Testimony from Hanoi Seventh Day Adventist Pastor

Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?

That question kept echoing inside my head for many days, from the first day I believed in God. I
asked myself: Why me? Im just a blind man? I cannot even take care of myself but depend on
others, how can I do the work of God?
But now after 27 years, when I looked back I had already had the answers. Indeed, God was so
amazing when He revealed His love to me.
In 1986, when I was young, about 23 years old, I didnt know anything about God, I did not know
who He was and didnt feel His presence in my life. I was a young man and when I had
everything in my hand, I was so arrogant that I didnt believe in an invisible God that the rest of
the world was talking about. I had things that many young people in the same generation desired:
a happy family, a good job, money, friends, lover, parties and amusements that came to me days
after days, nights after nights
Everything flowed as a peaceful river until that dark day came to cover my whole life. I
remembered that day, when I was working at my office, a stranger texted me to go outside and
meet him. I stopped my work and walked out, when we had just met, I had not said anything,
suddenly he splashed a liquid into my face. My face immediately got burned, wherever the liquid
spread the flesh of my face was burned I screamed vigorously in pain.
Because of being misunderstood, a friend of mine intentionally harmed me with acid. Luckily I
was taken to the emergency room right away. Even I didnt loose my life but I dont want to live
anymore because the light of my life was over. The depression came to me days after days, I lived
in such a great pain and cried almost everyday. I hated the person who harmed me so bad. My
face was destroyed completely, and my eyes could not see anymore! My body is full of burned
spots and they kept watering many days If my body was in pain one, my heart felt painful ten
more times. Inside and around me is just darkness and shadow, feelings of inadequate, I trembled
and screamed, tried to destroy myself to finish this unbearable pain.
At the same time I lost everything: my job, my friends, lover, my family and even worse
myself. I didnt have anyone to talk to, I shrank and locked myself among four walls. I felt totally
useless; I felt annoyed when people felt sorry for me. I needed a real love, not the feeling of being
sorry for. But I have nothing. After all, it is just a sigh.
I scared of the every morning and scared that a new day came again. I did not find a reason for
me to exist in this world. Why do I still live? With blind eyes and a destroyed body? When I
thought about how I would be a burden for my mom and my family, I ran away from home. I
crawled in the night and didnt know where to go. In my pocket there was no money, and I didnt
eat or drink, just let my body went wherever it wanted followed long monotony days. No place
for me to rest or sleep. I walked on the road and waited for a car to crush me, to end all the pain
inside my heart. At that moment, I thought it was the only way to release myself. That way, my
life would be end by a dot, nobody would ever mentioned about me again. I left my life for fate. I
wanted to run away from the looks of people around me. A thought appeared in my head, I would
find a pagoda and stay there forever. Perhaps God loves me, so He let my mom found me and
took me home.

In many years my clock changed. I slept in the day and awake in the night. The scare and
hopelessness were all over me. In many nights I stayed awake and stepped outside the front yard,
I screamed as if any God could release me and help me. Indeed the Lord heard my voice.
One day in the middle of March 1990, a neighbor came to visit me and told me about the Gospel
and Jesus Christ. But everything he shared to me was totally strange to me. I got used to
Buddhism and did not want to accept Him. I dont want to listen. I thought and told him that the
only thing I wanted were happiness, peacefulness and my eyes would see the light again. I needed
my family, my job, my lover and friends come back to me. I needed to take back everything I had
lost My friends shared the Gospel with me decently but I expressed a defensive attitude to tell
him to go away. But he still patiently and decently explained to me about the happiness of
knowing the Gospel. Before he left, he invited me to come to the church with him, if I agreed he
would come to pick me up. I nodded so he could leave even I didnt want to go. Im afraid of
going to where there was a crowd, because Im afraid of pity looks from others, and I felt
resentful when people felt sorry for me. I hope he would forget the promise. But surprisingly,
every Sunday he is at my house very early in the morning. I couldnt refuse, like a cow that being
taken by its owner to wherever its owner wanted.
