MWR : Ex-soldier follows 'Lord of Heaven'

Last updated November 24.

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April 9, 2007 issue

Ex-soldier follows 'Lord of Heaven'

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Vietnamese Mennonite pastor Hai is a small, wiry man whose cheerful smile belies a lifetime of struggles.

For 14 years, Hai — whose name has been changed here for security reasons — was a guerrilla soldier, then a policeman for 12 years before he decided to seek the “Lord of Heaven” he had heard about. He left his life of force and violence, which had included the persecution of Christians, and embraced Jesus.

Not surprisingly, Hai faced harsh opposition from his former comrades in arms. He understands prison, painful physical abuse and extreme social pressure.

But now life has other challenges. Hai shepherds three small Mennonite house churches north of Ho Chi Minh City, one which meets in the small front room of his frame-and-bamboo house, located on a winding sandy path off the main road.

To minister in the other two congregations, he bikes more than 20 miles with his wife bouncing along on the back. One group meets on Saturday, the other on Sunday afternoon.

Hai and his wife support themselves growing fruit and black pepper on their small plot of land. Because of his long service in the cause of the revolution and the struggle against the previous government and American military forces, Hai is entitled to a monthly pension from the government and a more substantial block or brick house.

But because he chose to follow Christ and become a pastor, he forfeited these benefits.

“We’ve decided that there is much more value in worshiping the Lord and caring for his people than just being comfortable,” Hai said with a cheerful smile.

The sign above the altar of many Christian meeting places in Vietnam expresses Hai’s foremost mission now: “Ton Vinh Duc Chua Troi! Praise the Lord of Heaven!”

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