Short Term Missions:
Vietnam 2024
Vietnam 2024 Short Term Mission Team
Meet the Team:
Khoi & Pratan Nguyen
As Christians, we have the one job to do - The Lord's bidding. Our Lord Jesus Christ has instructed us to preach the Gospel to the end of the earth as delineated in Mathew 28:19-20. This instruction has been heavily weighed upon my heart over the years. The desire to do mission trips came to me many years ago, but the opportunities never came. I also had many excuses for not being able to take part in the great commission of God. I realized that if I didn't take the initiative to step out of my comfort zone, the Lord would not unveil His plan for me and use me within the mission field. Though I am not certain that I have been chosen to do mission work, I certainly felt the call.
As I was searching for mission trip opportunities on the internet, the Holy Spirit led me to discover ALWM. Long story short, I am all fired up and looking forward to going on the upcoming mission trip in the summer of 2024 to Vietnam. I am also bringing my first-born son with me so that he, too, can get to learn about mission trips and witness the Lord's work at large.
I am also reminded of another teaching in John 15:5. Therefore, I ask for prayers and support from all children of God. Please pray and possibly financially support me and my son as we take part in the upcoming short mission trip. Pray also for the entire team as we take this journey together sending God's love to where needed most. I pray that what we will be doing in Vietnam will bear much fruit and ultimately pleases the Lord; just as we together pray...Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
So, Here Am I, Lord. Send Me.
Sue Dejong
I am Susan (Sue) Joy DeJong from a little and peaceful town in NE South Dakota, Milbank. Yup, Joy IS my middle name! I try to find Joy in every new day and in the people I meet. I have been married to Tim, my childhood sweetheart, for 50 years now! We have been richly blessed with our 4 children, their spouses and our 11 grandchildren.
All of my life I have had a desire to serve as a woman in mission for Christ. God has provided wonderful opportunities for me locally to participate in missions. And finally, at this stage of my life, I have this amazing opportunity to be involved in this short-term mission trip to Vietnam.
For the past several years I've been a part of ESL with two nurses in Ho Chi Min City. It's been a beautiful blessing to speak with Nhung and Bichtram over the years. We have become wonderful friends. I am looking forward to being able to meet them and Ms. Hanhpn, our coordinator, in person!
I thank and praise God for this opportunity through ALWM and Pastor Bill. God is so good!
Vicki Strege
Vicki Strege (left) (Milbank, SD) is EFEC Coordinator. Erika Meschner, (r)(Reno, NV), is our TESOL Consultant. Thank you to these two gifted volunteers!
My name is Vicki Strege. I live in Milbank, SD with my husband, Steve. Our almost 52 years marriage has been blessed with four children who are grown and they have added 9 grandchildren to our family. I am retired from a 44 year career of teaching Spanish and home economics. Since retiring I have had the opportunity to serve the Lord by becoming more involved in church activities. My personal goal is to reflect the love of Christ in all of my words and actions. Now that is a big job. I do fall short of that goal, but I keep on trying to share God’s love with my family, friends, and all people that I come in contact with.
In 2019 I and my husband had the opportunity to go to Vietnam with Pastor Bill and Sally. With the help of ALWM and Vital Links we traveled all over Vietnam sharing Christ’s love with many people by providing them with reading glasses, toothbrushes, medical examinations and games and crafts for the children. It was a wonderful experience to be able to provide help and encouragement to the people in the countryside. From that trip, I was asked by Pastor Bill to lead EFEC, an organization that pairs an English speaking person with a Vietnamese Nurse to visit 32 weeks of the year for the purpose of helping the nurse improve her English so as to obtain a better job. This has been such a blessing to visit one hour a week with my nurse, Hoa. We have become like mother and daughter and her English has greatly improved. It is a great opportunity to show Christ’s love and encourage her curiosity about Him. It is also a great way to do world mission work without leaving your home.
I am excited for the opportunity to travel to Vietnam again in 2024 and look forward to meeting my nurse and her family as well as many others to share the love of Christ with them.
Our mission board at our church has done many fundraisers for this trip. We have had a pancake feed, Advent and Lenten suppers, and a church wide rummage sale that alone raised over $3,000 for the trip. Our mission board, Impact the World, works to provide for a variety of needs locally and world wide.
Please pray that we have safe travels, and have to opportunity to be in contact with many people who don’t know Christ and share his love with them.
Vicki Strege (left) (Milbank, SD) is EFEC Coordinator. Erika Meschner, (r)(Reno, NV), is our TESOL Consultant. Thank you to these two gifted volunteers!