The first time I stepped into a church, I felt differently. Many people came toward me and shake
my hands with a happy attitude, like a relative that they have not seen for a long time. A warm
feeling started to get into my heart that I couldnt explain. On the first day when I heard the
message from the Bible: Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the
golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the
well, the Holy Spirit touched me and let me see that Im a sinner who need to come back as soon
as possible. I need the forgiveness from God then I would have peacefulness. At that moment I
decided to believe in God. I told Him: My life is nothing but a destroyed flower, is worthy to
throw away in a trash bin. But please makes myself become lively again and uses me as Your
will. And the miracle happens. The destroyed flower became lively again. Everyone is surprised.
But God knew and my heart knew: Only my powerful God could make me live again. This is the
word of God: Im the Almighty Lord, who can make the life, and the death, make the sickness
and heal it
In seven years, from the day I believed in God I did not miss any Sabbath day because it was the
best day for my soul. For me it was a miracle, it was even hard for a man who could see. From
my house to the church was quite far, about 10 kilometers. When times like that happened, I
prayed that God wouldnt leave me, or Mr. Binh would not forget me. I waited for him like a
child was waiting for his mom. Praise the Lord that He touched Mr. Binh to keep his promise to
take me to the church for seven years. Many times he left his wife and children at home to take
me to the church. Indeed, the Lord loved me so much even I was a useless and hopeless man.
At that moment I still didnt understand why God chose me but not my two other brothers in my
family. I am like a lost son who found the way to come back to my Father. How would my life be
if the accident did not happen and if I didnt know about God? It is sure a meaningless life. He
saved me from the dirty mug, took me to enormous space, full of light and let me know the real
meaning of life. Now I was really living. I praise the Lord because through the accident I realized
Jesus Christ and knew that he was far more precious than light and everything else in this world.
I praise the Lord because when Im a man who almost died in a hopeless sea of life, He is the
only float that the Lord threw to me to save my life. I took the float and held on into it until the
day I reached the shore. From that day, I started to study and felt enthusiastic with the word of
God. I hoped to know His will for my life, and wish to work for Him until the end of my life.
I tried everyway to learn the Bible. I asked people to read the Bible for me, and I heard the
messages through radio. But more important I liked to pray. I did not understand why God chose
me for the work of praying for other people. I learn to pray from 15 minutes, then 30 minutes,
then 1 hour, 2 hours, and 5 hours everyday. A decent Pastor allowed me to stay inside the church
for 7 years. One day the Holy Spirit pushed me to pray and fast for 40 days. I knew I couldnt do
anything if I didnt walk by praying. Like what it is said in Habakkuk 2: I will stand my watch,
and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me
Many people at church compared me as a guardian. I grew in God really fast. The Church
Board asked me to serve inside the Church and teach Bible for the Youth. I started to go out to
visit and share the Gospel with my fellows. We went by riding bike, in sunny or rainy days, for a
very long distance, about 100 km. My brothers and sisters in Christ were really happy. I
encouraged and motivated many people. The LORD periodically visited church to develop his
work. I felt very happy and satisfied with the new life in the Lord. Many people asked me yet to
choose between being able to see again and serving God, what would I choose? I had no
hesitancy but confirmed that I would serve Him for the rest of my life. I love Him so much.
He took back everything for me: I had seen the light of my life, a family, I could serve
the spiritual work that I loved, more friends than ever before, I was loved and respected. Besides
having many dear friends, I got a foster father in the U.S., and he supported me financially every
month. But more important of all, I had rediscovered myself. It was true that I had died and
resurrected. Joy replaced the sadness, and hope replaced despair. Other things have changed.
Thank Lord!
After a few months of becoming a believer, I felt the love and forgiveness from the Lord.
I suddenly remembered who had hurt me and I knew God wanted me to forgive her. I did not hate
her like I once did but instead I silently thanked God for the accident so I had the chance know
Him. I went with a friend to her house to say about my forgiveness, and testified about Jesus
Christ for her, because I did not want to live in torment and remorse. Then I invited her and her
family to go to church.
