Friday Evening

It is 10:30 pm on Friday evening, which makes it 7:30 am in Washington. Tonight I joined Dashal in teaching her English class. She and Nick are both teachers at a small school; they share in the teaching of four different classes. Tonight was Intermediate 2 and Advanced 1. School children in Vietnam are taught English in their schools, so often have vocabulary and grammer, but do not have that many chances in actually speaking it. So these classes are primarily conversation classes. Tonight we played "20 Questions" and I was the subject. Dashal formed 3 questions about me they had to find the answers to: (1) Where do I work? (2) Where did I live when I was 10? (3) What accident happened to me when I was 15. They worked in groups to ask me the "yes" or "no" questions. For the intermediate group, the question about my work was a difficult one. Churches are not very common here; and when they finally got the answer (after a number of clues), they were very surprised that I was a minister (because I am a woman). The second class, which were more advanced and older - most of them are college students, were more able to narrow things down and got the answer rather quickly. The students are a lot of fun, and quite curious. I truly enjoyed myself. They obviously like Dashal and Nick quite a bit.

So what else have we been doing? Walking around Hanoi a lot. Wednesday we were in the Old Quarter, and walked around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is between the Old and French Quarters. It is a famous lake that once was part of the Red River, but when the river shifted (in 1490), it left this lake. The tour book states that it achieved legendary status during the 15th century reign of Le Loi when a giant tortoise seized a sword the emperor had used to oust Chinese occupation forces. The name of the lake means "lake of the restored sword." There is one giant softshell tortoise left that lives in the lake. In the middle of the lake is a small island on which is Ngoc Son ("jade mountain") Temple. It commemorates the temple's three patron saints: Van Xuong, guardian of literature; Quan Vu, master of martial arts; and Lac To, protector of medicinal arts. It also honors a 13th century hero who routed the Mongols, Tran Hung Dao. There is also a preserved and gilded former resident of the lake, a 550 pound giant tortoise. Below are some photos taken at the temple.

This is the gate to the Temple from Huc Bridge

Dashal & me on the bridge


An altar in the temple

I've eaten in quite a few little food cafes. I'm actually not really sure what to call them. The one at the end of Dashal's alley is really just a food stall, with little plastic tables and stools the size we would have for children. The food is cooked over the charcoal burners, and is sitting out for you to pick and choose from. So yesterday we had rice with beef, cabbage, cauliflower, and anchoives. You really have to let go of any concerns about hygiene. Everyone wipes off the chopsticks and spoons with napkins - I suspect that they were probably rinsed since the last person who used them. It is the same for the dishes. The food is not covered. But it is very tasty. Dashal & Nick have rarely gotten sick here. So I am hopeful I will survive this without falling ill! For lunch today, we were slightly more upscale, inside (though everything is open air shops, about 10-12 feet wide, which have only a gate or grill or metal sliding door to close them up at night), with a real size table and stools. Things were slightly cleaner - today's lunch was fried noodles with beef and kale, I think.

I've also taken advantage of their beauticians. Getting a shampoo and cut here is quite the experience. One lays down on a little table to get your hair washed, your head and face massaged. Again, this was in a little shop off one of the alleys. The back room is where I got my hair washed. The ceiling (which was the main view I had) was disconnected from one of the side walls. The paint was cracked and peeling. And there was dust on everything except where I lay. While we were being ministered to, a man walked through and into a room further in, which turned out to be the kitchen, cause he started cooking his meal. I assume the other living spaces were inside there. Then we went out to the outer room to get it dried. I actually had it cut the day before in another shop. Everyone is so amazed at how much Dashal and I look alike. She lives in an area where there are very few other Westerners. In fact, today we did not see any other Westerners until we got to the school. Everyone is also interested in my age. This is because they have to know what to call me. If they are young like the students, they basically call me "old woman" (though I am sure in a very polite way!). If they are close to my age but younger, then they call me "older sister"; if older by a few years, then "younger sister." If the same age as me, then I am called by a term that basically means "friend."

That is enough for tonight. I end with a photo of the main transportation. Nick took me on their motorbike to the Old Quarter yesterday (Dashal followed on a motorbike taxi). It's crazy traffic, but he did a good job. I wasn't nervous at all!

