A Sea of Scooters (by Allen)

 

Yes, scooters everywhere. The church (a nice older house with four stories - which is typical for nicer houses) is a half mile away as the crow flies, but there is no direct route. So we take a Grab (like Uber), and it is a 2.5 mile ride. We give ourselves 45 minutes to go that distance. The ride is always an adventure, surrounded by a sea of scooters plus some cars and trucks (and buses 😬). And everyone knows the exact dimensions of their vehicle, and if they fit in an open space, they go for it. So everyone is just inches from each other. And most intersections don’t have  traffic lights or stop signs.  And even if the lanes are painted, that is ignored. It is so crazy, it makes us laugh every time. The rides cost us around $2 or so and we generously give a tip of 40 cents. 

We usually try to talk to the driver. (Our language ability is pretty much limited to How are you? and Do you speak English?)  I realized yesterday that I don’t think the driver has ever acknowledged my questions. At best I get a blank stare. At church the members tell me I have good pronunciation. The young missionaries said that some drivers are so focused on driving that they don’t pay attention to us, and that others are so shocked to hear a foreigner speak Vietnamese that they don’t know what to say. Oh well, I will keep trying. 

The members are amazing. Most are the only members in their families, and face a lot of opposition from their parents and grandparents (who many of them live with).

Despite the language barrier we feel like we are making a difference. Fortunately the young missionaries help interpret, and some of the members speak decent English. 

This is where we are supposed to be.  I appreciate your prayers.