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Christmas Observed by Vietnam Churches

HO CHI MINH CITY — Fifty children and adults of the beleaguered Mennonite Church in Ho Chi Minh City's District 2 gathered for a quiet Christmas Eve service in home of Pastor and Mrs. Nguyen Hong Quang.

The pastor, Nguyen Thanh Tam, reported that many of the Christians hesitated to come for fear they would be arrested. Even though those gathered knew they were being closely watched, the celebration went on. The church prayed for Pastor Quang and the other three leaders still being held in prison. They also prayed for the governmental authorities, especially for those in the local Binh Khanh precinct, to the end that they would be able to freely meet to worship the Lord. They concluded with a Christmas reception and gave gifts to the children.

On Christmas Day seventy persons from the Church gathered in an evening service at a rented facility with a guest pastor from another house church. The theme was "Christmas Revival." They had a great time praising the Lord, worshiping and praying without having the security police break up their meeting.

"May the Lord watch over the District 2 Mennonite Church" Pastor Tam prayed, "so that next Christmas more people can joyously meet to worship the Lord, and not celebrate Christmas in fear."

Due to the difficulties they have had in District 2, some leaders from this house church congregation are assisting in preaching in a large industrial area of 100,000 inhabitants in Ben Cat, Binh Duong province, sixty kilometers to the north. On Sunday evening, December 26, the church organized a public gathering that brought together more than 350 people, only one-third believers.

The church in Ben Cat was newly established in August from a cell group of ten persons, and by the end of the year had grown to 58 believers of whom 30 met faithfully.

The evening began with cultural entertainment, and concluded with preaching on the theme of God's love from John 3:16. When the pastor invited people to accept the Lord, the whole group stood up together. The church is now developing a program for nurturing those who confessed faith. Among their many needs are Bibles to give to the new believers.

In another area sixty kilometers north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, around 100 believers gathered Christmas Day in the home of pastor Doan Van Dien in Phu Ngoc town, Dinh Quan district of Dong Nai province. Four new persons came to faith in Jesus Christ.

Even though eight plain-clothed security police gathered around the house and at the gate, the church prayed and went on with the service which included a reception and giving of gifts to the children.

Most of the people in this area are poor farmers. The church has four regular places of meeting. There is a strong youth group of thirty-some teenagers, and a like number of primary school age children. Pastor Dien and his youth assistant pray that these children and youth will grow in faith and live godly lives.

The leader of the central Vietnam district of the Mennonite Church, Pastor Nguyen Minh Sang, reported that Christians celebrated joyous Christmas services at all the churches in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces.

At the Hoi An church that meets in his home, eighty persons attended and three new persons received the Lord. The church here followed the standard practice of reporting in advance to authorities that they were planning to meet, and they met with no difficulty. Services were held at six places in the Quang Nam province, and local authorities cited people at two places for having a large gathering without permission. This sometimes happens even if permission is requested.

Christmas is widely celebrated in Vietnam, even by those who have not embraced the Christian faith. Catholic churches throughout the country are packed. Evangelical churches likewise find this a great occasion to evangelize, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services are occasions for special musical performances.

The official Vietnam News Agency carried many stories of top government and communist party officials paying visits to Catholic and Evangelical church leaders in Hanoi and other cities.

The Nhan Dan (People's) newspaper website on December 24 reported that many supermarkets, shops, restaurants and entertainment centers in Ho Chi Minh City were offering customers free delivery of goods by Santa Claus during the Christmas week. More than 1,000 Santa Clauses were hired to make these deliveries — mostly by the small ubiquitous motor bike.

An American Mennonite teaching English to medical personnel in Ho Chi Minh City said, "Would you believe — Santa Claus came on a motorbike to my door twice to deliver gifts, a different Santa each time!"

She mused, "For the life of me, I cannot figure out why Santa and reindeer and snow, of all things, should be presented here like it would be in Pennsylvania, New York, Canada or wherever. Here the temperature rarely drops below 68 degrees (20 C). But I did see a contextualized Santa here in the City-on a ledge above the entrance to Vietnam House Restaurant on Dong Khoi Street was perched an oxcart filled with gifts and Santa in the driver's seat. What was pulling the oxcart but a water buffalo! Whoever made that display was thinking in context!"

The English-language Sunday Viet Nam News, December 19-26, 2004, in a nearly full-page article entitled " Celebrating traditional Christmas commercialism," noted that people all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus.

"The ancient roots of the Christmas holiday come from The Virgin Birth," it wrote. "Christians believe that Jesus Christ was born more than 2,000 years ago. Every year on December 25, people all over the world celebrate his birth."

"For Christians," it continued, "the holiday is a chance to be grateful that Jesus died for your sins so that you could receive salvation and go to heaven."

Noting that Vietnamese businesses take advantage of Christmas and join in the festivities even though they don't celebrate the meaning, the article ends, "No matter if you are a Christian, non-Christian, conservative or radical, Christmas is approaching. Will you miss the chance to express your love for your friends and family?"

Vietnam today has all the drama of the first Christmas-welcoming shepherds, seeking magi, an angry Herod and all the other characters.