2026 Vietnam- Cambodia Mission Team - Update #2
Dear prayer partners, friends, and family,
As I start to write, it’s just after noon local time Sunday, June 14 and we are just beginning our 7 hour drive from Da Lat back to Ho Chi Minh City. We will stop at two area churches before we head back to HCMC in earnest!We’ve had a full and fruitful past few days!
What’s the back story here? ALWM Vietnam, known as Vital Links for more than 25 years, is staffed entirely by volunteers led by Dr Hang, plus a salaried PT project manager! Our team was blessed to visit Dr Hang and Mr Hai at their inner city apartment and clinic last Thursday, meeting some of the ten orphaned children rescued from abortion they raise (see below)! We also heard her testimony in depth, a wonderful account of the grace of God, healing, and their call to medical / evangelism / pro life ministry.
ALWM provides the funds monthly for Dr Hang’s ongoing ministry in Vietnam from faithful donors who support the work! In addition to the medical / evangelism outreaches, we are engaged in pro life ministry, with nearly 300 children rescued from abortion! We have nearly 40 children in our four Gospel Houses (unregistered foster homes). Dr Hang also does community medical outreach training, mostly focused on poor rural areas in need of the Gospel, as well as basic medical care.
Friday we rose very early, packed up, and boarded a 29 passenger bus for the 7+ hour drive northeast. The beautiful countryside was full of tropical vegetation, hundreds of thousands of rubber trees, rice fields and more. Our destination was the city of Da Lat, home of several of our new partner congregations. A lunch stop at a roadside cafe serving local food was a highlight of the beautiful drive. We gained 5000+ feet in elevation by the time we reached Da Lat, and the pictures below don’t capture the amazing views! The cooler weather at 5300 ft (highs in mid 70’s) was a very nice surprise!
On Saturday Dr Hang and her medical team of Christians, along with our US team, gathered at Đăng Gia Dết Church, just outside Da Lat. (See below) It’s a church 1000+ believers of the K-hor tribe. The K-hor are one of the 115 ethnic groups in Vietnam (59 are unreached). Vietnam is less than 2% evangelical.
When we arrived at Dang Gia Det Church outside Dalat 60+ children were awaiting our arrival, and the checkups began soon after. What happens at one of these medical outreach events? People of all ages receive a check up, medicine when needed, dental instructions and supplies, nutrition assistance, reading glasses and much more at events like this we hold through the year. The church leaders build relationships and share the love of Christ during the outreach. They follow up personally in the weeks and months afterward! Vietnamese pastors have confirmed to me over the years that these are always their most effective evangelistic efforts.
This was the first medical / evangelism outreach for our ministry in Da Lat and the surrounding province. Local authorities (Vietnam is a Communist country) permitted this outreach with some restrictions, even more than usual, so about 200 people came for checkups as well as about 65 children. When our short term mission team is here, we assist with reading glasses, and then add ministry for the children like crafts, games, face painting and more, though this was a bit restricted this year. The pastor was encouraged all went well, and was deeply appreciative of all that was done in Jesus’ name!
Dr Hang and our team here are focused on Da Lat and the surrounding province, with 20+ congregations of various tribal groups. So will press on for the next few years to grow and multiply here! We are praying for less restrictions in the years ahead in this province. This kind of opposition has been the pattern over the years in other places, with more openness over time. By the grace of God our team and the existing churches have great perseverance! A local pastor told me yesterday that the authorities fear loss of control politically, rather than direct opposition to the Gospel. “They know you and your team are here. They have cameras and microphones everywhere. If they wanted to stop you they would, but they aren’t!” Thanks be to God!
We walked at mealtimes through Da Lat’s busy streets and ate with Dr Hang and the medical team.
Bella, Lydia, Hunter, TJ, Karen, and Pastor Carol are all joyful, flexible, hard workers eager to serve, so what a blessing! Sally is an outreach veteran, a diligent leader, and wears a lot of hats, too. It’s not an overstatement to say that we each had an unforgettable day! There were lots of smiles, hugs, and laughter all around:).
Sunday morning we worshipped at another ALWM partner church in Da Lat.
Then, on the way back to HCMC, we visited two rural, isolated tribal churches within an hour and a half of Da Lat. Both were recipients of one of our “Clean Water / Living Water” Ministry filtration systems, installed this weekend ( see one below) We are praying for the funds to help one of the churches to complete a major installation of restrooms, 5 each for men and women! They need more than one toilet (see below) for a 300 member church! These water systems serve the church and the local community!
At both churches Dr Hang spoke to the children and parents about hygiene, caring for the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. We gave small gift bags each of the children I was blessed to pray for God’s blessings on the children!
After a very long but blessed day today ( it may be midnight when finally back at the hotel) on Monday evening we gather with one of David Tran’s English Ministry classes. David also serves as ALWM project manager part time too.
Thank you for your prayers for the team and the ministry ahead! Tuesday we fly to Cambodia!
On behalf of the team,
Bill
Rev. Bill Moberly, Founder & Director of ALWM
Director of Vital Links, a ministry of ALWM
Co-Founder & Editor of Celebrating Global Mission (CGMmag.com)