Just for reference

Hanoi is 15 hours ahead of Pacific time, so today is Wednesday here in Vietnam.

A Morning Reflection

It is 8:30 am in Hanoi. For the past three hours or more, I've been listening to this neighborhood, this maze of alleyways and homes, wake up. I slept well and long last night - and have a renewed gratefulness for earplugs! I do not think it is ever silent here. But it is close to that in the early morning hours, it is close to quiet. Although I doubt we'll see the sun today, for the cloud cover is fairly complete, the roosters sensed its rising and announced it to all who wished to listen. The birds could be heard, and then, slowly at first and with gathering speed, the residents made themselves known to me.

The houses all seem to be much like Dashal's - the width of a room, that depth and height being the variable. As I mentioned before, depth-wise, this house has one long room, a staircase, and a small room (usually a bathroom or laundry room) in the back. In the front, the alley comes straight toward the front door, then takes a right angle to the right and another to the left around the next door neighbor's house (which shares a wall with this one). Another alley along the backside of the house joins this one. The front of most houses are mostly floor to ceiling framed windows and french doors, fronted by a decorative grate and gate. There are front steps up to the gate/door, but right in the middle of the steps is a ramp. This is for the bikes, scooters and motorcycles, which are kept inside the homes. Although I can not hear voices from the homes that share these walls, every other noise sounds like it is right inside the house. Soon, in these morning hours, the sound of the gates grating open, the motorcylces being brought out, the voices of the family members as they prepare to leave, the impatient honking as papa waits for the school kid to come out, then the roar of the motorcycle as it comes to life, and off they go down the alley. Soon the air is full of clanking gates, voices calling out, honking, roaring motorcycles, roosters crowing and dogs barking. The neighborhood has come alive.

In the midst of this, I listened to my morning devotion (www.pray-as-you-go.org). The scripture passage was of how the first disciples immediately left their nets to follow Jesus. I thought of Kay McCulloch, a wonderful, busybody, loving parishioner of Cheney UMC. I heard Saturday from Pastor Terry that Kay was very recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, and has only days to live. I called her on Saturday for one last chat, and told her of my upcoming trip to Vietnam. As we said our goodbyes, Kay said, "You have a good trip - you are going to have a wonderful adventure." And I replied, "And you, too, Kay - you have a good trip - you are in for a wonderful adventure as well." And she laughed and said, "I guess you are right, we are both about to take trips, aren't we!" Those first disciples didn't do any preparation for the journey of a lifetime - they just took off and followed Jesus. In the end, for any adventure we go on, that is the most important thing needed - the willingness to go. To be fully awake and aware, to be open to the experiences, to let go of preconceptions and prerequisites, to see with new eyes and hear with new ears. This is the journey God calls us on, to drop our own requirements and desire to control, to listen and learn and follow and serve. As I packed, I tried to think of what I needed to stay comfortable, but in the end, in the ultimate journey that Kay is embarking on, we need nothing - not even our bodies. We just need to let go. Safe travels, Kay.

Day 1 - Arrived safely

My computer clock says it is 3:05 am Pacific time, but the day is just winding down here in Hanoi. Well, the sun has gone down, but the roar of motorcycle engines and constant honking are still going on. It is just after 6 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

The flight (on EVA Airlines) was not so bad - I actually got some sleep, was served two meals, and there were no crying babies - which is pretty remarkable for a 13+ hour flight. A three hour layover in Taipei allowed me to get some steps in on my pedometer. A fascinating airport, with flights coming in from all over the world, and a parade of many cultures streaming past me. Along the way I found an indoor flower garden, a children's play area, and three prayer rooms - Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian. Barb, you would like the prayer room - for some reason, I could hear your voice appreciating its presence.

3 hours more on the flight to Hanoi, a breeze getting through customs (thank goodness for a visa!), a longer wait for my luggage, and then out to the main airport to be greeted by Dashal and her boyfriend, Nick Schrank. It is so good to see them.

