why can't i be like them?

Last Friday, at our Friday meeting we watched a documentary about six highschool and college students who went to Vietnam to "smuggle Bibles". It was a really good documentary, after watching it, I couldn't really explain how much I liked it and how much it spoke to me, but I definately recommend it. It's called Underground Reality: Vietnam

See what happens when eight ordinary teens set out on a mission to meet the underground church in Vietnam. Travel with The Voice of the Martyrs and a group of American and Australian teenagers as they journey through cities and jungles in order to witness the everyday life of the Vietnamese underground church.

Anyway, the general essence that I got from the movie was that the underground church in Vietnam is so powerful, despite the Communist government and the dangers of having Christian faith, people still are so active and energetic for God. What I was discussing with some friends about this whole idea was that in North America (the Western world) we boast about our freedoms... and that we have freedom of speech and the freedom to have a certain faith, however, it still seems like we're limited, due to thar freedom. Is this not right in some ways? We wake up everyday not having to worry about poverty, starvation or war, and yet we worry about what we're going to wear, what people are going to think of us and basically how we will survive in this shallow-appearance-based society. Ah. Frustrating. And even though I want to depart myself from this world I still find myself being sucked in. It's crazy. But I'm praying these days, as our Chrsitian Club is going fairly well and trying not to stress about school and university applications, that I can do one thing: please and serve God.

In the documentary, there was one segment that showed four of the teens going to a small village where over 200 people gathered and were praising and thanking God with all that they had. They were most likely poor and suffering due to fear of the government and persecution, and yet they still met, knowing there was a chance of getting caught. We can't get in trouble here for worshipping God, but we still don't give Him our all... I think I should watch the documentary again, thoroughly this time. It was really touching to see how the Vietnamese Christnas were so passionate and so happy to meet other Christians from America. Even hearing stories of people going on mission trips to Latin America or Africa, it's amazing how God does work in those who go to help and those who need it. I have yet to go on a mission trip, but I really hope some day I can plan a project similar to this one. Maybe... North Korea? Haha, it sounds scary but if they could do it, only with God, I think He could work something out.

One interesting thing that a guy said after seeing the Vietnamese people gather and were prasing God so energetically, he said "why can't I be like them?" He was really troubled that back in America he had been raised in a Christian home, and yet he said that it's hard getting up in the mornings for church. He was really touched by their spirit and passion for God, which was pretty cool to witness.

Alright, I should get going... lots of homework to do. I'm reallllllly trying not to stress these days, but my grades aren't that fantastic, not as great as I had hoped for first term. But TRUST and... if I work hard, I think everything will work out alright.

i)everyone goes around on motorbikes - that's partially how they smuggled the Bibles - it was pretty cool.

ii) Vietnam looks soo pretty~

OKAY - i'm out.