All things were going well until one day I listened to Everlasting Gospels radio
broadcast. I was surprised to know the truth about the Sabbath. Realizing I had been wrong for a
long time and didnt even hold a true teaching of the Bible, I presented it to my teachers.
Surprisingly they did not support, and advised me not continuing listening and researching. But
my soul was embarrassed, I asked God: "Why in the Church of the hundreds of people, He chose
me to recognize this truth when He can choose another one? Do you want me to do something? "
I continued to study and bring this discussion to many people in the church. I invited
many members to listen, pray and do research together. I sent letter to Everlasting Gospel to get
more documents. They introduced me to the Adventist church in Phu Nhuan to receive more
study materials. Then the Church Executive Board of where I lived forbid and discipline me in 6
months, I was not allowed to teach youth, to visit and do witness.
Being disciplined within 6 months, just around the church, not allowed to go anywhere, I
spent time praying and memorizing Bible including Psalm 119, and many other passages. The
passage in Psalm was a driving force for me to decide. This is an extremely difficult period for
me. The Church Executive Board adamantly said that if I did not give up the Sabbath, they would
excommunicate me. My foster father even said if I did not leave the truth about Saturday, he
would stop our relationship and stop supporting me financially... I was very grateful to whom had
sheltered me (a blind useless man). They treated me very well, loved me, and gave me the
opportunity to serve the Lord.
At this point my feelings were complicated. I had to stand between two options: Either
leave the truth about Saturday, I would be in the church again and had everything. Or I would
leave without nothing in my hand, no church, no money, no one will probably go with me, how
would I? Who would help me to serve the Lord? Everything was a burden on me. When I had an
accident I had lost everything. The flesh that lived inside me did not want to lose everything
again. But God, He always promoted. After several days of fasting and praying, I decided to leave
everything to obey His words. I did not know what would happen, I just knew one thing that I
would be in peace when I was with Him. After I decided to leave some of my brothers from the
Protestant Church went with me.
Around the middle of 1997 I left the Protestant Church. Then I came to Saigon to learn
the truth about the Bible from Adventist Church guidance, and I baptized. Some people and I
continued to serve the Lord. We didnt have any church, therefore we gathered together at home.
Being persecuted by the authorities and the police district but we were not discouraged. Finally in
1997, I was invited to collaborate with the Everlasting Gospel organization's mission to
evangelize the Gospel at my home country. Also at this place, thanks to God's grace I had built a
small group. Currently, there was a chapel here already. Thank Lord.
In early 2000, Pastor Duong Quoc Tung urged me to go to Hanoi - the capital, in the
Northern of Vietnam for evangelism because no one had known the truth and kept the Saturday
Sabbath. This was a big challenge for me because I have never ever set my foot to the North of
Vietnam. And again this was an arid region to grow the seeds of Christianity. The Government
persecuted Christianity strongly; the weather and people were tense. I was a blind person, and I
had no relatives there. How should I do? Why was not someone else? Why me? But I knew that
God had reason when he called and chose me. I remembered the word of God in the book of the
prophet Isaiah 42:19 Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I
send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lords servant? I decided to agree
with the invitation, and Pastor Duong Quoc Tung allocated some others members to assist me.
In 2000, on the first day we arrived in Hanoi, having felt the coldness in the North, we
were huddled in our thin shirts because of having no preparation. We hurriedly found a temporary
room to rent. The first thing we did was 3 days fasting and praying for the God's work in this
place. Then steps by steps we approached Catholics, Protestants and the Gentile to witness. Truly
this was a tough, arid and full of gravel place, the work of being witness was really hard. Customs
and culture of the North was very different from the South. They lived in a paranoia, self-
contained, and vigilant way. This made it very difficult for us to be acquainted.
We both face the harsh weather, over-priced lifestyfe, hardened human beings, financial
difficulties, persecutions and all sorts of pressure from the authorities. We were chased from one
place to another place. However, my brothers and I werent discouraged. Every day we went to
testify in the parks, hospitals, schools, and churches. God did not let out of our hard labor in vain.
