Mennonite Weekly Review

AKRON, Pa. — When Thi Nguyen received a call from a friend saying Mennonite Central Committee East Coast was looking for someone to connect with the Vietnamese community in response to Hurricane Katrina, he did not hesitate to say “yes.”

Mennonite Central Committee worker Thi Nguyen, right, serves members of the Vietnamese community in Bayou la Batre, Ala., including Tuong and Loan Nguyen. — Photo by Lien Dinh

Nguyen’s family left Vietnam on a boat and spent three years in a refugee camp in Thailand. He was 7 when they finally arrived in the United States. He grew up in the Philadelphia area, where his family has a business.

Nguyen says that he wanted success by following his own way, but things didn’t go as he planned. He gave his life to God and got involved with Vietnamese Mennonite Church in Philadelphia.

For two years, Nguyen served the Vietnamese community in a variety of ways, including playing the piano in church. But he always believed that God had another plan for him in the future.

In partnership with MCC Gulf Disaster Response out of Central States, on Oct. 17, 2006, Nguyen began his service worker assignment in disaster relief. He divided his time between Lutheran Disaster Services, Mennonite Disaster Service in Bayou la Batre, Ala., and Way of Life Community Church in Mobile, Ala.

When Nguyen began his work with Way of Life Community Church, he found that language barriers isolated the Vietnamese community in Alabama. Many Vietnamese residents don’t speak English and therefore don’t know about resources available to them, even though they may have lived there for 30 years.

Nguyen’s role gradually changed from disaster relief. He began working more with social service activities, but he didn’t want to treat people only as clients. As he honored their privacy and treated them with respect, he established relationships.

He visited and listened, sometimes for a whole day. Many friendships developed, and now he sees their trust as they call on him for advice.

“I come here with a calling of the Lord,” Nguyen said. “He wants me to love them. I’m willing to give my heart to them. He loved me, and I want to express this to others.”

Nguyen provides transportation for elderly people and helps with translation regarding social assistance programs and immigration issues.