on the Vietnamese Constitution, Article 70 and Amendment 26, the government allows freedom of religion. We are people who have put aside idolatry and the worship of evil spirits and dead people, to become Christians. We now have a much better life. Christianity is also a religion that is recognized by the government, and the Vietnamese people have the right to follow it or not. Ever since we became Christians, we have always been law-abiding citizens. We are living peacefully and we put our trust in the leadership of the government. However, there have been some incidents as follows:

In 1994, some local officials came to our village. They harassed us because we are Christians. They said that our religion was anti-government. After that, they fined our leader a lump sum of money. Each one of us in the village was also fined. In 1995, the village officials came and took our rice, money and cattle. They also fined our leader 300,000 piasters and took some of our livestock. In 1996, local officials came to our village again and told us that we are not allowed to practice Christianity. They sent several people to “re-education” camps. They also beat us and took our livestock.

In 2001, our village was living in peace when some officials came and forced us into the jungle, and took all of our property and possessions.

In July 2001, 5 government officials came to one of our brother’s home, dragged him out and forbade him to practice Christianity. They told him he has to set up an altar in his home to worship the dead as before, but he refused. The officials bound his hands together and threw him in jail. What crime had he committed to be treated that way? Also in July 2001, the local officials called several Christians in our village to their office, and forced them to bow down to altars, and said that Article 70, Amendment 26 in the Constitution was not from the government. After that, they took 35 of our chickens, and announced that anyone who was a Christian would not receive medical treatment in the village, city or county.

We write these things to you to ask for help from the government, that we may have freedom to practice Christianity, as the Constitution allows. Please do not force us to go back to worshipping idols and evil spirits. Please do not beat us, fine us or arrest us, so that we may live in peace and serve our country.

Signed, (Names of a group of Hmong Christians in North Vietnam)

A Testimony to The Persecution of Christians in Vietnam

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