On May 9, 2000, there were some people started to group together to study Bible and worship
with us (one of them was my wife in the later time).
I could not know how to express just how greater the happiness in my heart. There was
something that I secretly wished before, and I did not expect it to come true did really come.
God has given me the happiness of Heaven - he gave me a wife to help me. God knew my hidden
emotion the feeling of loneliness like Adams in the book of Genesis, which others didnt know.
People only see the outside of me, but God saw the deep desire in my soul. I need a wife
alongside to help me and share with me the happy trade in this life. But I did not dare to tell
anyone. I did not dare to dream high but only wished to have a woman to fill the gaps in my soul
just like other mens wishes. That woman does not need to be beautiful or educated, but she must
love the Lord. She might be divorced or have children because, well ... to me, it is not important. I
just wish to have my own half. I dreamed that each day after serving the Lord when I went back
home, there would be a wife at home expected my return. I would have a private space, wished to
listen to my wife's laughter, and the compassion language from my young children. I craved for a
home and a family. At that time there was a big dream for me. The Lord loved me but I knew to
get a love from a human being was different. Was any woman out there would be ready for me,
and really love me: a disabled person, no career, no home, no money? I had nothing except the
love of God, the only treasure I had is His words. At that moment, the dream of having a real
family was beyond of my reach. But really, nothing was too difficult for him - he made my dream
come true. Indeed, Love was His perfect placement for my life. God has sent me from the south
to the north, to overcome approximately 2,000 km long way to meet my wife. How we could
fully understand His ways. He was so amazing.
Between March and September in 2000, among the first four members who came to
study the Bible, there is a girl who was very faithful and came regularly. This girl was from a
family that did not know about God, but she loved God so much, almost every day she was there
very early to learn the Word of God (Thien Ly loved God so much that she did not want to
continue college because everything means nothing for her compared to courtship Bible).
Pre-family pressures, the girl still stealthily went to worship and did not miss any day.
Sometimes when she came back from worship service, her father and family scolded, beaten her
but she still exceeded faith. I admire her fortitude and the love for Lord. I did not understand
when I started to feel love for this girl and secretly desired her as my wife, so perhaps she would
no longer be impeded by her family. To think about she cycling her bike back home at 10 pm, my
feeling for her was indescribable. Everyday, she utilized all available time to learn the Word of
God is as if time with her was not enough.
Over time, my love for her was growing. But I did not know if she would accepted me
easily? I was very kind and merciful but marrying me was a different story, and then would her
family accept me? I worried a lot. I prayed and asked the Lord to give me signs if this is the
woman he took to me or not. Once I had the answer, I did not want to lose the opportunity. I
decided to say love her one evening on 20
th
October 2001 with a little nervous because I was
afraid I would be refused. But thank GOD, I had been accepted. An immense joy grew in my
heart. I just said thank to the Lord that everything he did for me was amazing.
With an emphasized happiness I came to her parents' house to ask for permission, but as a
chill in the eye: her parents vehemently opposed. I understood her parents' moods. Because she
could have a brighter future with another man, she could have a stable job with the information
technology major that she was studying. Her parents did not want me to spread my suffering to
their daughter.
We met a lot of difficulties to come to a decision. Her parents did not want to believe in
God and the more they did not want her to marry me. Her father used all means to prevent. He
made phone calls, and sent an application to the City Public Security office to sue me. That time
was very difficult for us. We had to pray a lot and motivate each other to overcome all difficulties
and challenges.
Until 28
th
April, 2006 our happiness was complete in the congratulations from our
friends. And then the Lord gave us two lovely daughters.
I love God and my family. Many times I felt sorry for the suffering that my wife and
daughters had to bear because I could not do much to help my wife. There were simple dreams of
my wife and children that I could not implement. Being unable to drive them to go out as many
other men, I felt so unhappy. I tried to compensate by other things: a meal that I prepared for my
family, a bouquet of flower to give my wife for her birthday or a small gift to my children. But I
felt glad and happy to know that my wife and kids were always satisfied with what we have.