A taxi ride into the city took about 40 minutes. Hanoi lies right in the Red River delta - as I flew over the area I could see plenty of irrigation ditches and flooded rice paddies surrounding the city. On the ground, though, it looks pretty dusty. An overcast day, and cold for Hanoi, it feels like a mild winter day in Olympia. My first impression of Hanoi driving in was old, tired, grimy buildings contrasting with wild, vibrant, moving people - on scooters and motorcycles, bicycles and cars, going in all sorts of directions with little concern for what side of the road they are on. Brought back memories of traffic in Ibadan, Nigeria when I was growing up. The taxi brought us to the end of a street that is next to the Swedish and the Bulgarian embassies. Then we walked down some twisting alleyways (2nd photo), past many gated front doors, to Dashal & Nick's home (3rd photo). Quite a find, they are renting this five story house that has one main room on each floor, with either a bathroom or laundry room on the backside of the staircase. Tall ceilings, lots of dark wood on the floor, around the windows, beautiful banister on the staircase. My room is on the fourth floor - I should get in more steps for sure!

After depositing my suitcase, we went back out to a side walk "restaurant" for noodle soup. Mind you, this is quite the adventure, dodging the traffic and the other pedestrians. When one wants to cross the street, it's much like a dance - one has to be aware of which way the scooters are leaning to decide whether to stop or move forward. The restaurant is really just a small room completely open to the street with a few tables and the soup is cooked over charcoal pots. It really helps to have grown up in Africa - cleanliness is a relative concept. The soup was good, the tepid tea I could pass on (it is served everywhere), and I suspect the glasses were just rinsed out from the previous use - overall, a great lunch! Then Nick had to go to work (teaching English), so Dashal and I went to a cafe for coffee. This place was a little more upscale, the coffee was thick, rich and wonderful. While sitting there, we noticed a massage place across the street. Dashal had been there before and recommended it. So we moved across the street and had all the kinks of a long airplane ride massaged right out of me. I think it was $6 apiece, for over an hour massage.

We made our way home via a pastry "restaurant" (another open room with little tables), a sticky rice street vendor, and a fruit stand. As I write this, I hear the sounds of all the families home for the evening. Someone is clanging a glass jar for some reason, kids are yelling, people are laughing, scooters are roaring & honking through the alleys, dogs barking - a noisy, bustling, lively neighborhood. There sounds like a party of teenagers next door - maybe that's where the clanging is coming from? I think ear plugs are a good idea tonight!

I'm fading fast, so I will post a few photos and crawl into bed. Over 12,000 steps (6 miles). Tomorrow's a whole new adventure!

Getting Ready

Now I'm getting excited. I finally have my visa stamped in my passport (that was a bit of a nightmare), I'm washing my clothes, and today will start laying everything out to pack. It will have to fit in with two full work days. This afternoon I need to finish preparing for tonight's and tomorrow's worship services. One tonight, two tomorrow. As we remember the baptism of Jesus, we also remember our own baptism. We have the chancel decorated, with a "stream" running down from the baptismal font, over the altar, and into a bowl - which we will use as everyone comes forward to remember their baptism. Dipping my hand into the water, I will mark their foreheads with a cross. With this ritual, we mark the end of the Christmas season and the entry into the time after epiphany. As this season ends and Lent begins (in 5 weeks), we will mark it with another cross on their foreheads - this time with ashes. Thus is the manger and cross tied together in our being - through baptism.

At 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, we have an Epiphany Ministry Celebration with Potluck Finger Food! That's a mouthful. Everyone is invited to come and give their year end reports - but they cannot be boring, read reports. Each committee and ministry work area has been invited to create a creative, short presentation as a report. Dance, drama, song, rap - even a fashion show is in the offering. It should be fun.

Probably home by 4:00, to finish packing and preparing. Then we leave for the airport sometime after 9:00 p.m. My flight leaves out at 12:50 a.m. Monday morning. 13 hours to Taipei, 3 hour layover, 3 hours to Hanoi, to arrive shortly before noon on Tuesday their time. Dashal is to pick me up at the airport.

I covet all of your prayers for a safe journey. I will return on the 26th of January. I will keep you posted on the journey. Blessings!