We’re Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto

We made it safe and sound.  Most of the April MEDRIX team arrived in Ho Chi Minh City Friday, with the folks from Texas arriving late that same night.  A taxi ride into the center of the city, still called Saigon by the locals, brought us to the Duxton Hotel, a very comfortable business hotel close to the tourist areas.  There was some time to visit the market and Reunification Palace (once the Presidential Palace of the old South Vietnam) before jet lag began to take its toll.

(Be sure to click on a photo to see a larger version.)

There was also one last time for the entire team to be together before splitting into two parts.   The  nurse educators would stay in Ho Chi Minh City to teach a course in psychiatric nursing to professionals from across the country, while the water projects team went on the Hue.  Breakfast, then the team meeting, then a little free time, before the Hue-bound folks left for the airport and the HCMC folks moved to the apartment they would use for the remainder of the stay.

There is a small but close knit English-speaking community in Hue, and they welcomed the arrivals from America with a nice dinner and dessert at one of their homes. 

But, the first full day in Hue was Easter.  At 7AM, the Hue team was at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church to celebrate the Resurrection.  True enough, we did not understand the language, but we knew exactly what was being celebrated.  The building was packed, and many of the worshippers were young people.  What better way to begin our work in Vietnam than among those who share our beliefs and our hope?

At appropriate times during the mass, we heard sounds strange to the ear of western Christians – a gong and a bass drum.  It served to remind all of us that we are indeed peoples of different cultures united by one belief.  This photo was taken immediately after the service and shows the main altar at the front of the sanctuary.

Hue’s hotel accommodations are a little bit more humble than the Duxton  in Saigon, but the Thai Binh is right downtown and handy to everything.

As is should be, Sunday is a day of rest.  We’ll keep you posted as we start our work.