May 27thSharing Across Zoom from Canada to Vietnam
The pictures were unbelievable as Chung Vang, pastor at First Hmong Mennonite Church, viewed his email. The damage was so extensive. Mangoes lay on the ground surrounded by round bits of ice. Pieces of roof lay broken on the ground around homes. Houses were completely open to the elements. It was hard to imagine that hail the size of chicken eggs had fallen on the village in Vietnam and destroyed so much.
During this time of pandemic, First Hmong Mennonite Church began meeting on Zoom, as many congregations have over the last weeks. Through family connections, Western Hmong Mennonite Church from British Columbia also joined for worship each Sunday. It was through family connections as well that people began to join from Thailand and from Vietnam, and even from the immigration detention centre in Bangkok. “God is opening a new door for us at First Hmong to connect with our brothers and sisters around the world,” says Pastor Chung.
On April 24, 2020, heavy storms and hail struck northern Vietnam. Wind blew off roofs and hail cracked roof tiles. Livestock died and fields were destroyed. Hailstorms are rare in Vietnam and these particular storms were severe. Pastor Xeng Chang from Vietnam, who had been worshiping with the online community for a number of weeks, shared his story with those gathered on Zoom.
“God is opening a new door for us at First Hmong to connect with our brothers and sisters around the world,” says Pastor Chung.
First Hmong and Western Hmong responded immediately. They raised almost $3,000 for Pastor Xeng Chang’s community in Vietnam! “The people in Vietnam don’t have the money to even buy the tarps they needed to close their homes,” says Pastor Chung. “With the pledges from our members, we were able to help at least twenty-seven families fix their homes!”
The money has already been received in Vietnam and the work is underway. Life is beginning to return to “normal” across Southeast Asia so some of the online connections are diminishing as physical meetings take priority.
“Who would have ever thought of these connections,” marvels Pastor Chung. “I think God is maybe opening new windows for us to see where God is at work during this time.”