Although life much more difficult and turbulent but we always thank God. I grew a deep
gratitude to the LORD, He had given me a wife and a warm family.
But life is not always rosy, I always struggle with sins and the flesh and in me. Others
thanked God one time, I should have said thank to God a thousand times over. However, the
majority of times I grieved God and live a lifestyle like an ungrateful servant to Him. Many times
I stumbled and asked myself after that: "Do I still deserve the call from the Lord?" I knew that
Satan always wanted to trap me; they just wanted to knock me down and forced me to give up.
But the Holy Spirit, whom God sent was always by my side. He helped me to admit guilt and
calm down the desires of the flesh in my body. He helped me to confess it and forsake it. I felt the
fierce battle between good and evil was struggle inside me. But I thank the Lord for everything
that he helped me so I could be release from Satans temptation and continue to serve Him.
The work of God was opened. More and more people believed in God. It was a great
comfort for me after many hard working years of serving Him.
From 2000 to 2008, my brothers, sisters and I together built the work of God, there were
about 100 people baptized. We were divided into small groups because the government did not
allow us to gather in a big group. During nine years of serving the Lord in Hanoi we had to
change our location 17 times. Each time being arrested and put under probation, we motivated
each other and remembered the suffering that Jesus had to endure because of our sins. Everything
was very difficult when we grouped. But I knew that God was always with us, because if I did not
have His hand to help me, I could not do anything. Now I understand why He chose and called
me. I was limited, but He was infinite, I was useless but He was powerful and almighty. I
couldnt do anything but He could do all things in all. Human beings couldnt limit Him.
Till the 25th of December 2008, I decided to return to Vietnamese SDA County because
this time the Vietnamese government policy was easier and I wanted the church have an official
meeting place. I handed over the membership of the church for Everlasting Gospel Organization.
My wife and I met many difficulties at that time, no housing, no finances, and my wife was
pregnant again. We had to stay with my parents in law. Many times I wanted to go back to my
hometown but at the urging of the Lord for the work of spiritual rescue in Hanoi urged my soul
again. I decided to stay. We had to build everything from the beginning again: no place, no
members, no finance, and no help. Because my wife was pregnant and her poor health kept me
away from being witness. I like a football player who was suspended. I asked the Lord: "What
must I do now?"
I could not sit around while out there millions of people were unsaved. I decided to go
alone. I went to take the bus to acquaint and visit people. When there were people believed in
God, I used my religious education to train so they can help me with the work of God. My wife
was nervous and uneasy when I left the house. We could only pray the Lord and gave thanks
every time I came home and being safe. We were glad to see the first few people believe in God.
Then the work started to be formulated, the LORD touched near and far believers to support us
financially in difficult circumstances.
In 2010, Vietnamese SDA county had decided to take me as an official employee, and
specifically added to Hanoi some members to assist me for the work of God here. Thank God,
although we still had to rent this house because there was no church yet, but I still believed that in
the capital there would have a spacious church for people to worship the LORD.
I love Hanoi, the capital. Although many people had came to this place and then returned
to the place where they lived, but I did not give up just because of one reason: For God so loved
this land and the people here. He touched and helped me to continue the work of God in this
capital.
I longed that believers here could worship God in a church, they would not have to run
from one place to another place in old inconvenient rented rooms. I also wished I could partially
contribute to build the work of God in this place. But I was so small, but the work of God needed
a greater labor, there should be joined hands of many people, especially everyone's prayers.
I asked God to touch everyone all over the world to remember about Vietnam, this S-
shaped country, to remember the capital Hanoi, a small star on the world map where many small
people living here totally devoted to God.
We hoped the work of God in this place would have developed not only a church but several
churches would be built to glorify the Lord. I'm tiny but God is great - Amen.

Hanoi Seventh Day Adventist Church
Number 98, Kim Giang Street, Dai Kim Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi
Website: sdacdplhanoi.weebly.com
Phone: 0944 009 156